Knoxville – Workers with Charles Blalock & Sons, Inc. will begin clearing debris from the rockslide on US441 (The Spur) tonight, February 11, 2010. Crews will bring down any lose material from the mountainside before hauling away the debris.

 

On Friday morning, crews will begin bolting the rock into the mountainside using 20 foot rods to stabilize the slope.

NASHVILLE – State agencies and non-profits will be signing a memorandum of agreement forming the Tennessee Farmland Legacy Partnership on Tuesday, February 16 at the Old Supreme Court Chambers. The Tennessee Farmland Legacy Partnership will serve as an authoritative resource, providing information and assistance and to encouraging both farm level and community planning that promotes the preservation and viability of working farms in Tennessee. 

NASHVILLE – Motorists traveling in the Nashville area this weekend should be on alert for lane closures associated with two separate road construction projects. The projects will impact travel on Interstate 440 and Interstate 40 on the west side of Nashville. The lane closures are as follows:

 

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Crews with Blalock & Sons continued cleanup today along the roadbed to remove material from yesterday’s blast and began the reconstruction of the 275 ton crane pad further to the east in preparation for drilling and blasting the eastern shelf on Friday and Saturday. The contractor also continues scaling operations on the western side of the slope using the mini ram-hoe to prep for rock bolting operations. The contractor plans to continue scaling, drilling & blasting operations on the eastern side until the slope is determined to be stable enough to install the 40’ deep rock bolts. This drilling, blasting and scaling schedule will be done in unison with the rock bolting operations that will be occurring on the western side of the slope.

 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation today awarded an emergency contract to Charles Blalock & Sons, Inc. for the clean-up and repair of the US441 (The Spur) rockslide in Sevier County. Blalock was awarded a $713,909 contract to clear the rockslide and safely open the southbound lanes by March 12, 2010.

WARTBURG, Tenn. – A landslide caused by recent, heavy rains has prompted Frozen Head State Park officials to close the Lookout Tower Trail as a matter of visitor safety.

 

CHATTANOOGA - Construction crews with Blalock & Sons and Dyno Nobel set off a series of pre-split and trim explosives on Wednesday in four different locations along the slope.  Thursday crews cleaned up the debris on the roadway surface that was created by the blasts by using a hydraulic ram-hoe and trackhoe.  Crews continue working on the slope to remove loose boulders and debris. Heavy rain and high winds have hampered operations today, but work will resume as soon as weather permits.

 

NASHVILLE – Using nature as your backdrop, the most romantic way to spend this Valentine’s Day is at a Tennessee State Park. All eight state park restaurants will be open Valentine’s Day weekend, serving romantic Valentine’s Day meals and five state park inns will offer special overnight packages.

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will deliver the “Between the Barrels” presentation to 600 high school students at Clarksville High School in Montgomery County, Monday, February 8, 2010. The safe driving program, which is geared to students who are just learning to drive, aims to reduce the chances of teens being involved in a dangerous work zone crash.

Reserve space now and take advantage of room specials at the Fall Creek Falls Inn

 

PIKEVILLE, Tenn. – Fall Creek Falls State Park is offering a basket-making workshop February 26-27, 2010, for participants interested in learning a new craft or refining existing skills.