TDOT Help Trucks Patrol I-26 in the Tri-Cities for the Holidays

Knoxville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation’s lime-yellow HELP trucks are heading to the Tri-Cities to assist with heavier than normal traffic during the holiday travel period. TDOT Incident Management Crews, or HELP, will conduct daily patrols along Interstate 26 in Sullivan and Washington Counties from December 21 through 23 and from December 28 through 30, 2009. The daily patrols will begin at 6:00 a.m. and last until 7:00 p.m. The HELP units will assist with heavier than normal traffic due to holiday travelers and the massive rock slide on I-40 near mile marker 3 in North Carolina. The primary detour route around the rock slide is I-81 to I-26 that runs through Johnson City and a portion of Kingsport.

 

The two lime-yellow HELP trucks from Knoxville will assist emergency responders with traffic incidents along the interstate in an effort to keep traffic moving. The trucks are four-wheel drive and come equipped with push bumpers, top-mounted message boards, emergency lights, air compressors, and others tools. HELP operators are trained emergency medical responders and trucks are equipped with emergency response equipment. HELP trucks can perform a variety of functions from pushing a stalled car off the roadway to directing traffic during an emergency.

 

“I-26 is now carrying a lot of the I-40 traffic traveling between Tennessee and North Carolina, so it’s vital we keep traffic moving on I-26,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “The HELP truck operators will assist travelers in reaching their destinations safely during the busy holiday travel period.”

 

An estimated 6,000 additional vehicles are using I-26 each day following the I-40 rock slide closed I-40 in North Carolina. The busiest section of I-26 is near downtown Johnson City with an average of 52,000 vehicles per day.  

 

Knoxville’s fourteen HELP truck drivers assisted more than 15 thousand motorists this year alone. TDOT has HELP truck programs in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis.

 

For up-to-date travel information, motorists may call 511 from any land line or cellular phone or visit www.TN511.com. TDOT is also on Twitter. For statewide travel tweets follow www.twitter.com/TN511. Motorists are reminded to use all motorist information tools responsibly. Drivers should refrain from texting, tweeting or using a mobile phone while operating a vehicle. Drivers should “Know before you go!” and check traffic conditions before leaving for your destination.

 

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