Residential development and freight traffic have been increasing at a feverish pace north of Memphis over the last decade, so State Route 14 has become an important link between Shelby and Tipton counties in Tennessee. Long relied upon by commuters, commercial vehicles, and local traffic, the two-lane corridor has struggled to keep pace with rising volumes, inconsistent travel times, and safety concerns.

To address those issues, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) launched the SR-14 widening project, a multi-year effort to modernize the corridor by expanding it from a two-lane roadway into a four-lane divided highway. The project, which started in September of 2024, is designed to improve safety, enhance mobility, and support long-term economic growth in the region.

“The SR-14 widening project is focused on improving safety and traffic flow along the regional corridor by widening the roadway from two lanes to a four-lane divided highway,” said Nichole Lawrence, Regional Communications Officer at TDOT.

For TDOT, the improvement is about more than added capacity. The goal is to deliver a safer, more predictable driving experience along a corridor that serves both local and regional traffic.

“This upgrade reduces congestion, improves travel reliability, and lowers the risk of crashes,” Lawrence said. “Additionally, completing a continuous four-lane section between Shelby and Tipton counties creates a more consistent roadway for drivers.”

Beyond typical day-to-day travel improvements, the SR-14 project supports daily commuters, freight movement, and long-term economic development by improving access between growing residential areas and surrounding communities. The upgraded roadway is expected to better accommodate future growth while providing a safer, more reliable route for motorists.

At its core, the SR-14 project replaces an outdated two-lane facility with a modern roadway designed to current safety standards. The work significantly changes how traffic flows along the corridor.

“The project calls for widening from a two-lane to a four-lane divided highway with shoulders and a wide median,” Lawrence said.

That new typical section introduces physical separation between opposing traffic, along with recovery space for disabled vehicles and emergency response.

“The four-lane divided highway will reduce crashes by separating opposing traffic, improving passing opportunities, and providing shoulders and a wide median for safer travel,” Lawrence said.

The design brings SR-14 in line with modern roadway standards while addressing long-standing safety concerns tied to head-on collisions and limited passing opportunities.

Hal Coffey Construction is serving as the general contractor for the SR-14 widening project, bringing experience with large-scale roadway work and complex staging requirements. From the outset, safety has been a central focus for the project team.

“Safety is our top priority,” said Kritt Allbritten, General Manager with the Union City, Tennessee-based company.

With traffic flowing through the work zone daily, maintaining clear communication and consistent traffic control is essential.

“During construction and each phase change, we maintain clear, consistent communication with all stakeholders,” Allbritten said. “Our team continually monitors the work zone to ensure traffic controls are properly installed and visible for both motorists and workers.”

To reinforce those efforts, additional safety measures have been implemented along the corridor. For instance, the Tennessee Highway Patrol has assigned dedicated troopers to the project area, improving driver awareness and behavior. Additionally, the speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph to further enhance safety.

Throughout the project, construction on SR-14 has been carefully staged to allow traffic to continue using the corridor while work progresses.

As of this writing, construction is about 50 percent complete and the project is in Phase 2, with traffic shifted onto new lanes.

With traffic now using portions of the newly built roadway, crews are preparing for the next major elements of construction.

“Bridge work over West Beaver Creek will begin soon,” Lawrence said. “Construction is expected to finish in fall 2027.”

To minimize disruption, TDOT has relied heavily on phased construction and traffic shifts rather than long detours or extended closures.

“TDOT is using phased construction and traffic shifts to keep traffic moving and minimize disruptions along Austin Peay Highway,” Lawrence said.

Throughout construction, TDOT has coordinated closely with Shelby and Tipton counties, as well as local stakeholders, to manage access and reduce impacts to nearby residents and businesses while maintaining ingress and egress.

The SR-14 widening effort is part of a broader regional transportation strategy coordinated through the Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The project lies within the MPO planning area and is part of the fiscal year 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), reflecting long-range efforts to address mobility needs as development continues to spread outward from the Memphis metro area.

