U.S. 129 Slide Repair Update for June 30

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Workers on the U.S. 129/State Route 115 slide repair project in Blount County continue hauling away tons of rock and debris from the rockslide area after a series of recent trim blasts. On Saturday, a fourth trim blast on an area of unstable rock on the west end of the slope brought down approximately 4,500 tons of rock and debris. 

Crews spent the next few days scaling the slope to clear remaining rock hanging over the roadway. Meanwhile, an excavator worked the last couple of days to clear the area at the bottom of the slide area to allow crews to further evaluate their plan to remove the remaining unstable rock mass.

 

[img:2 align=float_left]On Tuesday, workers hauled away 46 truck-loads of rock. Hauling will continue throughout the remainder of the week. 

 

Scaling, the installation of mesh wiring and rock bolting is complete on the east side of the rockslide project site. Workers installed more than 7,000 feet of rock bolts and grouted them into place to stabilize the mountainside. 

 

The U.S. 129 rockslide project is estimated to be completed by July 31, 2010. TDOT offered a $195,000 incentive to the contractor if the roadway opened by July 1, 2010. However, work on an unstable rock mass which began to slide on June 2 has hindered the contractor from receiving the full incentive. 

 

[img:3 align=float_left]Up to date information on the U.S. 129 rockslide removal/stabilization project is available on the TDOT website at www.tn.gov/tdot/US129Rockslide/default.htm, where you can view a live camera feed of work ongoing at the site as well as video and photos from the project. To view videos of the project you can visit TDOT’s YouTube site at: http://www.youtube.com/user/TDOTnews .

 

U.S. 129/SR-115 is closed from just past the Foothills Parkway to the Tabcat Bridge. A short section of U.S. 129 between the Tabcat Bridge and the North Carolina state line, known as “The Dragon”, is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; however no through traffic is allowed at the rockslide site at any time. Detours remain in place to allow motorists to get around the rockslide repair area.

 

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Contact:
Yvette Martinez
TDOT Region 1 Community Relations Officer
Yvette.Martinez@tn.gov
865-594-0161