I-24 Eastbound closed by large sinkhole

[HighTechRedneck]

Just got this news update from one of our local news channels.  That sounds like it will take some time to fix.  I expect they will ultimately divide the Westbound side into one lane each way until they can repair it.  But that will cause a bottleneck.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12499957&Call=Email&Format=HTML

Sinkhole Halts Traffic on I-24E
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WRCB) A large sinkhole has developed on Interstate 24 eastbound in northern Grundy County.

Tennessee Highway Patrol says the sinkhole measures about 20 feet deep and is taking up both travel lanes as well as the emergency lane.

Westbound traffic is delayed because of rubbernecking.

[HighTechRedneck]

Interesting.  They just updated the story with this:

TDOT reports on its website the repair is expected to be completed around 8:00 p.m. CT.

Interesting how fast they expect to be able to fill a 20' deep hole that consumes all three lanes and that may or may not be finished compacting, and reapply a suitable road surface.  Around here I've never seen them install a guard rail or freeway sign that fast.

[Just Dallas]

Removed

[Van]

What the hell LOL, I blame Global Warning

[HighTechRedneck]

They have to move fast so the National Guard can get to Chattanooga, you know, just in case Georgia attacks in an attempt to get back the land and the water Tennessee stole from them! 

Hmm, good point.  Maybe the hole is actually a crater from an IED placed by some upset Georgian.   

[Van]

Lol, forget about closing the border.

[HighTechRedneck]

Now they are starting to get photos:

 
Not too bad, we've had potholes like that over by Eastgate center. 

The news site is still reporting that TDOT is expecting to have it repaird by 8PM.  However, I noticed on the TDOT site that what they actually say is that they will have the incident "cleared" by 8pm.  I suspect that means they will have the cars that went off the road when it happened hauled off and the detours properly established.

I would say they are looking at at least 200 cubic yards of heavily compacted fill just to fill it in and that is assuming that it doesn't keep caving in more. Then it will have to be heavily compacted.  And they will probably demo the remaining road back to a smooth edge and the road bed reestablished and the area resurfaced.  And I am not sure they would want to venture heavy equipment out onto it until they are a little more certain it won't keep caving in more.  So probably some seismic engineers will need to thoroughly study the cause of the sinkhole.

So I tend to think this closure will be around a little longer than 8pm.  Actually I think a lot longer knowing the crews around here.

[white-eagle]

at least now we know where the oil leaking in the gulf is coming from.    perhaps they could stick a pipe in that sinkhole and suck the oil back underground, which would stop the Gulf leak. 

[cody]

nothing some duct tape and JB won't fix

[Busted Knuckle]

The way I read it they say it'll be Sat. b4 they have it repaired and that those damn Georgians caused it by making it rains so hard a couple weeks ago!
  BK 

[WVA_NATIVE]

The Red Green road crew would just slap some Duct Tape across that puppy and be done with it and good to go.

So remember if the women don't find you stunningly handsome they should at least find you geographically handy.

WVaNative

[cody]

It's probably a pinko commie plot to slow us down to the speed limit or to raise our taxes, maybe it's there to catch speeders and then send them to the horsepistal where they would be forced to get an insurance program that they don't want, I think that I have a sinking feeling that there is more to it than meets the eye, it's a conspiracy, I know it is somehow lol.

[HighTechRedneck]

Yeah, speed bumps were losing effectiveness with modern suspension systems so Tennessee decided to try something new.   

[HighTechRedneck]

Maybe it's really like one of these and the TN DOT is doing it as a PR campaign to repair their reputation of working really slow.  Some guy in the PR dept. said, "Hey do it like this and then at 8PM peel it off and everybody will be impressed at how fast we fixed it!"  Then after it was public, Bubba said "You know boss, ain't nobody going to believe we fixed it that fast. Maybe saying Saturday would be better."