Murfreesboro to Nashville - avoiding 24 (townhome, moving, commute)

[Shakeesha]

I-24 is the absolute worst interstate in the metro area. Should have been 12 lanes from Murfreesboro to Nashville back in the 90s. There is not enough money to do anything about that now, only to make the entrance/exits more safe. Mass transit won't happen for decades.

[El Passeaux]

But isn't then part of the problem that it goes down to two lanes at the merge with I-40?that will just make a worse bottleneck

[Mebelissa]

Originally Posted by 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!

Thanks everyone! Out of curiosity, what don't you like about Smyrna? We've looked at a few homes there.

[titanspreds_04]

Originally Posted by Mebelissa

Thanks everyone! Out of curiosity, what don't you like about Smyrna? We've looked at a few homes there.

Nothing is wrong with it. Its similar to Bellevue, Hermitage or Goodlettsville. Nissan has a giant plant there. Nicer than Lavergne. The drive is the only big issue. Traffic is terrible on I24.

[key2success]

Originally Posted by Shakeesha

I-24 is the absolute worst interstate in the metro area. Should have been 12 lanes from Murfreesboro to Nashville back in the 90s. There is not enough money to do anything about that now, only to make the entrance/exits more safe. Mass transit won't happen for decades.

24 is not the wrost. 440 is the worst. 24 dont have anything on 440.

[key2success]

Originally Posted by Mebelissa

Thanks everyone! Out of curiosity, what don't you like about Smyrna? We've looked at a few homes there.

Nothing just boring.'

But if you have to take 24 in the morning your going to go bald quick. Its real bad. Thinking of it makes me angry and my blood pressure shoot up. its real real bad

If it rains be prepared to be late because a accident happens when it rains and will shut down the highway

But usually there is always like atleast 2 accidents a week on that highway

[Big TR]

Originally Posted by Mebelissa

Thanks everyone! Out of curiosity, what don't you like about Smyrna? We've looked at a few homes there.

Here's a commute scenario.....

My company was looking at property out of state. We were flying a private jet out of the Smyrna airport. I live off I-65 near the Peytonsville Rd. Exit.

I would drive to Smyrna from Franklin at about 6:30 for our 7:30 flight. It should take about 35 minutes, max. (Note: Private flight requires little pre-check shenanigans.)

I made the flights, but the traffic on I-24 was backing up at 7AM all the way from downtown Nashville to Sam Ridley Prky, ~18 miles from downtown.

Sitting in traffic for 2+ hours each day is a miserable existence. Take this from a guy from Chicago who knows what he is talking about.

[N.Cal]

I made the flights, but the traffic on I-24 was backing up at 7AM all the way from downtown Nashville to Sam Ridley Prky, ~18 miles from downtown.

I've been driving from North Nashville to Smyrna once a week, leaving between 7:30 - 8:00 AM. Traffic going the other way (into Nashville) is pretty much stopped or crawling nearly the entire way. I drive back around 10:00 AM and it's let up until I get to to about Harding Road and then it's back down to a crawl, all the way to downtown. Thankfully I only have to do this for a few more weeks.

And isn't flying private so much better!

[Big TR]

Originally Posted by N.Cal

And isn't flying private so much better!

It's the best thing ever.

[newdixiegirl]

Originally Posted by GWoodle

1) Get up & going early, 6:00-6:30 or late, probably 8:30-9:00

2) Depends if you also need 440 to get to West End /Vandyland, another slow route.

Apart from this find out about the MTA/RTA express bus, MTA/BRT route, regular MTA bus. Maybe you can find a park & ride spot.

3) The only other route may be to use Old Hickory or Harding place over to I-65. Then you get to mix with traffic coming from Brentwood/Franklin.

If you have time till fall semester consider a different private school? What bus service can the school provide so you don't have to do all the driving?

Yes to the bolded. One of the women I worked with at our downtown location takes an RTA bus from Murfreesboro every day. She said she wouldn't be able to do the commute - while keeping her sanity! - otherwise. She kicks back, reads, naps, etc, and doesn't have to be stressed by the traffic. There are a number of pickup locations in Murfreesboro. Look into that, OP, or I could ask my co-worker for specifics.

But Old Hickory is a nightmare every morning, from I-24 to I-65, as are other side roads one can take to get to the I-65. I moved to Nolensville from Franklin last year, and I currently work in Bellevue. For a while, I tried the Nolensville Pike-Holt Road-Edmonston Pike-Church Street up to Franklin Road/Old Hickory route, and then OH all the way to Bellevue. It would take me an hour or longer just to get to up to the Franklin Road/OH intersection, at which point traffic would ease a little. No more.

Taking the I-24 to the 440, as awful as it is, is still faster. That way, at least I can pass (theoretically, anyway) slow-moving traffic. Don't want to get off-topic, but it is the ridiculous misuse of lanes that makes the I-24 and other Nashville-area highways so bad.