Nashville TN construction

[pandcnovak]

Hubby and I are new to snow-birding. Driving from Central IL to FL Panhandle late this month. Planned to take 24 to 65 through Nashville, but are concerned about getting through the construction traffic in Nashville. Any ideas for alternate route?

[C-Bears]

jdocter7 wrote:
Sorry, we went through Atlanta and down I-75 bound for Key Largo. Travel safely!

You will sure have some warm weather very soon!

[jdocter7]

Sorry, we went through Atlanta and down I-75 bound for Key Largo. Travel safely!

[C-Bears]

jdocter7, thanks for update. I sent you a PM reference Clarksville RV.

If you are continuing down I-65 to Rt. 231 to I-10 can you post again on road conditions/construction delays? After Clarksville we are staying around Montgomery (Woods RV Park & CG) and then the next night at Tallahassee (Tallahassee RV Park), then onto Tampa to get work done at Lazy Days.

On this years trip down we are trying out 3 different campgrounds, but same route.

[jdocter7]

I just wanted to say that we left Clarksville, TN this morning ( a Thursday) at around 8:30 and made it through Nashville by 9:30, in rainy weather. We're calling that "not bad". It wasn't as bad as we expected, and there were a couple of so-called incidents on the TDOT website. That was handy--thanks a lot. Google maps also helped to show where traffic was jammed up and where it was running free.

[jdocter7]

C-Bears, I'm too tired at the moment to do the math, but we're driving south from Springfield, IL and stopped for the night at Clarksville RV park in Clarksville, TN. Sure, you can hear interstate noise at night, but we're just making our way south to Florida. You may want to check this place out for a place to park your rig for a month. It seems we'll run, and the website matches the reality.

[fishcraz]

C Bears:

Re Rt 45 from Paducah to Mobile, how much 4 lane?

All except from MS/AL state line to Hwy 158 in Mobile is the only two lane. That distance is 50 miles. That stretch of two lane is not bad. I have pulled a 32 foot bumper pull on it two times and will again this month. The only campground I stayed in was at Jackson, TN and it is only a parking lot.

[C-Bears]

fishcraz wrote:
Going from Central Illinois to Florida Panhandle consider using US Rt 45 from Paducah to I-10 at Mobile. It is 4 lane to MS-AL state line, very little truck traffic and a nice drive. May also be shorter depending where the destination is in the Panhandle. We use that route to Pensacola from Illinois.

What else can you tell me about taking that route? It looks like it would be around 500 miles from Paducah to Mobile. How much of that would be 4-lane divided?

One of the problems we are having using I-24, I-65, US Rt. 231, I-10, is that we want to find a good CG about 400 miles from central Illinois. The Nashville area works but the traffic is horrible. We need a CG that far away so when the weather turns ugly here we can move fiver 400 miles south for up to a month and still drive the truck back up for Christmas (Peoria area).

[C-Bears]

We go from central Illinois to SW Florida. Will be leaving around Christmas if the weather holds, if not we will had to Clarksville early.

We have learned to avoid Nashville during rush hour as others have said. We continue down I-65 but then take US Rt. 231 to cut over to I-10. But depending of where you are going in panhandle that may not work for you guys.

We have friends leaving next week from here for Panama City. Not sure what exact route they are taking.

[pandcnovak]

Thank you for all the great information!

[fishcraz]

Going from Central Illinois to Florida Panhandle consider using US Rt 45 from Paducah to I-10 at Mobile. It is 4 lane to MS-AL state line, very little truck traffic and a nice drive. May also be shorter depending where the destination is in the Panhandle. We use that route to Pensacola from Illinois.

[lj2654]

Last July when we came thru it was good, lots of traffic but moved fine at 11 am during the week. Just the sun shining in the big windshields sucked.

[rockhillmanor]

Just be sure you do NOT go thru during their rush hour. Of all the cities I have gone thru from Illinois to Florida Nashville is the worst.

Not of enough road for the traffic and at one point they intersect and another road comes in from the right. It's a mess to drive with an RV.

Hope the construction is to rectify their rush hour problems! :W

Come on down the weather is fine! 80's expected for the next 2 weeks.

[coolmom42]

Here ya go:

TDOT SmartWay map


Mouse over any incident/construction sign and it will tell you what is going on.

You can also take Briley Parkway (SR 155) as an outer loop to bypass downtown. It is either exit 42 or 43 off of I-24 on the north side of Nashville. Go west on Briley Parkway, to I-40. Then east on I-40 for a couple of miles, then take I-440 around to I-65 southbound.

There is currently some work on I-24 westbound, and some paving on I-440. But paving season will likely be over with before you come through. And of course avoid morning/afternoon rush hour if possible.

[2oldman]

No, but it's always wise to check the traffic flow maps first.

Nashville was no big deal a month ago, but Louisville was not fun.