Unlike Baton Rouge, Memphis now has a highway bypass

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Final phase of I-269 opens, allowing trucks to bypass Memphis traffic

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The final phase of Interstate 269, a 60-mile half-loop connecting Interstate 55 and Interstate 40, opened in DeSoto County, Mississippi late last week. The project is expected to allow for easier freight movement in the area, especially for trucks moving eastbound from northern Mississippi.

The half-loop runs from Hernando, Mississippi to Millington, Tennessee, allowing travelers to bypass Memphis, Tennessee and the traffic congestion that often accompanies it. The $640 million project started in 2011, according to Mississippi Department of Transportation.

“We are very excited about it. We are looking forward to our eastbound freight coming out of Mississippi going toward the Carolinas, Nashville and Knoxville being able to bypass the congestion in Memphis where I-40 and I-55 meet,” Graham Trucking Director of Recruiting and Sales Terry Jobe said. “We feel like we’re going to save about an hour of transit time each way getting to our eastbound locations. Of course that’s huge for drivers. It’s a driver’s dream in North Mississippi with all the congestion from the casinos over in Tunica County and the Memphis proper traffic.”

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