Nightly I-55 and Third Street closures run through Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the SR-14 bridge job; I-40 stays two lanes each way from Levee Road to Hollywood.

Last checked Oct. 28, 2026. This page is refreshed weekly. Facts come from the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s West Tennessee construction bulletin for Oct. 21 to 28, 2026, the Downtown Memphis Commission’s downtown road closures list and City of Memphis traffic notices for I-55 and SR-14, South Main Street, Riverside Drive, James Road and Front Street. On Oct. 28, TDOT’s site, TDOT SmartWay and the City of Memphis site did not load for us, and TDOT’s next West Tennessee bulletin, for Oct. 28 to Nov. 4, could not be found. State items below are as TDOT listed them on Oct. 21; check SmartWay before you drive.

The biggest job in Memphis this week is still the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s (TDOT) bridge replacement at I-55 and U.S. 61/South Third Street (State Route 14). Nightly lane closures and rolling roadblocks on I-55 run from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Wednesday, Nov. 4, and a full southbound SR-14 closure for a bridge deck pour could fall on Wednesday or Thursday night if Tuesday’s pour slipped. On I-40, Levee Road to Hollywood Street stays down to two lanes each way. For live conditions on state roads, use TDOT SmartWay or dial 511. For a city street problem, call Memphis 311 at 901-636-6500.

Who to call

  • State routes and interstates (I-40, I-55, I-240, Lamar Avenue, Elvis Presley Boulevard): TDOT SmartWay, or dial 511
  • City streets, potholes, signals: Memphis 311, 901-636-6500, or report online
  • City Engineering Division: memphistn.gov/engineering
  • Emergencies and crashes: 911

I-55 and Third Street (SR-14)

TDOT is replacing the I-55 exit ramp bridge to SR-14 (South Third Street), the SR-14 bridge over I-55 and the U.S. 61/Third Street bridges over the Illinois Central railroad and Nonconnah Creek. In its Oct. 21 bulletin, TDOT listed these ramps as closed with detours:

  • Northbound SR-14 to northbound I-55
  • Southbound SR-14 to southbound I-55
  • Southbound I-55 to southbound SR-14
  • Northbound I-55 to SR-14, both directions

Northbound SR-14 has been down to one lane from the Nonconnah Creek bridge to just past the I-55 loop ramp since Sept. 3, 2025, with flaggers at times. Expect intermittent daytime lane closures on SR-14 in both directions, with one lane open. Through Wednesday, Nov. 4, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., expect lane closures on I-55 and SR-14 and rolling roadblocks on I-55.

TDOT scheduled a full southbound SR-14 closure, with detours, from 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, to 6 a.m. for a bridge deck pour, with Wednesday, Oct. 28, and Thursday, Oct. 29, as backup nights in case of weather. We could not confirm on Oct. 28 whether the Tuesday pour went ahead.

Interstates

As listed by TDOT on Oct. 21:

  • I-40, Levee Road to Hollywood Street: long-term inside-lane closures both ways for rubblization and paving, with at least two lanes open each way. The Watkins Street entrance ramp to eastbound I-40 is closed with a posted detour. More lane closures nightly, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., with one lane open each way.
  • I-40, Sycamore View Road to Fletcher Creek: nightly paving closures, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., with one lane open each way.
  • I-240, Elvis Presley Boulevard to Park Avenue: nightly resurfacing closures, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., with at least one lane open each way.
  • I-55, Mill Branch to I-240: nightly bridge repair and paving closures, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

State routes in the city

As listed by TDOT on Oct. 21:

  • Lamar Avenue (SR-4), south of Shelby Drive to the Raines/Perkins Road interchange: widening. The speed limit is cut from 55 to 45 mph; Shelby Drive at Lamar is cut from 45 to 35 mph; Pleasant Run Road is closed to through traffic from Lamar Avenue.
  • Summer Avenue (SR-1/U.S. 70), I-40 to east of Sycamore View Road: widening, with one lane each way through the work zone and flaggers at times. Summer Trees Drive is closed at Summer Avenue with detours.
  • North Parkway (SR-1), Danny Thomas Boulevard to Tillman Street: nightly resurfacing closures, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  • Elvis Presley Boulevard (SR-3), Winchester Road to Gateway Drive: resurfacing lane closures daily through Friday, Oct. 30, with one lane open each way. Farther south, between Craft Road and Winchester Road, long-term lane closures continue for a non-TDOT reconstruction project.
  • Shelby Drive (SR-175), Berta Road to Elvis Presley Boulevard: resurfacing lane closures on the same days.
  • Thomas Street (SR-3/U.S. 51), Wolf River and Levee Road to Stage Road: one lane each way with a traffic shift for bridge replacement.
  • Germantown Parkway (SR-177), Crestridge Road to Winchester Road: one lane with flaggers from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Thursday, Oct. 29, for vegetation work. The stretch runs toward Germantown, about 11 miles east.
  • Pavement markings are being repainted across West Tennessee, with slow-moving work zones on interstates and state routes in Shelby County.

