In the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

, Interstate 24 (I-24) runs from Clarksville

Clarksville, Tennessee

Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...

 to Chattanooga

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...

 via Nashville

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...

. Just west of Chattanooga, I-24 drops into Georgia

Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

's Dade County

Dade County, Georgia

Dade County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 15,154. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 16,098...

 for 4.1 miles (6.6 km) before reentering Tennessee.

In Georgia, mileage and exit numbers for I-24 are a continuation of Tennessee's numbering scheme. It is also designated, but not signed as, State Route 409. The portion east of Interstate 59 runs along the U.S. Route 11 corridor.

Route description

One of the more hazardous stretches of Interstate highway in the United States is located approximately 40 miles (64 km) west of Chattanooga on I-24 in Monteagle

Monteagle, Tennessee

Monteagle is a town in Franklin, Grundy, and Marion counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, in the Cumberland Plateau region of the southeastern part of the state...

, where the highway crosses the Cumberland Plateau

Cumberland Plateau

The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia, part of Tennessee, and a small portion of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia . The terms "Allegheny Plateau" and the "Cumberland Plateau" both refer to the...

. Compared to grades elsewhere, Monteagle's 4–6% grade does not come close to the steepest (Interstate 40

Interstate 40

Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...

 between Nashville and Knoxville

Knoxville, Tennessee

Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...

 features 5% grades in each direction), but the slope

Slope

In mathematics, the slope or gradient of a line describes its steepness, incline, or grade. A higher slope value indicates a steeper incline....

 is protracted over a distance of several miles. While all motorists need to exercise caution, truckers are particularly vexed by Monteagle, and many have died going through this area. As runaway trucks had been a regular and deadly occurrence, in part of the failure or inability of truckers to slow down to the 35 mi/h truck speed limit once on the slope, the eastbound lanes were rebuilt in the late 1980s. This work reduced the grade, widened the road, added a required stopping area with traffic lights for trucks prior to descending the mountain, and added two runaway truck ramp

Runaway truck ramp

A runaway truck ramp, runaway truck lane, emergency escape ramp or truck arrester bed is a traffic device that enables vehicles that are having braking problems to safely stop. It is typically a long, sand or gravel-filled lane adjacent to a road with a steep grade, and is designed to accommodate...

s where a truck whose brakes have failed due to overheating can exit into a long pit full of loose gravel to safely stop. Owing to geography, these two ramps are on the left side of the grade. This stretch of highway inspired Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash

John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...

 to write a song about Monteagle Mountain

Monteagle Mountain

Monteagle Mountain is the local name given to a stretch of Interstate 24 near Monteagle, Tennessee that passes over the Cumberland Plateau. Being part of the plateau, it is not technically a mountain, but appears that way to motorists crossing over it...

.

The Monteagle grade also has one of the three widest medians of any Interstate highway, with the others being I-8

Interstate 8

Interstate 8 is an Interstate Highway in the southwestern United States. It runs from the southern edge of Mission Bay at Sunset Cliffs Blvd, in San Diego, California, almost at the Pacific Ocean, to the junction with Interstate 10, just southeast of Casa Grande, Arizona...

 through the In-Ko-Pah grade in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 and I-84

Interstate 84 (west)

Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway in the Western United States that runs from Portland, Oregon, to a junction with Interstate 80 near Echo, Utah. The highway originally served as a fork of I-80 to serve the Pacific Northwest, and was originally numbered Interstate 80N.The highway serves and...

 through the Cabbage Hill grade east of Pendleton

Pendleton, Oregon

Pendleton is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. Pendleton was named in 1868 by the county commissioners for George H. Pendleton, Democratic candidate for Vice-President in the 1864 presidential campaign. The population was 16,612 at the 2010 census...

, Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

. There is more than a mile between the eastbound and westbound lanes at one point. The eastbound lanes descend the mountain on one side of a ridge, while the westbound lanes ascend the other. Also of interest on Monteagle Mountain is the steep grade on I-24 north of Monteagle. This steep grade occurs for westbound traffic and features a sharp 45 mi/h curve to the right while descending steeply at the same time. This downhill curve also features off-ramp approach style lane dividers, in order to slow both motorists and truckers.

