Latest news with #TDOT
The Independent
13 hours ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Smoky Mountains I-40 corridor may be closed for weeks following flooding and rock slides
A major Tennessee interstate that runs through the Great Smoky Mountains may be closed for weeks following flooding and rock slides. It will take around two weeks to clean up and repair the damage left on the I-40 near the Tennessee and North Carolina border Wednesday, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel. A series of four rockslides and flooding brought rocks, trees and muddy water. No deaths or serious injuries were reported, but cars and trucks were left stuck in the debris-filled water. As of Thursday, only an 18-wheeler was left on the I-40, the Sentinel reported. Tennessee state Representative Jeremy Faison wrote on X Thursday morning, 'The damage is more extensive than @myTDOT initially anticipated. Significant impacts have been identified on both the interstate and the ramps. As of this morning, several areas remain under water, and there are potentially compromised slopes. Geotechnical engineers are on-site today to assess the stability of those slopes.' Will Reid, chief engineer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, said at a Thursday press conference that it will cost an estimated $500,000 to clean up and repair the road, per the Sentinel. The damaged road is part of 12 miles of I-40 that was wrecked by flooding as Hurricane Helene ripped through North Carolina and Tennessee last September, The Associated Press reported. "We're still in trauma,' Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis said at Thursday's press conference, adding that Tennesseans' 'ears are still ringing from eight months ago.' Crews are still fixing the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, which will continue alongside the rockslide cleanup, the Sentinel reports. "When that first call went out, immediately it was like, 'Oh no, not again.' But then, within a half a second later of that it was, 'OK, let's do this.' And that's what we do. Whatever the challenge is, we're going to face it together, head on. And we're going to overcome it,' Mathis said.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Massive flooding causes road closures in Memphis, the Mid-South
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A flash flood warning was issued Thursday morning for parts of the Mid-South as severe weather moves through early Thursday morning. WREG crews captured photos of the massive flooding on Interstate 240 under the Jefferson overpass, causing traffic delays. Drivers were seen attempting to push their vehicles through the flooding and still trying to pass through. Most streets were clear and skies were sunny by the afternoon, but the morning commute was a mess for many. We saw highway crews working on Interstate 240 trying to get the water off the roads. Nichole Lawrence with TDOT said the agency is constantly checking the drains to make sure drains are clear. 'It's part of our routine maintenance is checking our drains and we have a great partnership with the National Weather Service where we have calls and meetings with them when rain is predicted, so we are always ahead of that to make sure we can get out there and do a double check during our routine maintenance days,' Lawrence said. Severe weather causes power outages in Memphis Sheriff Shannon Beasley made a social media post saying they were also experiencing flooding on roadways all across Tipton County. A tractor-trailer was left flooded on Mt. Carmel Road near Barnett Hall Road, Beasley said. The Tennessee Department of Transportation has closed that road, along with Charleston Gift Road between Highway 54 and Highway 14, and Sherrill Cemetery Road, which is a dead-end road. Beasley says they are also working on other weather-related motor vehicle accidents and that areas along Highway 59 West, Highway 59 East, and Highway 54 are all experiencing flooding. He says Tipton County Public Works crews are working to barricade roadways and clear trees from the roads. More roadway closures are expected. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
I-40 shut down along Tennessee-North Carolina border due to flooding, landslide months after Helene
COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. - A significant stretch of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee-North Carolina state line was closed in both directions Wednesday evening after heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding and a landslide, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Doppler radar indicated that a locally heavy thunderstorm produced more than an inch of rain in a short period, leading to standing water along the main thoroughfare between Cosby, Tennessee, and Clyde, North Carolina. Photos shared by TDOT showed a tractor-trailer and several other vehicles stopped in the mud and debris that had overtaken the interstate, rendering the roadway impassable. Engineers were reported to be en route to assess the situation, but transportation officials warned that the closure could last for an extended period. No injuries were immediately reported, but officials expressed concern about the risk of additional slides and unstable terrain in the surrounding area. Treasured Discoveries Surface As North Carolina Lake Is Drained During Helene Revitalization A nearby portion of I-40 was previously closed for more than four months following severe damage caused by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. While emergency repairs allowed for the interstate to reopen early in 2025, full restoration is expected to be a multi-year process and not finish before 2028. Interstate 40 is a vital east-west corridor connecting the mountainous regions of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. With the latest closure, drivers are now facing significant delays, with detours that may add an hour or more to travel times through the region. Transportation officials are urging drivers to use I-81 and I-26 as an alternate route until the affected stretch of highway can safely reopen. Chimney Rock, North Carolina, Recovery Shows Progress Post-helene The National Weather Service office in Morristown, Tennessee, issued a Flash Flood Warning for the area after receiving reports of stranded motorists. The alert has since been rescinded, but forecasters continue to emphasize the dangers of flash flooding during summer thunderstorms. According to NWS forecasters, just six inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot of floodwater is enough to carry away most vehicles. Transportation officials are encouraging the public to stay up to date if their travels take them between Knoxville and article source: I-40 shut down along Tennessee-North Carolina border due to flooding, landslide months after Helene
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Flooding forces I-40 to close in NC near Tennessee state line. Here's detour info
