Murfreesboro to Nashville - avoiding 24 (Franklin, Smyrna: homes, school, live in)

[Wartrace]

I've only ventured out on I-24 a couple of times during "rush hour" in the past few years to catch a flight. I don't know how those people do it every day.

[N.Cal]

Originally Posted by Wartrace

I've only ventured out on I-24 a couple of times during "rush hour" in the past few years to catch a flight. I don't know how those people do it every day.

No kidding. Once a week I have to drive from North Nashville to Smyrna leaving between 7:30-8:00. Seeing everyone going the other direction at a snail's pace (or just totally stopped) for pretty much the entire way of 24 - no way! It's the same as LA traffic with less lanes.

[Antioch]

I have never understood why they haven't widened I-24, Murfreesboro to Nasvhille, to 5 or 6 lanes like they did I-65 North from Trinity all the way to Rivergate. It would alleviate some of the traffic becaue with the HOV lane, if the rules are followed, leaves I-24 with 3 lanes to be used for single person cars. If there if there is a wreck in a lane or two that takes up needed lanes too.

[MetropolitanTN]

I sometimes leave around 7-7:10 and it's stop and go closer to Davidson Co all the way into the city. Once I pass Sam Ridley I get ready to hit the brakes.

I like the idea of widening the interstate. I also like some sort of transit too.

[clawson26]

It's usually not so bad from Smyrna on out so if you are living out that way you might as well live in Murfreesboro. Basically everyone at my husband's office (near the airport) lives out there. We live in Smyrna but hate it and would move to Murf if we weren't already moving to Seattle. He just goes to the gym early near work in the morning so he doesn't have to fight traffic.
Bottom line - the best way to combat 24 traffic is to leave at off times if you can, get an Audible audiobook membership, and just relax. Sadly the side roads are usually just as bad or worse. We would declare the drive worth it for a nicer area (Murf) if we had it to do over again. Good luck!

[Drake744]

I would never live in Murfreesboro unless I worked in Murfreesboro.

[sparkle28]

We have lived in Murfreesboro just since the first week of January 2016. Luckily, we neither one have to drive into Nashville for work but I do take my husband to the airport twice a month. If his flight is really early and we're on the road by 4am, I'm to the airport in about a half hour. If his flight is a little later and we're on the road at 6am - even at that early hour the drive is increased to 45 minutes. I've taken 41 returning from the airport and while it's not too bad at that early hour - as others have mentioned, there are a ton of traffic lights along that route. I think if I had to go to Nashville on a regular basis (depending upon which part of course), I'd try taking either 96 or 840 over to 65 and north from there. Of course that's coming from a newbie that hasn't tested that yet during rush hour.

[Drake744]

Originally Posted by sparkle28

We have lived in Murfreesboro just since the first week of January 2016. Luckily, we neither one have to drive into Nashville for work but I do take my husband to the airport twice a month. If his flight is really early and we're on the road by 4am, I'm to the airport in about a half hour. If his flight is a little later and we're on the road at 6am - even at that early hour the drive is increased to 45 minutes. I've taken 41 returning from the airport and while it's not too bad at that early hour - as others have mentioned, there are a ton of traffic lights along that route. I think if I had to go to Nashville on a regular basis (depending upon which part of course), I'd try taking either 96 or 840 over to 65 and north from there. Of course that's coming from a newbie that hasn't tested that yet during rush hour.

Don't. 24 during rush hour is seriously as bad as commuting when I lived in LA at times. That's how bad it is.

[Big TR]

Originally Posted by Antioch

I have never understood why they haven't widened I-24, Murfreesboro to Nasvhille, to 5 or 6 lanes like they did I-65 North from Trinity all the way to Rivergate. It would alleviate some of the traffic becaue with the HOV lane, if the rules are followed, leaves I-24 with 3 lanes to be used for single person cars. If there if there is a wreck in a lane or two that takes up needed lanes too.

Research has proven that if you build more lanes, people will just move out that way and turn it into a parking lot yet again.

What’s Up With That: Building Bigger Roads Actually Makes Traffic Worse | WIRED

[the_commuter]

Originally Posted by Big TR

Research has proven that if you build more lanes, people will just move out that way and turn it into a parking lot yet again.

What’s Up With That: Building Bigger Roads Actually Makes Traffic Worse | WIRED

Yes. Induced demand.