Polk County US-64 Rockslide Update For January 27

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Construction crews working to remove a major rockslide along US64 in Polk County today worked to assemble a 150 ton crane that will be used to drive approximately two hundred, 10’ to 25’ long, 2” diameter bolts into the mountainside. The rock bolts will help stabilize the layers of rock on the mountain and will help prevent future slides from occurring in this area.

 

Workers continued removing lose debris and rock from the upper west side of the slope by hand and with machines Tuesday and today prepped and drilled the lower western side of the slope for a pre-split blast scheduled for later today. The contractor will continue working to remove lose debis and haul material from the western side of the slope to make way for rock bolting to begin and to extend the 275 ton crawler crane pad to the east.

 

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. 

 

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.  

 

Motorists are reminded to use all motorist information tools responsibly. Drivers should refrain from texting, tweeting or using a mobile phone while operating a vehicle. TDOT advises drivers to “Know before you go!” by checking traffic conditions before leaving for your destination.