I-75 in Tennessee Closed (again)

[Oldiesmann]

Heads up for anyone planning to go to down towards Dollywood in the coming weeks/months... A rock slide on the northbound side of I-75 in Campbell County, Tennessee has closed the freeway in that area until the mess is cleaned up...

 

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/rockslide-forces-closure-of-i-75-section/57692675

[malem]

Note to self: don't plan night driving in this area.

[The Interpreter]

This has happened before. Massive, horrific traffic jams and multi-hour delays have resulted. BOTH directions to be closed "for weeks."

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/regional/tennessee-i-75-closure-could-last-for-weeks/58273641

[electricsun]

This has happened before. Massive, horrific traffic jams and multi-hour delays have resulted. BOTH directions to be closed "for weeks."

Yikes. That is good to know as I'll be traveling that way in just under two weeks. I'll have to plan on leaving earlier than normal. I'm glad that no one was injured in the slide.

[IBEW_Sparky]

Looks like I will be attempting to find some way around this.  I would seriously rather take a route that physically takes 2 hours more, than contend with the cluster-you-know-what that detours create.  The ONLY thing good I can see about this, is truck traffic is restricted in that area, but I dont know how much that would reduce the congestion/delays/idiocy that takes me to my mental limit and beyond in these situations.  Thanks for the heads-up (both here, and in the reply made in the CC thread last night).

[shark6495]

Well depending on where your final destination is you can always take 71 to 70 over to 77 and take that down the coastline. A bit longer but not terrible

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ohioparksrock]

We once went down and got off in London, KY. We cut over East and hooked up with O-81 to I-40W to US 411. It was a very pretty drive, took about 6.5 hours, yet we avoided almost all traffic. It drops you off right into Seiverville.

[thekidd33]

We covered 3.6 miles in 3.5 hours in that area during our trip to Dollywood in 2012. 

[IBEW_Sparky]

I found a good alternate, that doesnt add that many miles, and only a calculated 35 minutes.... at least 20 of that I will make up by hammering down while still on the Interstate....to the trip.  

[calakapepe]

According to Google Maps, the route that's the fastest, which uses the detour barely west of I-75, described by the article, is only under 5 hours long.

I dont remember, but I seem to remember Dollywood being around 5 hours away from me anyways.

Will this detour actually add on a lot of driving time?

What if one took 25W southbound and reconnected to I-75 at the 134 mile marker of I-75?

[flightoffear1996]

I usually make the drive to that area 4 times a years and I plan my arrival and departure times based on how the traffic is.  Its that bad!

[gad198]

^^ The recommended detour route when the same thing happened several years ago was the route you outlined using US 25W.  Unfortunately, US 25W through that part of Tennessee is extremely windy and hilly, and larger vehicles/semis were taking FOREVER to traverse that road.  Depending on traffic it added 30 minutes to 3 hours to the total drive time.  Only I-75 South was affected last time around though so it may be a little more interesting this time around.

 

The recommended detour now is the one that takes you through Jellico proper, the one west of I-75.  I've taken this route on several occasions.  The reason that is the recommended detour this time around is because the route doesn't have the sharp elevation changes the way that I-75 or US 25W does.  You're essentially on the valley floor for most of the trip, and as such it will be much easier for trucks to handle.  The US 25 option is still available, but just keep in mind that it may take longer because many GPS units will advise to go that way.

 

The only other viable options are to take US 27 (west of the detour) or US 25E (the recommended truck route, east of the detour).  I hope this gets fixed quickly!

[calakapepe]

Same!

I'll need to take a route down mid-april but I know many of you have plans to get down there on opening day so for your sakes (first) hopefully resolution is only a short while away!

[Gabe]

Keep in mind that various DOTs are only able to recommend official detours on roads they own/control.  This past summer, a small bridge collapse on I 65 north of Indy near Lafayette created a nearly 3 month closure in both directions.  Official detours were announced, posted on various outlets and given lots of media mentions, but enterprising folks found alternates using local roads that were largely free of traffic.

[The Interpreter]

The local roads available in that part of Tennessee are both scarce and....uh....exciting.

