Tennessee State Route 840

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State Route 840 is a state highway built around Nashville, Tennessee. First proposed by former governor of Tennessee Lamar Alexander as part of a system of "Bicentennial Parkways", construction began in 1991 on the first segment extending south from Interstate 40 at Lebanon. It currently serves the cities of Lebanon, Franklin and Murfreesboro. The nearly completed southern section is 78 miles long. 840 South is scheduled to be completed in 2006.

Plans to extend 840 north past Dickson and up to the cities of Clarksville, Springfield and Gallatin were put on hold as the Tennessee General Assembly recommended that TDOT discontinue further study amid concerns of social and economic problems. The entire loop was to be 178 miles (287 km) long. Other objections raised included the hilly nature of the terrain north of Nashville, which, compared to that where the existing southern route has been constructed, would require far more cutting, filling, and bridge construction. This would have meant far higher construction costs per mile (in constant dollars) that that required for the southern route.

One fear was that the beltway of 840 would reduce the impact Nashville has on the state, similar to what Atlanta has dealt with in the construction of its I-285 corridor.

It is uncertain whether or not 840 will be designated an interstate highway. The project was almost invariably referred to as "I-840" by the media early on, although it has actually been constructed entirely with state funds and is not part of the Interstate Highway System. Critics state that this is due to the state's desire to avoid stricter federal environmental standards, particularly with regard to environmental impact statements.