The National Park just emailed this notice out:
Bidding Process to Begin for Rockslide Repairs
Contractors with specialized crews focus on slide on U.S-129/SR-115
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.
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