Lyle H. Fulton Memorial Bridge

The Lyle H. Fulton Memorial Bridge carries I-65 across the Cumberland River about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of downtown Nashville. The segment of I-65 that the bridge is located on is part of a loop of interstate highways that completely encircle downtown Nashville, known locally as the Downtown Loop. The bridge carries six lanes, separated by a jersey barrier, and has no shoulders, unlike the nearby Silliman Evans Bridge on I-24. Directly east of the bridge I-65 splits off into a concurrency with I-24, with the lanes on I-65 splitting off into this interchange less than 200 feet (61 m) beyond the eastern end of the bridge. While I-65 is a north-south route, the bridge is almost directly aligned in an east to west direction. West of the bridge, I-65 gradually curves to the south. In addition to the Cumberland River, the bridge also crosses the Cumberland River Greenway at its western end and a surface street at its eastern end.[2]

Work began on the bridge in June 1967.[3] On March 15, 1971 the bridge was opened to traffic, along with the entirety of I-265 to the southwest and a short segment of I-40 west of downtown Nashville.[4] Construction of the bridge cost $2,645,508 (equivalent to $13 million in 2019[5]).[3] The bridge was officially dedicated on July 9, 1971 in a ceremony officiated by then-governor Winfield Dunn which partially closed the bridge to traffic. It was named in honor of a state politician who died in 1954 from liver cancer at the age of 31 shortly after receiving the Democratic nomination for state senate.[6] As a result, his brother Richard was elected in his place.[7]

In an effort to relieve traffic congestion on I-24 east of downtown Nashville, I-65 was rerouted from a concurrency with that route to the western freeway loop around downtown Nashville in May 2000, replacing I-265.[8]