East Tennessee road warriors should brace themselves for a slough of construction-related interruptions in the coming week. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has announced a variety of closures and delays throughout Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Jefferson, Johnson, and Knox counties. According to the official release, these range from lane closures on major highways to a full bridge closure in Hancock County.
For those traversing Anderson County from August 8-14, be prepared for possible nightly closures on I-75 in both directions between mile markers 117.6 and 122 as part of a resurfacing project, warning of potential delays during peak times. Similarly, resurfacing work on SR 62 between SR 61 and Union Valley Road may also result in temporary lane closures.
In Blount County, I-140 East near mile marker 10 won't be immune to construction's reach, with possible lane closures due to the ITS expansion project. US 321/SR 73 and SR 334 will also undergo resurfacing and bridge repair projects respectively, cautioning motorists to be on the lookout for worker presence and to proceed with care.
Projects in Campbell County are diverse and widespread with both resurfacing projects on stretches of I-75, bridge repairs over Cove Lake, and construction work on SR 63 potentially clogging roads with delays. Likewise, the detours around Hancock County's SR 33, where a bridge replacement over Greasy Creek necessitates a reshuffling of normal traffic patterns, emphasizes the scale at which infrastructure demands attention.
Knox County isn't spared from the construction blitz either. A rolling roadblock is scheduled for I-275 North and South between mile markers 0 and 2 on August 11 to facilitate overhead line work by utility crews. Moreover, a portion of I-640 will be reduced to two lanes 24/7 between mile markers 6 and 10 for a resurfacing project, and the flyover ramp from I-40 East to I-640 West will see a weekend closure.
For the full list of road work, closures, and advisories, TDOT urges motorists to consult their website, and stay alert for changes to their usual routes. Patience and caution are the watchwords for the week as Tennessee undertakes the necessary, though often inconvenient, task of maintaining its thoroughfares.
