Murfreesboro advances $54.7M Cherry Lane, I-840 interchange project

The Murfreesboro City Council advanced the next phase of the Cherry Lane Extension during its regular meeting on July 23, 2026, approving a TDOT reimbursement agreement and related design work for a project estimated at approximately $54.7 million.

Phase 3 is planned to create a five-lane roadway in northwest Murfreesboro and connect Cherry Lane with a new Interstate 840 interchange. The route is intended to link Northwest Broad Street, Sulphur Springs Road and I-840, creating another east-west connection through an area expected to see additional development.

How the project would be funded

The funding package combines federal, state and local transportation dollars. The approved materials identify approximately $31.4 million in federal funding, about $1.45 million in state funding and roughly $21.27 million in city funding.

The city’s share includes an estimated $14.5 million local construction contribution. Because the figures are presented across different funding components, the amounts should be treated as approximate rather than as a final reconciliation of every project cost.

The council also approved a $195,772 amendment for design services. That action moves additional engineering and design work forward, but it does not mean the roadway or interchange is complete or that construction has begun.

Why the route matters to commuters

City officials have described the project as a way to provide another east-west travel option and reduce pressure on Thompson Lane and Northwest Broad Street. Those are expected transportation benefits, not results that have been measured yet.

For drivers, the eventual connection could change travel patterns in northwest Murfreesboro by adding a route between existing streets and the I-840 system. The project could also affect future right-of-way activity, construction traffic and access near the planned corridor.

The extension is also being framed as infrastructure needed to support future development in northwest Murfreesboro. That does not approve any specific private development project, but it signals that the city views transportation capacity as part of the area’s longer-term growth plans.

What remains unresolved

The approved sources do not establish a final construction start date or completion date. The project must continue through design, funding administration and other implementation steps before residents can rely on the new connection.

Residents and commuters should watch for future City Council or Tennessee Department of Transportation actions, right-of-way information, construction scheduling and traffic-control notices. Until those details are released, the July 23 action represents progress on funding and design rather than a finished road or interchange.

Sources

• Murfreesboro City Council project release
• WGNS local report
• TDOT 10-Year Project Plan