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By TOM YANCEY
Staff Writer
Lanes of Interstate 81 at Exit 23 will be closed for urgent bridge repairs beginning on this Saturday night, officials announced this morning.
Officials emphasized that there is no immediate danger, although three stress fracture cracks were discovered recently in the I-81 spans over U.S. 11E.
I-81 northbound lanes will be closed at 10 p.m. this Saturday night, Nov. 14, and be reopened at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov.15.
On the following weekend, I-81 southbound lanes will be closed during the same hours, from 10 p.m. on Saturday night, Nov. 21, until 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22.
During both closures, I-81 traffic will be directed off the interstate and back on once past the bridges at Exit 23. THP will be on the scene.
Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) officials said the work cannot be done while vehicles are traveling on I-81, causing vibrations.
TDOT Chief Engineeer Paul Degges announced at a press conference held at the bridges at 10 a.m. this morning, "The bridges are safe for travel and we will keep a close watch on them. Still, they needed to be repaired sooner rather than later."
He added, "We scheduled the repairs at night so they will have the least impact on motorists."
Previous Work
Contractors have been working underneath the bridge for the past several months, painting the steel understructure and making other repairs that were earlier described as repair and maintenance work.
During that time, traffic on Interstate 81 was reduced to one lane in each direction at times, but all four lanes have been open for several weeks.
However, traffic underneath the bridges on U.S. Highway 11E has been narrowed to one lane in each direction to make room for what look like temporary supports.
Traffic is already heavier than normal on I-81 because of the recent rock slide that closed I-40 in western North Carolina.
Traffic from I-40 has been diverted to I-81 and I-26 as a result of that closure.
Staff Writer
Lanes of Interstate 81 at Exit 23 will be closed for urgent bridge repairs beginning on this Saturday night, officials announced this morning.
Officials emphasized that there is no immediate danger, although three stress fracture cracks were discovered recently in the I-81 spans over U.S. 11E.
I-81 northbound lanes will be closed at 10 p.m. this Saturday night, Nov. 14, and be reopened at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov.15.
On the following weekend, I-81 southbound lanes will be closed during the same hours, from 10 p.m. on Saturday night, Nov. 21, until 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22.
During both closures, I-81 traffic will be directed off the interstate and back on once past the bridges at Exit 23. THP will be on the scene.
Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) officials said the work cannot be done while vehicles are traveling on I-81, causing vibrations.
TDOT Chief Engineeer Paul Degges announced at a press conference held at the bridges at 10 a.m. this morning, "The bridges are safe for travel and we will keep a close watch on them. Still, they needed to be repaired sooner rather than later."
He added, "We scheduled the repairs at night so they will have the least impact on motorists."
Previous Work
Contractors have been working underneath the bridge for the past several months, painting the steel understructure and making other repairs that were earlier described as repair and maintenance work.
During that time, traffic on Interstate 81 was reduced to one lane in each direction at times, but all four lanes have been open for several weeks.
However, traffic underneath the bridges on U.S. Highway 11E has been narrowed to one lane in each direction to make room for what look like temporary supports.
Traffic is already heavier than normal on I-81 because of the recent rock slide that closed I-40 in western North Carolina.
Traffic from I-40 has been diverted to I-81 and I-26 as a result of that closure.
For more information and stories, see The Greeneville Sun.
