Tennessee State Route 320

State Route 320 marker
State Route 320
East Brainerd Road
Map
SR 320 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by TDOT
Length7.3 mi (11.7 km)
ExistedJuly 1, 1983[1]–present
Major junctions
West end US 11 / US 64 in Chattanooga
Major intersections I-75 / US 74 in Chattanooga
East end SR 321 in East Brainerd
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTennessee
Highway system
SR 319 US 321

State Route 320 (SR 320) is a west-east state highway located entirely in Hamilton County in southeastern Tennessee. it traverses mainly the eastern portions of the county, including Chattanooga’s eastern outskirts and the census designated place of East Brainerd.

Route description

SR 320 is known as East Brainerd Road its entire length, and begins at an intersection with Lee Highway (US 11/64/SR 2) near the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport. From here SR 320 travels eastward as a two lane road to traverse the I-75 Exit 3 interchange, where it widens to five lanes, including a center turn lane.[2] SR 320 continues eastward through the community of East Brainerd, before ending at a four-way intersection with SR 321 just south of Collegedale.[3][4] Although the state route designation ends at this point, a county maintained road also labeled as East Brainerd Road continues east to SR 317 in Apison, and some maps show this portion as part of SR 320.

History

The interchange between I-75 and SR 320 was originally a full cloverleaf interchange. The loop ramps on southbound I-75 were removed as part of project between late 1998 and early 2001 that reconfigured the interchange between I-75 and nearby SR 153 and moved the southbound off-ramp from I-75 and SR 320 north of the SR 153 southbound merge, eliminating a hazardous curve and weaving motion.[5][6][7]

In 2013, the northbound off-ramp from I-75 onto SR 320 eastbound was reconfigured from a direct merge into SR 320 into a signalized with this route, eliminating a weaving motion and providing two right turn lanes.[8]

After years of planning, TDOT began work on a project to widen the section between east of Graysville Road and east of Bel-Air Road from two to five lanes in early 2015.[9][10] Initially slated for completion in June 2017, the project ran into multiple delays caused by utility relocation complications.[11] The next phase will expand the road to five lanes from east of Bel-Air Road to east of SR 321, and include improvements to SR 321 through the intersection between the two routes.[12][13]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Hamilton County.

LocationmikmDestinationsNotes
Chattanooga0.00.0 US 11 / US 64 (Lee Highway/SR 2) – Downtown, Tyner, OoltewahWestern terminus
I-75 / US 74 – Knoxville, Atlanta, GAI-75/US 74 exit 3 southbound, exit 3 A/B northbound
East Brainerd SR 321 (Ooltewah Ringgold Road) – Ringgold, GA, Collegedale, OoltewahEastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Road To 100 Years" (PDF). Tennessee Road Builder. Vol. 17, no. 5. September 2014. p. 22. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  2. ^ Official Chattanooga Visitor’s Guide 2018, page 115. Chattanooga Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
  3. ^ Tennessee Department of Transportation (2018). Tennessee's Official Transportation Map [back] (PDF) (Map) (2017 ed.). Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation. § E11. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  4. ^ Tennessee Department of Transportation (2018). Tennessee's Official Transportation Map [back] (PDF) (Map) (2017 ed.). Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation. § Chattanooga inset. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
  5. ^ "Work To Begin On I-75 Job Within 2 Weeks". Chattanooga Times Free Press. September 10, 1998. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  6. ^ "I-75 Project Let To Contract" (Press release). Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation. July 24, 1998. Archived from the original on August 24, 2000. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  7. ^ Park, Irby (April 17, 2001). "Transportation Department Speaker Outlines Road Widening Projects". The Chattanoogan. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  8. ^ "I-75 ramp to East Brainerd Road closed tonight for paving". Chattanooga Times Free Press. June 14, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  9. ^ Spirato, Alyssa (April 30, 2015). "East Brainerd Widening Project In Full Swing". WTVC. Chattanooga. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  10. ^ Green, Alex (July 7, 2015). "Two years of road-widening construction ramping up in East Brainerd". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  11. ^ Pham, Tim (October 4, 2017). "East Brainerd Road project now one year behind schedule". WRCB-TV. Chattanooga, Tennessee. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  12. ^ "State Route 320". tn.gov. Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  13. ^ Collado, Ray (January 30, 2026). "TDOT looks to expand East Brainerd Road, but 3-year build could bring delays". WTVC. Chattanooga. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
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