TDOT HELP Trucks Heading to Bristol
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 | 06:02am
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will be sending special “HELP” to the Tri-Cities this weekend to assist with the heavy traffic expected in conjunction with NASCAR events at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 17 and Sunday, March 18.
Four lime-yellow HELP trucks from Knoxville will patrol the area, assisting with incidents in an effort to keep traffic moving. The trucks are four-wheel drive and equipped with push bumpers, top-mounted arrow boards, emergency work lights, air compressors, and others tools. Operators can perform a variety of functions from clearing a stalled car off the roadway to changing a flat tire.
“TDOT HELP truck operators are trained emergency medical responders, and they do a terrific job assisting travelers on our roadways,” said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. “With large numbers of motorists heading to East Tennessee this weekend, we are happy to be able to provide HELP truck services in the Bristol area.”
Knoxville’s 13 HELP truck drivers assisted more than 18,000 motorists last year alone. In addition to Knoxville, TDOT has HELP truck programs in Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis.
Other traffic control measures being taken by TDOT from March 17 through March 18 include:
· For post-race traffic traveling from the Tri-Cities area to Knoxville, one westbound I-40 lane will be closed in Jefferson County at the I-40/I-81 interchange to allow two lanes to flow from I-81 to Knoxville. Portable message boards will be used to advise motorists of these lane changes.
- TDOT maintenance units will be posted throughout the region to assist with any other issues may arise for motorists.
- TDOT will provide portable message signs to warn drivers of any possible delays.
- TDOT will suspend all construction projects that restrict traffic in East Tennessee from Saturday, March 17 until Monday, March 19.
- A detour remains in place on I-75 South in Campbell County due to a landslide near Mile Mark 144. A crossover that will allow southbound traffic to utilize one northbound lane of I-75 is expected to be in place later this week.
For travel and TDOT construction information, please visit the TDOT SmartWay web site at www.tn.gov/tdot/tdotsmartway, or call 511 from any land-line or cellular phone. You can also receive traffic alerts via TDOT’s multiple Twitter feeds, including statewide traffic tweets. Smart phone users can use the TDOT SmartWay Mobile website at http://m.tdot.tn.gov/SmartWay/ to access TDOT’s SmartWay cameras and information on construction related lane closures and incidents on interstates and state routes.
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