Polk County US-64 Rockslide Update for March 8

 

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Work continues to progress on the stabilization and clearing of the rockslide along U.S. 64 at Mile Marker 17 in Polk County with around the clock work set to begin Tuesday. Construction crews with TDOT’s emergency contractor on the site, Charles Blalock & Sons, set off a series of blasts this weekend along the rock slope located east of the rockslide site. Today, crews are extending the crane pad for the 275-ton crawler crane further east to provide better access to the eastern slope for debris and rock removal work. On the west side of the slope, workers continue drilling and installing rock bolts and will begin working a 6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m. rock bolting schedule on Tuesday. The contractor will perform scaling, blasting and clearing work during daylight hours and rock bolting during the night.

 

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.

 

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For More Information Contact:
Jennifer Flynn
TDOT Region 2 Community Relations Officer
423-510-1164
Jennifer.Flynn@tn.gov