lizzie
Unaka (near Murphy), NC
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Oh No. Not again! I hate it when the rocks start falling. lizzie
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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lizzie wrote:Oh No. Not again! I hate it when the rocks start falling. lizzie
A-yep. And I've got a rockhounding daytrip planned to Douglas Lake with two young lady friends, too. Right thru there... 'twas on a problematic schedule before with jobs and school, now scheduling it's gonna get more complicated. Dangit!
As I understand it, they planned this route for I-40 back in the early 60's. The French Broad River valley is supposedly* more better geologically than Pigeon River Gorge. But that time, Haywood Co. had more political clout in the legislature in Raleigh than Madison Co., so they got the route... the most expensive hiway in the nation at the time on a per lane-mile basis. I knew a guy who was involved in building it; he said they found a swamp with quicksand on top of one of the mountains! It swallowed 50+ dumptruck loads of gravel.
(*I've also heard that it's not better, just different.)
Jim, "When you hear the toilet flush followed by the words 'Uh, oh', it's already too late."
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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I just heard a short news story that said I-40 may be open by Monday. Apparently TNDOT let an emergency contract. I'd assume that this pays the contractor to work more shifts with more assets than usual. So i may be able to organize my rockhounding trip a little easier after all.
Jim, "She has lovely colored eyes. I especially like the blue one."
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Bamaman1
Northwest Alabama
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It all depends if Tennessee is your final destination. If you're just going to Gatlinburg, look for an alternative mountain location--like the south side of the Smokies in Cherokee, NC. Or, go to the North Georgia mountains--Hiawasee has great vistas. There are also great mountain state parks with campgrounds in North Georgia.
If you must go to Tennessee, take the new Interstate north out of Asheville just over the Tennessee State line. Take the Hwy 81 West exit at Erwin, Tennessee. Then, turn left @ Hwy 107, and it's straight shot to Greeneville. Turn left on Hwy 11 East and it's 10 miles to the Interstate. It cuts off many, many miles going this way, and he scenery is breathtaking.
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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"Hiway 81 West exit".... I-81? TN 81? US 81? I think you mean TN 81 & 107. Fine, but it's all country 2 lane, tho' a fairly good one. I'm thinking local traffic and trucks may make that a traffic issue.
Anyway, evening news reports say there's been a second slide on I-40. This one is inside NC at MM 7, in the now-closed section. It sounds like it's going to take a few more days to clear, so the Monday re-opening may have to slip a few days.
Jim, "My mind works like lightning. One brilliant flash, and it's gone."
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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And yet another change... Maybe. NCDOT has the more recent smaller slide on this side cleaned up already. Looks like all the rock fractured into manageable pieces as it came down.
But according to the Saturday evening news, TNDOT has not yet set a firm time for clearing their side. There was a vaguely worded statement about 'if the weekend rain didn't interfere too much,' they might still have it open by sometime Monday.
On late edit... Just heard on the Sunday AM local news that one lane is open westbound now! YAY!!! I'm sure there'll be delays, but at least it's now possible to travel direct.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
* This post was
edited 02/05/12 04:37am by Handbasket *
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byrdr1
Elon, NC / Central Piedmont
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Handbasket, thanks for news on grades on the mountain interstate highways.
never tried the I-26 highway. and not sure the back roads would be good pulling a 30+ foot camper. I do that going to the coast.
Glad to see TN works faster than NC on clearing the roadway.
randy
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Randy
Elon, NC-Piedmont area
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lizzie
Unaka (near Murphy), NC
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I live in NC, but three miles from the TN line. We can choose roads in either state for our routine business. For us it's TDOT everytime. They prepare roads before snow is expected and stay on the plowing, remove rocks and trees as promptly as possible and send out crews in all kinds of conditions. NC waits to see if it really does snow, hopes that the locals remove trees before they get there, and ignore telephone calls. lizzie
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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NCDOT has always had a bad reputation for being slow, corrupt, and political, and 98% of it's well-earned. But in their defense, the "Great I-40 Slide of '09" was a heck of a lot bigger than the little boulder on the TN side this time.
In '09, the loose rock extended about 1/8 of a mile _up_ the side of the gorge, and went quite a ways along the road. The quarter-billion year old rock in the whole gorge is just plain rotten, with lots of cracks & fissures for water to infiltrate & freeze in.
Jim, "Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?"
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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Latest on this is that TNDOT is saying that it may be well into March before they get the right-hand west-bound lane cleared and open. There are occasional traffic backups at the bottleneck, so start watching for slow traffic ahead around MM 1 in NC.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
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