Polk County US-64 Rockslide Update For January 25
Monday, January 25, 2010 | 08:40am
Crews Assemble New Crane for Rock Bolting While Blasting and Debris Removal Continues
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Construction crews on the U.S. 64 rockslide removal project continued working throughout the weekend as weather permitted. Workers set off a series of blasts on Saturday to remove several boulders and a rock ledge overhang on the western side of the slide site where rock bolting is scheduled to begin. High winds and thunderstorms delayed drilling crews on the eastern side of the slope. That work is scheduled to resume later this week. Today, the contractor is hand scaling the upper mid-section of the slope as workers assemble a new 150-ton crane that will be used when 40’ rock anchors or bolts are installed along the rock face. The contractor plans to remove the debris generated from Saturday’s blast from the roadway surface to allow construction of a crane pad for the new 150-ton crane.
US-64 in Polk County is closed at mile marker 17.6 due to a major rockslide near the Ocoee 2 Dam. A portion of Little Frog Mountain slid into the roadway on November 10, 2009. The contractor plans to continue working daylight hours on a seven day a week schedule, weather permitting, until the project is completed. The roadway is scheduled to reopen to traffic on March 31, 2010.
Motorists traveling to the area from Chattanooga or Cleveland should take I-75 North to Exit 60 (SR-68, Sweetwater) and follow SR-68 South through Monroe County and into Ducktown in Polk County. Those traveling from North Carolina are advised to take US-74 to SR-68 North at Ducktown through Polk County then onto I-75 at Sweetwater in Monroe County.
Motorists may also utilize a route through northern Georgia to travel around the rockslide area. From Copperhill/McCaysville at the Georgia State Line take Georgia Route 5 to U.S. Highway 76 to U.S. Highway 411 north to the Tennessee state line and on into Cleveland.
TDOT is providing a live look at the work underway to clear the rockslide via a time-lapse camera accessible by logging onto TDOT’s US-64 Rockslide web page (http://bit.ly/1Tlc8m) where you can also sign up to receive the weekly US-64 Rockslide newsletter.
For more information on TDOT road construction projects visit the TDOT SmartWay web site at http://www.tn.gov/tdot/tdotsmartway/. Travelers may also dial “511” for travel information or follow TDOT on Twitter. For statewide traffic updates follow TN511 or for the Chattanooga area, including updates on the US64 rockslide, follow Chattanooga511.
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. TDOT advises drivers to “Know before you go!” by checking traffic conditions before leaving for your destination.