U.S. 129 Rockslide Update for May 13

This week, Tennessee Department of Transportation emergency contractor Pacific Blasting & Demolition Ltd. drilled holes for 41 rock bolts at the top of the slope before 50 mile per hour wind gusts suspended repair operations on Tuesday. However, crews were able to install the 41 rock bolts and 5 mesh anchors at the top of the rockslide repair area. Crews have also started to grout the newly installed rock bolts into place. 

 

On the east side of the slope, crews are drilling 50 foot holes for 7 more rock bolts. Workers will continue to use a hydraulic crane and a crawler crane to continue to drill on the east side of the slope through the weekend. Each one of these pieces of equipment set on more than 30 feet of the road, while a rock berm remains in place to keep rock and debris from falling into Chilhowee Lake. Rockslide material remains at the bottom of the slope as rock continues to fall after a trim blasting two weeks ago.   

 

By the end of the week, there should be more than 3,000 feet of anchors drilled, installed and grouted. 

 

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. To view rockslide repair work on U.S. 129/State Route 115 you can go to http://earthcam.com/clients/tennessseedot/ .  Motorists can also find the detour map for alternate routes around the rockslide area.

 

U.S. 129/SR-115 remains closed from just past the Foothills Parkway to the Tabcat Bridge. However, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. U.S. 129/SR-115 is open from Tabcat Bridge to the state line. Through traffic is not allowed to travel through the slide area at anytime. Detours remain in place to allow motorists to get around the rockslide repair area.

 

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For more information contact:

Yvette Martinez

TDOT Region 1 Community Relations Officer

Yvette.Martinez@tn.gov

865-594-0161