Interstate 124

Interstate 124

Interstate 124 is an unsigned designation for a short segment of a four-lane limited access highway located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. During periods where this two miles long segment of U.S. Route 27 has been signed as I-124, it has served as a spur route of Interstate 24 to downtown...

 is an occasional (currently unsigned but occasionally noted in DOT publications) designation of a portion of the US 27 freeway which runs as a spur into downtown Chattanooga and beyond. Also in Chattanooga is the "Ridge Cut", a 1/4 mile section of Missionary Ridge

Missionary Ridge

Missionary Ridge is a geographic feature in Chattanooga, Tennessee, site of the Battle of Missionary Ridge, a battle in the American Civil War, fought on November 25, 1863. Union forces under Maj. Gens. Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, and George H...

, between the 4th Avenue exit and the Germantown/Belvoir exit. Accidents and severe congestion are common here.

History

On 18 May 2010, it was announced that a sinkhole was found in the eastbound lanes of I-24 in Grundy County. This was announced at 8:10 AM CDT near the exit of Tennessee State Route 50. Tennessee Department of Transportation

Tennessee Department of Transportation

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is a multimodal agency with statewide responsibilities in aviation, public transit, waterways and railroads...

 officials stated that hole was growing with traffic diverted onto the westbound lanes. However, emergency repairs commenced and was reopened several days later.

