Early Morning Rockslide Occurs on Alcoa Highway in Knoxville

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is continuing to monitor a rockslide that has shut down one northbound lane on Alcoa Highway (U.S. 129/State Route 115) in Knoxville.

 

The slide occurred at about 5:00 a.m. this morning, closing both northbound lanes. TDOT crews were able to re-open one northbound lane by late morning.

 

TDOT Geotechnical and Design staff have been on location assessing the slide. The Department is working on plans for a repair project that will include scaling and trimming of the rock face, as well as the addition of wire mesh to protect the area from future slides. TDOT hopes to complete the design work in approximately two weeks and will then accept bids on the project.  

 

TDOT geotechnical engineers have advised that one northbound lane of State Route 115 should remain closed as a precautionary measure until further repairs can be completed.

 

Alternate routes include using Alcoa Highway to Pellissippi Parkway and Alcoa Highway to Chapman Highway to James White Parkway into Downtown or Interstate 40.

 

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.