The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Source: WVLT
Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:41 PM
Road Work Resumes Along I-40 As TDOT Warns Of More Traffic Backups This Weekend
Last weekend, TDOT crews continued bridge work between West Hills mile marker 380 and the I-640 interchange mile marker 385. The work began Friday night at 8:00 p.m. with plans to end on Monday at 6:00 a.m. That same plan was developed to be implemented this weekend.
The work comes during a busy Knoxville weekend with the Big Ears Festival, the Knoxville Covenant Health Marathon and Half Marathon and other various events planned.
TDOT explained that resurfacing work needs to be done in this area, but before the resurfacing work can be done, bridge repairs must be made. Mark Nagi, spokesperson for TDOT, explained why the work can not be done overnight.
"Resurfacing work has to take place, before that work does happen you have to take a look at the bridges to see if concrete needs to be repaired, so right now they are hammering out the old ones and pouring in new concrete work. When that's done, the resurfacing work can begin," Nagi said.
"For this work specifically, that concrete needs time to cure. You can't just do it 10 hours overnight, leave it, then go back another 10 hours later. You need to have a couple of days without any traffic on that roadway for this work to take place," Nagi said.
But some drivers wouldn't let the back up stop them from weekend plans.
Cameron Paul, a Knoxville local, said, "Head onto South Peters Road, then onto Westland. That'll let you bypass everything."
Another option is to take Gallaher Road to Middlebrook Pike, which also rides alongside the interstate and right into downtown.
Jade Gotchy suggested, "Take Northshore Road, and then you can take Lyons View Pike and get back onto Kingston Pike from there."
Weather permitting, the weekend work could continue for the next four weeks, with the exception of Easter weekend. Nagi said the area between mile marker 380 and 385 is one of the most traveled roadways in East Tennessee, with an estimated 190,000 vehicles per day passing through.
