Polk County Rockslide on US-64 Update for January 4

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Construction crews with Blalock and Sons resumed breaking up large boulders at the base of the slide using a hoe-ram after having hauled approximately 160 truck loads (more than 3500 tons) of debris off of the site on Saturday and Sunday. The contractor will drill the larger boulders and plant explosive charges to aid in breaking the boulders up into more manageable sizes. The contractor will continue removing debris from the roadway surface from the west to the east in order to make room for the extension of the 275 ton crawler crane pad which will enable the contractor to begin scaling, drilling, and trim blasting operations on the east side of the slide.

 

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.