NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The Tennessee Department of Transportation plans to open I-24 eastbound at MM 42 to traffic by 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.
The roadway was closed on February 23 following a landslide.
I-24 eastbound has been temporarily widened around the site of the slide to accommodate two lanes of traffic while crews continue working on permanent slope repairs. Approximately 36,000 cubic yards of material has been removed from the slope in order to make the area safe for drivers.
The permanent repairs include additional excavation of the slope and installation of a rock buttress behind a rock bench approximately 50 feet wide. TDOT estimates this work will take 2-3 months to complete.
The estimated cost for the permanent repairs and roadwork required to open I-24 to traffic is $8 million.
About Slides and Rockfalls in Tennessee
· Because of the geological and soil conditions, as well as general terrain, slides and rockfalls are common in Middle and East Tennessee.
· Common triggers for slides and rockfalls are extended periods of wet weather and/or the freezing and thawing of water, and they typically occur in winter and early spring.
· Potential slides and rockfalls are nearly impossible to predict with any accuracy.
· TDOT budgets $3 million annually to address rockfall and slide issues, and often seeks federal disaster assistance to assist in covering the cost of major slides or rockfalls.