Polk County US-64 Rockslide Update For January 11
Monday, January 11, 2010 | 10:24am
Hauling Preparations and Blasting Operations Continue
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Workers with Charles Blalock & Sons worked throughout the weekend breaking up large boulders on the surface of the roadway in preparation for hauling operations. The contractor also completed the construction of a temporary construction access road that will allow the passage of construction equipment and haul trucks from one side of the slide to the other. Scaling operations were suspended over the weekend due to the icy conditions on the face of the slope.
Today construction crews with Dyno Nobel set off a series of pre-split charges to remove the remaining rock overhang on the west side of the main slide area. This blast will allow the contractor to begin his movement to the eastern side of the slide and begin rock bolting operation on the west side which is scheduled to begin later this week.
TDOT maintenance crews continued their work along the west side of the US64 Corridor removing rock overhangs, improving shoulders and clearing debris while the road is closed.
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.
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