City projects

  • South Main Street, Crump Boulevard to Carolina Avenue: the city closed it Oct. 7 after its traffic engineers found safety issues with the railroad bridge there, and said it stays closed until the bridge owner makes the repairs and the bridge is deemed safe. The Downtown Memphis Commission lists the railway bridge repair for Oct. 12 to 23. We could not confirm on Oct. 28 whether the street has reopened; the city’s notice gave no date.
  • Riverside Drive, Beale Street to Georgia Avenue: closed 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights since Sept. 4, a city downtown safety measure.
  • Front Street, Union Avenue to Monroe Avenue: closed for the Front Street Improvement Project (four lanes to three, curb bump-outs, accessible ramps, wider sidewalks). The Downtown Memphis Commission lists this block, and the Front Street/Union Avenue intersection and sidewalks, through Wednesday, Nov. 4.
  • Downtown resurfacing: the Downtown Memphis Commission lists Union Avenue and Monroe Avenue between Front Street and Main Street, and Front Street between Peabody Place and Court Avenue, for city resurfacing through Dec. 1.
  • James Road, Hollywood Street/Range Line Road to Scenic Highway: eastbound lanes closed since July 9 for an emergency bridge repair expected to take about four months, which runs to about early November. The signed detour uses Hollywood Road, the eastbound I-40 ramp, Warford Street exit ramp (Exit 6) and Warford Street. No reopening date could be confirmed on Oct. 28. Questions go to Chris-Hill Construction, 901-351-1356.

What this means for you

  • Avoid southbound Third Street at I-55 at night Wednesday and Thursday in case the bridge deck pour slipped to a backup night.
  • Expect I-55 and Third Street lane closures and rolling roadblocks every night through Wednesday, Nov. 4.
  • Allow extra time on I-40 between Levee Road and Hollywood Street at all hours.
  • Check South Main Street before you go; its reopening could not be confirmed.
  • Downtown on weekend nights, Riverside Drive is closed from Beale south.
  • Check SmartWay before you leave; TDOT moves dates for weather.

More guides: getting around Memphis and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

Is Third Street closing at I-55 in Memphis this week?

TDOT has nightly lane closures on I-55 and SR-14 (South Third Street), with rolling roadblocks on I-55, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Wednesday, Nov. 4, for bridge replacement. A full southbound SR-14 closure for a bridge deck pour was set for Tuesday night, Oct. 27, with Wednesday, Oct. 28, and Thursday, Oct. 29, as backup nights. Check TDOT SmartWay before driving at night.

Is South Main Street still closed in Memphis?

The city closed South Main Street between Crump Boulevard and Carolina Avenue on Oct. 7, 2026, because of a safety problem with the railroad bridge, and said it would stay closed until the bridge is repaired and deemed safe. The Downtown Memphis Commission listed the repair for Oct. 12 to 23. We could not confirm on Oct. 28 whether the street has reopened.

Which I-55 ramps are closed at Third Street in Memphis?

In its Oct. 21 bulletin, TDOT listed four ramps closed with detours at U.S. 61/South Third Street (SR-14) and I-55: northbound and southbound SR-14 to I-55, southbound I-55 to southbound SR-14 and northbound I-55 to SR-14, for bridge replacement work.

Why is I-40 down to two lanes in Memphis?

TDOT has long-term inside-lane closures on I-40 from Levee Road to Hollywood Street for rubblization and paving, with at least two lanes open each way. The Watkins Street ramp to eastbound I-40 is closed with a detour.

Is Riverside Drive closed at night in Memphis?

Since Sept. 4, 2026, the city has closed Riverside Drive between Beale Street and Georgia Avenue from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

Where can I check Tennessee road closures?

Use TDOT’s SmartWay site for construction, incidents and live cameras, or dial 511. Report a city street problem to Memphis 311 at 901-636-6500.