Interstate 40 is closed again through the Pigeon River Gorge near the Tennessee state line, this time because of a reported rock slide and flooding on the Tennessee side. Westbound traffic in North Carolina can go only as far as Exit 20, U.S. 276, about 20 miles from the state line. The N.C. Department of Transportation is warning westbound drivers as far away as the Triangle that they'll need to take a detour around the gorge to get to Tennessee. Photos posted by the Tennessee Department of Transportation show cars and trucks stuck in water-covering the highway at Exit 451, Waterville Road, less than a mile from the state line. TDOT closed the highway about 5 p.m. Wednesday, said spokesman Mark Nagi. 'TDOT crews are assessing the situation, but that area got a lot of heavy rain earlier this afternoon, and more rain likely tonight,' Nagi wrote in an email about 8:30 p.m. 'No ETA for road opening currently.' The reported rock slide occurred about a mile west of the interchange. Nagi said TDOT crews removed median barriers to allow stuck traffic to turn around. I-40 was completely shut down for months through the Pigeon River Gorge after the remnants of Hurricane Helene caused historic flooding last September that washed away sections of the eastbound lanes. NCDOT and TDOT used the remaining westbound lanes to reopen the highway to two-way traffic in February. This time, the floodwaters came off the mountain above the road, rather than from the river. From the Triangle and Triad, Tennessee-bound drivers are urged to take either I-77 or U.S. 52 and I-74 north to I-81. Drivers in the mountains or Asheville area are being directed to take I-26 west to I-81.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Local agencies prepared for Bonnaroo traffic ahead of festival
MANCHESTER, Tenn. (WKRN) — Law enforcement agencies are prepared to handle the influx of temporary residents in Manchester for the annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, which begins Thursday, June 12. The annual music festival sees the population of Manchester grow by anywhere from 50- to 80,000 people annually when campers and other festivalgoers making the pilgrimage to The Farm. Leading traffic and safety efforts this year is the Manchester Police Department, after the Coffee County Sheriff's Department took the reins on festival traffic operations for more than a decade. The City of Manchester unanimously approved a request from festival operators to annex the property into the city limits after nearly two decades as county property, prompting the city's police force to lead safety efforts. Bonnaroo 2025: Luke Combs, Tyler, the Creator, Olivia Rodrigo, Hozier headlining festival At the latest meeting of the Emergency Management Agency Board, Assistant Chief of Police Adam Floied said safety and traffic operations would be 'business as usual for us,' noting the only change that affected how MPD will monitor the festival is the traffic. According to Floied, the sheriff's department 'reallocated their assets to be more focused on the venue,' and Tennessee Highway Patrol, which typically assists with traffic flow on Interstate 24, also 'reduced some of their numbers,' so MPD has taken over some of the previous THP posts. He said MPD has also opened up overtime opportunities to city employees for extra traffic assistance during the festival. While Bonnaroo officially begins on Thursday, festival attendees will be able to enter the campgrounds starting Tuesday, June 10, meaning city employees will need to be ready by then. Law enforcement anticipates accommodating 5,000 cars in the day parking lot, which will be moved from the eastern side of the Bonnaroo property more toward the Interstate on the northwest part of the property. According to Coffee County EMA Director Allen Lendley, Coffee County EMS will be staffing two ambulances on the Bonnaroo property throughout the festival. The ambulances will be there 'for transport only,' as most incidents are handled on-site, Lendley said. A first-timer's guide to Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival Last year's festival saw EMS run about 45 to 50 calls, Lendley added. For any fire-related emergencies, Lendley said Hillsboro Volunteer Fire Department will be on hand, particularly on the nights when artists have pyrotechnics. The Tennessee Department of Transportation will also be activating festival-related protocols to keep attendees moving efficiently off I-24 and into the grounds. 'TDOT has once again coordinated with our agency partners to ensure safe and efficient travel during the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival,' Deputy Gov. and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley said in a release. 'The main objective is to keep thru traffic moving smoothly on I-24 while getting festivalgoers safely into and out of the Bonnaroo site. Because of this advance planning, we can successfully minimize traffic delays throughout the weekend.' TDOT HELP units will assist with traffic management during the festival and aid any motorists who require assistance, according to TDOT. Other steps taken by the department include: Keeping I-24 traffic flowing Patrolling the interstate and state routes in HELP trucks throughout the festival region Using Exit 111 (SR-55) as the main festival exit (alternate exits may be used if congestion occurs on the interstate) Posting TDOT maintenance units throughout the festival region and keeping maintenance personnel on call all weekend Placing variable message signs to warn drivers ahead of any delays Suspending any construction-related closures near the festival area between Tuesday, June 10, and Tuesday, June 17 Guarding median crossovers to prevent motorists from parking and blocking emergency vehicles Keeping festival traffic in the righthand land and/or on the shoulder of the interstate to allow for thru traffic in the left lane unimpeded Using county roads for emergency vehicles Placing temporary communication towers to improve emergency communications 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → Another way Bonnaroovians can keep traffic lines down is to avoid peak travel times. According to Bonnaroo, longer wait times should be anticipated each day around late morning and noon, though Friday's peak times may extend into the 4 o'clock hour. As of Monday, June 9, peak times were anticipated to be: Tuesday, June 10: noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 11: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 12: 8 – 11 a.m. Friday, June 13: noon to 4 p.m. Peak times are subject to change, however, and will depend on things like the weather, general traffic conditions, and other factors, per Bonnaroo. TDOT anticipates about 65,000 attendees at this year's festival, per a release; local officials, however, estimated around 80,000 people in order to be over-prepared. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
