Heads up, drivers! Those of you hitting the road on State Route 70 in Hawkins County will need to tap the brakes for a new development: road closures for bridge construction. According to an alert from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), the construction is happening near Coran Road and Hagan Reynolds Road, paving the way for a new bridge to span the Norfolk Southern Railroad.
The announcement outlines the closure around these areas, and TDOT has set up detour signs, aiming to make life easier during this infrastructural facelift. State Route 70 and State Route 66 traffic is being rerouted via Old Highway 66 and Old Highway 113, but the twist comes for those driving wide loads – they’ve got a larger hoop to jump through, detouring via Exit 23 (Greeneville/Bulls Gap) on I-81 North and South, then hitching a ride down U.S. 11E South to State Route 66.
There's a clear message for those on the road: be careful, as construction zones are not your run-of-the-mill drive-throughs. Workers are out there, and it's on us to keep them safe. "Motorists should use extreme caution as workers are present in this area," states the TDOT.
And in the spirit of keeping it smooth and trouble-free on the roads, a friendly reminder from the transportation officials: Stay savvy and prep before you step (or drive, in this case). They say, “Know Before You Go!” – which isn’t just snappy advice, it's a nudge to check travel conditions before you roll out, don't be that person weaving between lanes with your eyes on your phone – in fact, "Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel," reminds the TDOT.
