I-40 Closed

JOHNKIES · #1 10-26-2009, 03:24 PM

Just a word to traveling anglers, I-40 is closed a few miles east of the Tennessee state line. There was a massive rock slide and some early news reports said there are boulders the size of houses on the road. They have established a detour, but advise motorists to find alternative routes. Some estimates for full restoration are for months of work, likely going into 2010.

Just a heads-up. --JCK--

Rodn276 · #2 10-26-2009, 04:09 PM

Looks like a mess

phg · #3 10-26-2009, 04:18 PM

Of all the thousands of miles I've driven on the interstates, that's the only stretch that gives me the creeps. I always breath a sigh of relief when I get out of there. Darned inconvenient for those of you who live over that way....

ts3593474 · #4 10-26-2009, 04:42 PM

I agree, grew up around there and I loathe that stretch of road. Seems like every couple of years this kind of thing happens.

stuartr · #5 10-26-2009, 05:20 PM

Is that the Tenn/VA line? Looks like a real mess.

STU

WhiteH2OPdlr · #6 10-26-2009, 05:39 PM

You can go through Hot Springs (the original planned route of I-40 and the much more feasible one) into Newport TN. It's narrow, and I'm sure 25/70 will have more traffic on it, but on a good day with no buses or grandpa's, it's the same drive time as 40.

Another, and I won't go into details, would be to take the 276 exit off 40 and utilizing some forest service roads and going looking for brookies and elk, pop out over at Big Creek. Not a bad detour for a fly fisherman. Easy to spot on a Gazateer, and certainly faster than going up Future 26 to 81.

Interesting opinions on the 40 routing:

Quote:

This portion of the highway is, also, notorious for rockslides and rocks falling onto the highway. The main cause is an engineering flaw, in that sections of the highway have been built on the north side of the Pigeon River, where the rock strata foliate towards the highway.

Quote:

"Seriously though, this rockslide is just the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of the Pigeon River Gorge screw-up. This all started back in the 1960s, if not earlier. The highway engineers stated that the best route for the proposed I-40 was through the French Broad River Gorge, not the Pigeon River Gorge. However, big money (especially tourism interests in both North Carolina and Tennesse) bought off the right politicians in both North Carolina and Tennessee and got this borderline disaster built through the Pigeon River Gorge. Special interests just had to get this road closer to Gatlinburg and Cherokee. It is probably going to cost ten times the construction cost just to maintain it. What a legacy to leave future generations. Big money plus corrupt politicians equals a great big screw-up with no end in sight."

"The citizens of NC keep paying for Gov. Dan Moore paying off Haywood County by routing I-40 through the Gorge to bring more money to the county. If the original route had been followed up through western Madison Co. we would not have to rebuild the slopes every few years and will continue to do so as they are angled in such a way that it is impossible to stabilize them. The Madison Co. Route would have also negated the need for I-26 through the County. Politicians play, taxpayers pay, S.O.S."

Rocketroy · #7 10-27-2009, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodn276

Looks like a mess

Folks.........If this engineering foul-up alarms you,the proposed routing of Interstate-3 from Savannah to Knoxville will scare all,........ that appreciate what we have in the park! I urge you to visit www.WaysSouth.org. and see the Federal/State plans now under consideration,to split the heart out of SMNP! WaysSouth is the new name, for the former Stop I-3 movement,and needs all the support you can give,in this critical phase of the feasibility study,that is on-going! HELP! Regards, Rocketroy

fleming13 · #8 10-27-2009, 07:34 AM

aerial photos. Man did they ever botch that stretch.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pb...1026012&Ref=PH

g.hodges · #9 10-27-2009, 02:51 PM

I always want to sneak off to the side of the road in that valley or take one of those gravel roads by the tunnels and fish the river along I-40.

Has anyone ever tried that?

o1pilot · #10 10-27-2009, 03:24 PM

We were headed east on I-40 and one of the first cars stopped and routed off the interstate. Had to backtrack to Newport, TN, then to Hot Springs via 25/70 and then south on 209 back to I-40. Sure glad we did not leave earlier that morning.