{{short description|State highway in Tennessee, United States}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox road | state = TN | type = Sec | route = 320 | alternate_name = East Brainerd Road | maint = [[Tennessee Department of Transportation|TDOT]] | map={{maplink-road|from=Tennessee State Route 320.map}} |map_custom=yes |map_notes=SR 320 highlighted in red | length_mi = 7.3 | length_round = 2 | length_ref = | established = July 1, 1983<ref>{{cite magazine |date = September 2014 |title = The Road To 100 Years |url = https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tdot/documents/100years/TRBA-TDOT-TURNS100.pdf |magazine = Tennessee Road Builder |volume = 17 |issue = 5 |page = 22 |access-date = April 6, 2019 }}</ref> | direction_a = West | terminus_a = {{Jct|state=TN|US|11|US|64}} in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]] | junction = {{Jct|state=TN|I|75|US|74}} in Chattanooga | direction_b = East | terminus_b = {{Jct|state=TN|Sec|321}} in [[East Brainerd, Tennessee|East Brainerd]] | counties = | cities = | previous_type = Sec | previous_route = 319 | next_type = US | next_route = 321 }}
'''State Route 320''' ('''SR 320''') is a west-east state highway located entirely in [[Hamilton County, Tennessee|Hamilton County]] in southeastern [[Tennessee]]. it traverses mainly the eastern portions of the county, including [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]]’s eastern outskirts and the [[census designated place]] of [[East Brainerd, Tennessee|East Brainerd]].
==Route description== '''SR 320''' is known as '''East Brainerd Road''' its entire length, and begins at an intersection with [[Lee Highway]] ([[U.S. Route 11 in Tennessee|US 11]]/[[U.S. Route 64 in Tennessee|64]]/[[Tennessee State Route 2|SR 2]]) near the [[Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport]]. From here SR 320 travels eastward as a two lane road to traverse the [[Interstate 75 in Tennessee|I-75]] Exit 3 interchange, where it widens to five lanes, including a center turn lane.<ref name=chatty18>Official Chattanooga Visitor’s Guide 2018, page 115. Chattanooga Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.</ref> SR 320 continues eastward through the community of [[East Brainerd, Tennessee|East Brainerd]], before ending at a four-way intersection with [[Tennessee State Route 321|SR 321]] just south of [[Collegedale, Tennessee|Collegedale]].<ref name=tdot18-2>{{Cite map |author= Tennessee Department of Transportation |year= 2018 |title= Tennessee's Official Transportation Map [back] |url=https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tdot/maps/state-maps/2017-18%20Official%20SMap%20(Back%20Side)092017.pdf|format= PDF |edition= 2017 |location= Nashville |publisher= [[Tennessee Department of Transportation]] |section=E11 |access-date= September 28, 2018}}</ref><ref name=tdot18-21>{{Cite map |author= Tennessee Department of Transportation |year= 2018 |title= Tennessee's Official Transportation Map [back] |url=https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tdot/maps/state-maps/2017-18%20Official%20SMap%20(Back%20Side)092017.pdf |format= PDF |edition= 2017 |location= Nashville |publisher= Tennessee Department of Transportation |section=Chattanooga inset |access-date= September 28, 2017}}</ref> Although the state route designation ends at this point, a county maintained road also labeled as East Brainerd Road continues east to [[Tennessee State Route 317|SR 317]] in [[Apison, Tennessee|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 [[Tennessee State Route 153|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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Work To Begin On I-75 Job Within 2 Weeks |url=https://timesfreepress.newsbank.com/doc/news/13ED444A0511ED88?search_terms=Highway%2B153%2Binterchange&text=Highway%20153%20interchange&content_added=&date_from=&date_to=&pub%255B0%255D=CHAT&page=2&pdate=1998-09-10 |access-date=December 25, 2025 |work=Chattanooga Times Free Press |date=September 10, 1998 |url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |date=July 24, 1998 |title=I-75 Project Let To Contract |url=http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/information-office/press98.htm |location=Nashville |publisher=Tennessee Department of Transportation |access-date=December 29, 2025 