Tennessee: I-55 Interchange at E.H. Crump Blvd.

The Cure for Memphis Traffic Madness

Challenge: The I-55 Interchange at E.H. Crump Boulevard and South Riverside Drive in Memphis is plagued by high-volume commuter and commercial truck traffic. It handles about 60,000 vehicles daily – 26 percent of it is truck traffic. According to FHWA the existing clover leaf interchange built in the mid-1960s was only meant to handle 28,500 vehicles daily, with eight percent truck traffic. Dangerous traffic merges, accidents, and backups result.

The Solution: The I-55 / Crump Boulevard Interchange project had been put on hold for years, but finally got the greenlight in 2022. With help from the federal infrastructure investment law, new through lanes will eliminate the need for heavy interstate truck traffic to use single-lane, low-speed ramps. A new multi-lane roundabout will give locals better access to and from city roadways. Noise walls are being built and access for locals and businesses will be maintained. A more modern, less congested, and thoughtfully planned community crossroads is on the way.

What They’re Saying: It is one of “the worst interchange(s) we have in the state of Tennessee,” said former Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer (Memphis Flyer, 03/29/22).