Heads up, East Bay commuters: your route might get a tad more congested this Wednesday. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has announced that a stretch of I-40 East in Loudon County will be reduced to one lane come morning. At the crack of 9 a.m., workers will descend on the scene at MM 363, near the paw of Paw Paw Plains Road, to commence bridge repairs. According to TDOT, this squeeze will persist, albeit briefly, only until the afternoon's threshold at 3 p.m., assuming the day is devoid of weather-driven caprice.
Motorists planning to take Exit 364 and merge onto U.S. 321 should proceed with caution as they travel through the outskirts of Lenoir City. According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, drivers are advised to exercise discretion during this period due to traffic conditions. To help minimize delays, TDOT encourages travelers to use available navigation and traffic resources, reiterating its message to “Know Before You Go” and plan routes accordingly.
The temporary disruptions along Interstate 40 East are part of ongoing efforts to maintain the safety and durability of the overpass above Paw Paw Plains Road. Motorists traveling through the area should anticipate traffic slowdowns and construction activity. Drivers are encouraged to use available traffic and navigation tools to help avoid delays and plan alternate routes when possible, as per the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Fancy that, the TDOT SmartWay system is there to hold our hands—as metaphorically speaking, as a tool can—through this and other roadwork gambits. They encourage you to call upon 511 for a travel sherpa of sorts, to guide you around any roadwork riddles. But don't even think to reach out and send a tweet, dash off a text, or gab on your cell while navigating this vehicular tapestry—we're not just talking safety, but law.