Way too exciting for most.

[Creed Bratton]

I got sent through the detour they're suggestion back in 2011 because of an accident at Jellico Mountain. It was so windy up and down hills......not to mention it was very...uh....rural. Many abandoned one room houses and more. It was honestly quite scary. I'll be taking another route to Tennessee this time.

[electricsun]

As long as the stars align this week, I'll be driving that way next Thursday. I'll post how it goes and what the traffic is like.

Crossing fingers that all goes smoothly!

[IBEW_Sparky]

Upon further thought, I am happy I have not booked anything, because this very well may cancel the trip for us.  I simply dont have the mindset, nor the patience/desire, too put up with the delays and inconveniences this is going to cause.

[The Interpreter]

I can also about guarantee that many of Tennessee's revenuers--excuse me--safety enhancers--will be out in full force passing out invitations to the local court systems. They certainly have in years past.

It's for the safety of the children, you see.

[Oldiesmann]

The fact that the majority of the people driving those roads will be tourists unfamiliar with local speed limits and unable/unwilling to fight the charges in court has nothing to do with it of course.

[calakapepe]

Does traffic in the area typically foow the speed limit strictly? Or do they typicall do up to 5mph over?

10mph over as the real limit?

Probably better just gauge how everyone else is driving, and drive as fast as most, but slower than some.

[The Interpreter]

Speed limits have NO grace tolerance. Towns on detours know this. THEIR real limit IS the speed limit. (See also Washington, DC).

Much of the time, you won't be able to do the speed limit. It's when it drops suddenly a town has opportunity. Following the crowd thinking one is protected while bearing out of state tags? Really? There's a strategy!

[bkroz]

"It's a speed LIMIT, Dan, a LIMIT. It doesn't mean you have to go that fast!"

 

– Grandma Bev, Roseanne 

[electricsun]

"It's a speed LIMIT, Dan, a LIMIT. It doesn't mean you have to go that fast!"

– Grandma Bev, Roseanne

Didn't know I was channeling Roseanne when training new team to drive the trucks!

[Creed Bratton]

 

 

JELLICO, Tenn. (AP) —Officials in Tennessee have let an emergency contract to begin clearing an area of Interstate 75 that's covered by a rock slide.Multiple media outlets report the state transportation department awarded the $2.9 million contract Monday to Charles Blalock & Sons, Inc. The contract includes the removal of slide debris, stabilization of the existing slope and interstate repairs. I-75 remains closed in both directions since a rock slide on Friday completely blocked the northbound lanes near mile marker 142 in Campbell County. Subsequent rock fall has since tumbled into the southbound lanes as well. The contract stipulates that the road's southbound lanes must reopen within 14 days, and that at least one northbound lane reopen within 21 days. TDOT officials say the entire project must be completed by April 15.

 

 

Going south should be good for those folks heading down to Dollywood.

 

http://www.wlwt.com/news/state-awards-emergency-contract-for-tn-i75-rock-slide-cleanup/38277750?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=FBPAGE&utm_campaign=News&Content+Type=Story

[The Interpreter]

...assuming there is no road damage under the rockfall. And that subsequent rockfalls do not recur. Delayed reopenings have happened before.

[Oldiesmann]

Why exactly are they putting time restrictions on this? I know that it's got to be a pain to detour traffic like that, but giving contractors a set amount of time to clean up debris from something they have little control over seems like a big risk.

[calakapepe]

*crosses fingers*

[NoChickens]

^^ Because  it's a major artery, a life line to commerce. Few highways are more used than that one.

  Expectations are set, someone was willing to accept. Now we see if they are met.   

[electricsun]

Oldiesmann - I'm not in construction but I would assume that those timelines are based on how long repairs took for similar previous events. It may be like other contractor/building incentives that if they complete the project by a certain time, they receive a bonus.

I think when it is an unplanned issue, they work faster to fix the issues versus when it is scheduled highway builds or upgrades. When the tanker overturned on the west side of Columbus last July, it took them about a month to replace part of the bridge span, supports and the road underneath.

But really, this is all from my observations and no knowledge of the industry. I could be completely off-base.