Interstate 440 (Tennessee)
Interstate 440 (I-440) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway that runs through Nashville, Tennessee. It serves as a southern bypass around downtown Nashville, and is located on average about three miles (4.8 km) from the center of the city. I-440 is also known locally as the Four-Forty Parkway, and is designated as the Debra K. Johnson Memorial Parkway. At a length of 7.64 miles (12.30 km), I-440 runs between I-40 and I-24, and connects to I-65 and multiple U.S. Routes. Combined, I-440 and Briley Parkway, a controlled-access segment of State Route 155 (SR 155), form a noncontiguous inner beltway around downtown Nashville.
Originally proposed in the 1950s, I-440 was the subject of much controversy related to its location and design, which resulted in multiple design changes and delayed the highway's completion for many years. As a result, it was the last segment of Interstate Highway planned for Tennessee by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 to be constructed. After its completion in 1987, I-440 developed unforeseen congestion, safety, and surface issues, which prompted a reconstruction of the entire route that was completed in 2020.