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000824052824/http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/information-office/press98.htm#007 |archivedate=August 24, 2000}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Park |first1=Irby |title=Transportation Department Speaker Outlines Road Widening Projects |url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2001/4/17/8220/Transportation-Department-Speaker.aspx |access-date=December 25, 2025 |work=The Chattanoogan |date=April 17, 2001}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite news |title=I-75 ramp to East Brainerd Road closed tonight for paving |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/jun/14/i-75-ramp-east-brainerd-road-closed-tonight-paving/ |access-date=February 15, 2026 |work=Chattanooga Times Free Press |date=June 14, 2013}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Spirato |first1=Alyssa |title=East Brainerd Widening Project In Full Swing |url=http://www.newschannel9.com/news/top-stories/stories/east-brainerd-widening-project-full-swing-16818.shtml |access-date=February 15, 2026 |work=[[WTVC]] |date=April 30, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502065903/http://www.newschannel9.com/news/top-stories/stories/east-brainerd-widening-project-full-swing-16818.shtml |archive-date=May 2, 2015 |location=Chattanooga}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Alex |title=Two years of road-widening construction ramping up in East Brainerd |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2015/jul/07/expect-delays-two-years-road-constructirampin/ |access-date=February 15, 2026 |work=Chattanooga Times Free Press |date=July 7, 2015}}</ref> Initially slated for completion in June 2017, the project ran into multiple delays caused by utility relocation complications.<ref>{{cite news|last=Pham|first=Tim|date=October 4, 2017|title=East Brainerd Road project now one year behind schedule|url=http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/36520374/east-brainerd-road-project-one-year-behind-schedule|work=[[WRCB-TV]]|location=Chattanooga, Tennessee|access-date=2019-01-26}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=State Route 320 |url=https://www.tn.gov/tdot/projects/region-2/sr-320-wide.html |website=tn.gov |publisher=Tennessee Department of Transportation |access-date=February 15, 2026 |location=Nashville |date=<!--Not given-->}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Collado |first1=Ray |title=TDOT looks to expand East Brainerd Road, but 3-year build could bring delays |url=https://newschannel9.com/news/local/story/tdot-looks-to-expand-east-brainerd-road-but-3-year-build-could-bring-delays-chattanooga-tennessee |access-date=February 15, 2026 |work=WTVC |date=January 30, 2026 |location=Chattanooga}}</ref>
==Major intersections== {{jcttop|state=TN|county=Hamilton|length_ref=}} {{TNint |location=Chattanooga |lspan=2 |mile=0.0 |road={{Jct|state=TN|US|11|US|64|name2=[[Lee Highway]]/[[Tennessee State Route 2|SR 2]]|location1=Downtown|city2=Tyner|city3=Ooltewah}} |notes=Western terminus }} {{TNint |mile= |road={{Jct|state=TN|I|75|US|74|city1=Knoxville|location2=[[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta, GA]]}} |notes=I-75/US 74 exit 3 southbound, exit 3 A/B northbound }} {{TNint |location=East Brainerd |mile= |road={{Jct|state=TN|Sec|321|name1=Ooltewah Ringgold Road|location1=[[Ringgold, Georgia|Ringgold, GA]]|city2=Collegedale|city3=Ooltewah}} |notes=Eastern terminus }} {{jctbtm}}
==See also== * {{Portal-inline|U.S. Roads}} * {{Portal-inline|United States}} ==References== *Mileage retrieved from DeLorme Street Atlas USA *[http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/maps.htm Official Tennessee Highway Maps] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602023223/http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/maps.htm |date=June 2, 2015 }} {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Attached KML|display=title,inline}} *[http://www.tdot.state.tn.us Tennessee Department of Transportation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615112524/http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/ |date=June 15, 2015 }}
[[Category:State highways in Tennessee|320]] [[Category:Transportation in Chattanooga, Tennessee|320]] [[Category:Transportation in Hamilton County, Tennessee|320]]