Exit list

County	Location	Mile	Exit Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....	Destinations	Notes
Montgomery Montgomery County, Tennessee Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The county seat is Clarksville. The population was 172,331 at the 2010 census. It is one of the four counties included in the Clarksville, TN–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area....	Clarksville Clarksville, Tennessee Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...		1
			4
			8
			11
Robertson	Adams Adams, Tennessee Adams is a city in Robertson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 633 at the 2010 census.-History:Originally incorporated as Red River in 1869, the town was renamed Adams in 1898 in honor of James Reuben Adams, who first owned much of the land on which the town was built. The town's...		19
	Springfield Springfield, Tennessee Springfield is a city in Robertson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 14,329 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Robertson County.-Geography:Springfield is located at ....		24
Cheatham	Ashland City Ashland City, Tennessee Ashland City is a town in Cheatham County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,641 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cheatham County.-History:Ashland City was created in 1856 as a county seat for the newly-established Cheatham County...		31
Davidson Davidson County, Tennessee Davidson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 626,681. Its county seat is Nashville.In 1963, the City of Nashville and the Davidson County government merged, so the county government is now known as the "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and...	Nashville Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...		35
			40
			43
			44B	– Louisville Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...	West end of I-65 overlap
			87
			46B	, Huntsville	East end of I-65 overlap
			47	Jefferson Street
			47A
			48	James Robertson Parkway (US 31, US 41, US 431, SR 6 Tennessee State Route 6 State Route 6 is an unsigned south–north route from Lawrence County, Tennessee to Sumner County, Tennessee. The designation can be found on mileposts, however.- Route description :... , SR 11 Tennessee State Route 11 State Route 11 is a mostly unsigned south–north highway that goes from the Alabama border in Giles County, Tennessee to the Kentucky border in Montgomery County.- Route description :... ) – State Capitol
			49	Shelby Avenue – LP Field LP Field LP Field is a football stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County....
			50B		West end of I-40 overlap, formerly the point where I-24, I-40, and I-65 met
			212	Hermitage Avenue (US 70, SR 24)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			212	Fesslers Lane	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			52B		East end of I-40 overlap
			52
			53
			54
			56
			57	Haywood Lane – Antioch Antioch, Tennessee Antioch is a community in southeastern Davidson County, Tennessee, that is governed by the Nashville metropolitan government. The area is assigned to postal zip code 37013.- History :...	Signed as exits 57A (west) and 57B (east) eastbound
			59
			60	Hickory Hollow Parkway
			62
Rutherford Rutherford County, Tennessee Rutherford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, it is the state's fifth-largest county by population with 262,604 people, an increase of 44.3 percent over the 2000 population of 182,023. Its county seat is Murfreesboro, which is also the geographic...	La Vergne La Vergne, Tennessee La Vergne is a city in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 18,687 at the 2000 census. La Vergne lies within the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...		64	Waldron Road – La Vergne La Vergne, Tennessee La Vergne is a city in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 18,687 at the 2000 census. La Vergne lies within the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
	Smyrna Smyrna, Tennessee Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. Smyrna's population was 25,569 people at the 2000 census. The Census estimate of the 2009 population is 39,142.-Geography:Smyrna is located at ....		66		Signed as exits 66A (west) and 66B (east) eastbound
			70
	Murfreesboro Murfreesboro, Tennessee Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...		74		Signed as exits 74A (west) and 74B (east)
			76	Fortress Boulevard, Medical Center Parkway
			78		Signed as exits 78A (west) and 78B (east)
			80
			81		Signed as exits 81A (south) and 81B (north) eastbound
			84	Joe B. Jackson Parkway	Signed as exits 84A (south) and 84B (north) eastbound
			89	Buchanan Road
Bedford	Beechgrove	No interchanges in Bedford County
Coffee Coffee County, Tennessee Coffee County is a county located in south-central portion of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is one of the counties of Middle Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 52,796. Its county seat is Manchester....	Manchester Manchester, Tennessee Manchester is a city in Coffee County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 10,102 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Coffee County...		97
			105
			110
			111
			114
			117	U.S. Air Force Arnold Center, Tullahoma Tullahoma, Tennessee -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 18,655 people, 7,717 households, and 5,161 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 88.1% White, 7.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races...
Grundy	Pelham		127		West end of US 64 overlap
Marion Marion County, Tennessee Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 27,776. Its county seat is Jasper.Marion County is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...	Monteagle Monteagle, Tennessee Monteagle is a town in Franklin, Grundy, and Marion counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, in the Cumberland Plateau region of the southeastern part of the state...		134
			135		West end of SR 2 overlap
			The eastbound and westbound lanes split apart for up to two miles (3 km) while on the south side of Monteagle Mountain Monteagle Mountain Monteagle Mountain is the local name given to a stretch of Interstate 24 near Monteagle, Tennessee that passes over the Cumberland Plateau. Being part of the plateau, it is not technically a mountain, but appears that way to motorists crossing over it...
	Kimball Kimball, Tennessee Kimball is a town in Marion County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,312 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Kimball is located at ....		143	Martin Springs Road (SR 2 east)	East end of SR 2 overlap
			152		East end of US 64 overlap; west end of SR 27 overlap
	Jasper Jasper, Tennessee Jasper is a town in Marion County, Tennessee. The population was 3,214 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marion County.Jasper is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...		155
			158		East end of SR 27 overlap
			Interstate 24 Bridge Interstate 24 Bridge - Illinois-Kentucky :The Interstate 24 Bridge is a two-span tied arch bridge that carries I-24 across the Ohio River. Built in 1973, it is in length. The bridge is one of two that connects the Metropolis, Illinois area with Paducah, Kentucky.- Tennessee :...  over the Nickajack Lake Nickajack Lake Nickajack Lake is the reservoir created by Nickajack Dam as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority. The lake stretches from Nickajack Dam to Chickamauga Dam, and runs along the shores of Chattanooga, TN...
			161
Hamilton Hamilton County, Tennessee Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It was named for Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury. The 2005 Census Estimate placed the population at 310,935 . Its county seat is Chattanooga....		No interchanges in this segment of Hamilton County
Dade County, Georgia Dade County, Georgia Dade County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 15,154. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 16,098...			167	– Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...	Left exit westbound
			169
Hamilton Hamilton County, Tennessee Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It was named for Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury. The 2005 Census Estimate placed the population at 310,935 . Its county seat is Chattanooga....	Chattanooga Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...		174
			175	Browns Ferry Road, Mountain View Drive - Lookout Mountain Lookout Mountain, Tennessee Lookout Mountain is a town in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,832 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Lookout Mountain is located at...
			178	Downtown Chattanooga Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...	West end of US 27 overlap
			178		Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			178		Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			180		East end of US 27 overlap; signed as exits 180A (north) and 180B (south)
			181	4th Avenue
			181A		Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			I-24 climbs Missionary Ridge Missionary Ridge Missionary Ridge is a geographic feature in Chattanooga, Tennessee, site of the Battle of Missionary Ridge, a battle in the American Civil War, fought on November 25, 1863. Union forces under Maj. Gens. Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, and George H...
			183	Germantown Road, Belvoir Avenue
			184	Moore Road
			185	– Atlanta, Knoxville	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; signed as exits 185A (south) and 185B (north)