I 65

I 65 has more traffic but it doesn't have the Chattanooga Mountain

I 65 is under perpetual construction and is a heavily traveled truck route. It's also very rough in places and will loosen fillings in your head.

If you have nerves of steel and a reinforced steering wheel as well as protective arm covers for the passenger seat to withstand white knuckle syndrome, you might be okay.

WE live in Central Tennessee, and in the last year twice traveled I65, to Gary and to I69 in Port Huron. I do not remember any bad sections. There was some construction on I69 around Fort Wayne area, but it was in a rural area. We have traveled both ways may times over the last 30 years, and prefer I65 to I69, even though it is longer to get to Canada where we have family. Less traffic and major cities to go though.

Where are you headed too? The only mountain that I know of near Chattanooga is on I24 at Mount Eagle, which I have also traveled a lot.

Guess it depends where in the south you are heading. I65 in IN. Is a ruff road.

Given 65 is rougher than 75. I still prefer 65 as I think the traffic is lighter. it's not as hilly and I don't have as much downshifting. From my house to Chattanooga there's only about 10 miles difference.

Indy is getting ready to redo the exit from 465 to 65 on the south side. I can take state hwys and avoid Indy.

Louisville is going to be building a new bridge, making one for north bound and using the old one for south bound traffic. They are also talking about making it a toll bridge, taking a pic of your plate and mailing you a bill for the fare.

Nashville has options if your going down I-24. Briley Parkway but I don't like the 4 stoplights. I have been know to use exit 2 in KY going through Portland to Gallitin and then down to 840. Seems to take the same time in the car but can be a hassel with trailer. Going on toward Alabama your best just following I-65 markers but there are several times you need to watch which lane your in for the road divisions.

Going north give me I-69 all the way up and avoid Detroit like the plague with a switch. This is my preferred route to Toronto, 8 hrs.

We take 65 every year. Less traffic, no mountains in winter is a plus.

We hauled our 5th wheel from Michigan to Florida via I-65 (from Indianapolis to Montgomery, AL where we caught US231) and back. The section from Indy to Louisville has some rough spots and I thought the area around Birmingham, AL was a bit bumpy too. Overall I'd say I-65 is about the same as most Interstate highways in the U.S......some parts good, some parts not so good.

Still, we're heading that same route this winter because I-75, which we've traveled many times, definitely has greater elevation changes and is busier than I-65. I-65 has a lot of truck traffic from Indy to Louisville, but I thought the rest of the route wasn't bad at all.

I agree with Karen. I-65 from Louisville to Indy is the worst road I have ever been on in my lifetime. Potholes every 20 feet and you can't dodge them. Bad pavement joints. Places where the concrete is totally popped out leaving foot deep holes. Truck traffic like you wouldn't believe. That road should be illegal. We drove it in August and took it at 55 mph, but even that wasn't slow enough to avoid jarring the heck out of everything.

I75 from Detroit,Mi
all the way to Tampa is smooth and easy. No rough roads all the way down. The formerly rough part south of Perry,GA is redone and smooth now too. Even went through Atlanta at 55-60mph with not a single slowdown around 11:00am. Used to use I65/64 but not for the past three years. We much prefer I75.
Barney

I'm thinking from Detroit, but it depnds on where you are going. To get to central or south Florida, I-75 is the better route. Going to Mobile or the Mississippi Gulf Coast, or west Florida, the I-71 out of Cincy to I-65 south works better. To New Orleans and further west on I-10, divert from I-65 to I-59 at Birmingham. That works also for the Texas Gulf Coast, following US-59 south out of Houston.