Update on U.S. 129 Slide Repairs for April 22

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Scaling operations continue at the site of a rockslide that closed a section of U.S. 129/SR-115 from the Tabcat Bridge to just before the Foothills Parkway on March 14.

 

Tennessee Department of Transportation emergency contractor Pacific Blasting & Demolition Ltd.is scaling the top of the main slide area today in preparation for anchor drilling next week.

Workers will also begin drilling holes for the mesh anchors on the east side of the slide where scaling is finished. This preparation work will continue through the weekend.

 

Substantial drilling gear and a disassembled crane will be delivered to the site for the next phase of extensive drilling. Crews will assemble the specialized crane and drilling gear on Sunday and Monday.

 

Once the specialized drilling equipment is assembled crews will begin to drill on the western portion of the slope to prepare for trim blasting next week. Trim blasting, is low-impact blasting technique used to carefully tap a loose boulder and get it to fall apart and fall down the slope. Workers drill holes in strategic locations around the targeted rock and insert a small quantity of explosives to remove the rock. Trim blasting is being used on this project to minimize flying rock debris and to avoid causing further damage to the mountainside.

 

This week, crews have hauled away more than 35 dump trucks full of rock that has been either scaled off the mountainside or has fallen from the unstable slope.

 

Meanwhile, detours remain in place while rock scalers continue to scale and work to stabilize the slope. 

 

The completion date for the project remains July 31, with a $195,000 incentive for early completion by July 1.

 

TDOT has created a web page for information on the rockslide which can be found at www.tn.gov/tdot by clicking on the link "Rockslide Closures" at the top of the page. Motorists can find detour maps for all rockslides currently effecting travel in Tennessee. TDOT will also use the site to communicate updates on the project to stabilize and clear the U.S. 129 slide.