Lyle H. Fulton Memorial Bridge

The Lyle H. Fulton Memorial Bridge is a steel plate girder bridge in Nashville, Tennessee that carries Interstate 65 across the Cumberland River. Between the bridge's completion in 1971 and 2000, the route that the bridge carries was designated as Interstate 265, until I-65 was rerouted onto the bridge, replacing that route.

Not to be confused with Fulton Road Bridge.
Lyle H. Fulton Memorial Bridge
Coordinates36.1918°N 86.7831°W / 36.1918; -86.7831
Carries6 lanes of I-65
CrossesCumberland River
LocaleNashville, Tennessee
Characteristics
DesignPlate girder bridge
Total length994 ft (303 m)
Width90 feet (27 m)
History
Construction startJune 1967
Construction endMarch 15, 1971

Description

The Lyle H. Fulton Memorial Bridge carries I-65 across the Cumberland River about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of downtown Nashville. The segment of I-65 that the bridge is located on is part of a loop of interstate highways that completely encircle downtown Nashville, known locally as the Downtown Loop. The bridge carries six lanes, separated by a jersey barrier, and has no shoulders, unlike the nearby Silliman Evans Bridge on I-24. Directly east of the bridge I-65 splits off into a concurrency with I-24, with the lanes on I-65 splitting off into this interchange less than 200 feet (61 m) beyond the eastern end of the bridge. While I-65 is a north-south route, the bridge is almost directly aligned in an east to west direction. West of the bridge, I-65 gradually curves to the south. In addition to the Cumberland River, the bridge also crosses the Cumberland River Greenway at its western end and a surface street at its eastern end.[1]

History

Work began on the bridge in June 1967.[2] On March 15, 1971 the bridge was opened to traffic, along with the entirety of I-265 to the southwest and a short segment of I-40 west of downtown Nashville.[3] Construction of the bridge cost $2,645,508.[2] The bridge was officially dedicated on July 9, 1971 in a ceremony officiated by then-governor Winfield Dunn which partially closed the bridge to traffic. It was named in honor of a state politician who died in 1954 from liver cancer at the age of 31 shortly after receiving the Democratic nomination for state senate.[4] As a result, his brother Richard was elected in his place.[5]

In an effort to relieve traffic congestion on I-24 east of downtown Nashville, I-65 was rerouted from a concurrency with that route to the western freeway loop around downtown Nashville in May 2000, replacing I-265.[6]

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References
  1. Tennessee Department of Transportation Long Range Planning Division Office of Data Visualization (2018). Davidson County (PDF) (Map). Tennessee Department of Transportation.
  2. "Lyle Fulton Bridge on I-265 To Be Dedicated July 9". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. June 25, 1971. p. 8. Retrieved 2020-03-15 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Interstate Sections To Open Monday". The Nashville Tennessean. March 12, 1971. p. 1, 12. Retrieved April 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Jost, Kenneth (July 10, 1971). "Bridge Symbolizes Fulton Philosophy". The Nashville Tennessean. p. 3. Retrieved 15 July 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Garrison, Joey; Rau, Nate (November 28, 2018). "Richard Fulton, former Nashville mayor and congressman, dies at 91". The Tennessean. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  6. "I-65 Goes West to Relieve Congestion" (Press release). Tennessee Department of Transportation. May 2000. Archived from the original on August 16, 2004. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
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