KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Work to clear a rockslide that closed U.S.-129/SR-115 is expected to begin early April. The Tennessee Department of Transportation will let an emergency contract to clear the slide on Monday, March 29. TDOT qualified two specialty contractors, Pacific Blasting Demolition Ltd. and Phillips & Jordan, Inc., to bid on the project. Both contractors offer specialized experience in rockslide clearance and stabilization that is needed to repair the substantial and complex slide on U.S.-129/SR-115.
The emergency contract is expected to be awarded to one of the two specialty contractors on Monday, March 29 with work expected to begin no later than April 5. This will allow contractors time to transport specialized equipment to the site of the slide in Blount County.
TDOT’s contract has a completion date of July 31, 2010.
Meanwhile, detours remain in place while the stretch of road known as the Dragon is closed from the slide area to the North Carolina state line. Motorists are advised to continue to monitor the TDOT website at
www.tn.gov/tdot for updates and detour details. TDOT is also on Twitter. For up to the minute traffic information in Knoxville and the Tri-Cities follow us on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/knoxville511. For statewide travel information follow
www.twitter.com/TN511.
###
For More Information Contact:
Yvette Martinez
TDOT Region 1 Community Relations Officer
865-594-0161
Yvette.Martinez@tn.gov