17-07-2025
When will more of Interstate 40 be repaved around Knoxville?
Interstate 40 is one of the busiest roadways in Tennessee, and it's easy to imagine how quickly it can get worn down over time.
There are 200,000 vehicles per day traveling on I-40 through downtown Knoxville, according to Tennessee Department of Transportation spokesperson Mark Nagi.
Resurfacing happens on a rolling basis, and some stretches have been refreshed more recently than others.
"We prefer to resurface every 10 years for interstates and 12 years for state routes, but obviously those are general timelines, and are adjusted as needed," Nagi emailed Knox News.
"The governor's budget includes $80 million in recurring funds for TDOT. Part of that $80 million is for pavement preservation. That will allow us to resurface an additional 130 lane miles statewide on an annual basis going forward."
Here are some recent I-40 resurfacing projects:
Liberty Street to West Dale Avenue was paved in 2009.
West Dale Avenue to the bridge over Blackstock Avenue was paved in 2016.
Papermill Drive to Liberty Street was paved in 2018.
Intermittent paving work was done by TDOT crews as needed.
If you're hoping some of those cracks in other areas will be fixed this year to make your travels less bumpy, you're going to be waiting at least another year or two.
A project is scheduled to start from Papermill Drive to the bridge over Blackstock Avenue in summer or spring 2027.
There is no current repaving schedule for I-40 from Papermill Drive westward to the Knox County line, or from Blackstock Avenue eastward to the Knox County line.
Potholes on I-40? How you can help with maintenance
Any issues you encounter along the interstates should be reported to the TDOT Road Repair Hotline at 833-836-8349 or by filling out an online request at
On local roads in Knoxville, you can call 311, submit an online request at or contact the city's civil engineer at 865-211-6100.
In Knox County, you can report potholes or other issues by downloading the SeeClickFix app on your phone.
Myron Thompson reports on public safety for Knox News. Email:
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: When will more of Interstate 40 be repaved in Knoxville?
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