Inclusion in the TIP ensures the project aligns with regional priorities and funding strategies.

The project is supported by 20 percent state and 80 percent federal transportation funds. That funding mix underscores the corridor’s regional importance, supporting both local travel demands and broader freight and economic activity.

While the roadway widening itself follows a straightforward design, existing underground utilities introduced early challenges that required careful coordination.

“The project includes underground utilities that had been previously relocated. However, in multiple locations those utilities were installed either too shallow or with insufficient offset to accommodate the new construction lines and grades,” said Cody Shields, CEI Manager for TRC Companies Inc., which serves as TDOT’s construction engineering and inspection (CEI) consultant.

Addressing these conflicts before major construction activities began was critical to maintaining the project schedule.

“Identifying, coordinating, and resolving the utility conflicts ahead of construction has been the project’s most significant challenge,” Shields said.

TRC Companies Inc. has worked closely with all parties to ensure quality and compliance throughout construction.

“We have a long-standing partnership with TDOT, delivering large-scale projects across all work functions,” Shields said. “That relationship has helped streamline coordination and inspection efforts in the field. Our field supervisors and foremen are highly trained and up to date on industry standards. We collaborate closely with inspection staff to ensure compliance testing is completed promptly at every phase of construction.”

While the widened roadway follows conventional design principles, modern construction technology has played an increasingly important role in delivering the project efficiently.

For instance, the widened typical section includes a depressed median and full shoulders. While the construction approach itself is not new or unique, Allbritten noted that GPS modeling and machine control are now essential tools.

“These tools allow contractors to work more efficiently, accurately, and safely,” he said. “Subsurface conditions have also required close attention, particularly in low-lying areas. The project area includes a mix of low-lying terrain and gently rolling hills underlain by alluvial and loess silts and clays.”

Those conditions have also driven specific construction methods utilized for success.

“Many of the low-lying areas are highly saturated and require removal of unsuitable soils before constructing the new roadway foundation with select fill,” Allbritten explained. “Once this foundation is in place, earth fill operations can proceed.”

Ensuring long-term performance requires ongoing monitoring and processing of materials, and these are areas that the construction team has excelled.

“In addition, soils placed in fill areas require continuous mechanical processing to meet compaction requirements and ensure long-term roadway performance,” Allbritten said.

Coordination among TDOT, the CEI team, the contractor, and subcontractors has been central to keeping the project on track.

“Weekly coordination meetings are held with TDOT’s Construction Engineering & Inspection consultant, supported by strong collaboration across the broader TDOT team,” Allbritten said.

That coordination allows issues to be addressed before they escalate.

“Potential delays or conflicts are addressed quickly and with full transparency, ensuring issues are resolved before they impact the schedule,” Allbritten added.

As work continues, the project team remains focused on minimizing impacts to the surrounding community.

“We share traffic updates through press releases and social media outlets as needed during important shifts or closures,” Allbritten said. “Crews are taking steps to limit noise and dust, and we’re making sure residents and businesses keep safe access in and out during construction.”

With construction roughly halfway complete, crews will continue advancing roadway widening, bridge work, and final grading as the project moves toward its anticipated fall 2027 completion.

Once finished, the SR-14 corridor will offer a safer, more reliable route that supports regional growth and improves mobility for motorists throughout Shelby and Tipton counties.

• Owner: Tennessee Department of Transportation
• General Contractor: Hal Coffey Construction, Union City, Tennessee
• Construction Engineer: TRC Companies Inc., Windsor, Connecticut
• Subcontractors: Green Thumb of Dyersburg LLC, Tennessee Texture LLC, Tri-State Guardrail & Sign Co., VUCON LLC, WMC Contracting Co. Inc., All-Brite Inc., Jackson Boring & Trenching LLC, Jones Bros Contractors LLC, Lehman-Roberts Company, Orchard Fence Company, Service Electric Company, Southeast Grinding and Grooving, Sullivan Surveying Inc., Traf-Mark Industries LLC, Tim’s Tree Service Inc.
Photos courtesy of TDOT