The eastbound lane of U.S. Highway 64 between Ocoee and Ducktown, Tennessee, could be reopened late Friday if enough progress is made on the cleanup from Tuesday's fuel tanker spill, officials said.
The westbound lane was reopened Thursday morning, while the eastbound lane remained closed as cleanup continued after Tuesday's crash that spilled more than 5,000 gallons of fuel into the water, Tennessee Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jennifer Flynn said Thursday.
A crew from Chattanooga-based hazardous materials cleanup company Marion Environmental Inc. will try to complete the work Friday, Flynn said, but bad weather could slow efforts.
"The environmentalists are going to reassess their progress on the cleanup on Friday, and if they don't think they made enough progress, they may close one lane for the weekend to continue their work," Flynn said.
But the traffic backup has not been bad - a few minutes delay - since one lane was reopened, Flynn said. The company needs the other lane for equipment and personnel to have room to work.
Crews finished repairs to the road surface and guardrail after the tanker was removed from the river Wednesday, Flynn said. She urged travelers on Highway 64 to watch for crews in the area directing traffic as the cleanup work continues.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said the accident occurred early Tuesday evening when the driver of the truck, Hixson, Tennessee, resident Glenn Morris, lost control while driving near mile marker 12.5. His truck, owned by Pilot Mountain, North Carolina-based Petroleum Transport Co. Inc., plummeted 40 feet down an embankment and rolled into the river.
Morris sustained minor injuries, according to officials. He was taken to a hospital by family members.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials estimate that up to 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel and up to 200 gallons of gasoline were spilled from the tanker into the Ocoee River. The tanker contained about 4,000 gallons of gasoline and 4,000 gallons of diesel before it overturned, officials said.
Officials set up booms - devices that help contain hazardous materials spills - as far as 2 miles downstream to contain the spilled fuel. An environmental cleanup group and state and federal officials worked Wednesday to remove it from the water.
On Thursday, Polk County Emergency Management Agency Director Steve Lofty said some county crews would be returning to the scene to retrieve more debris.
"There were some truck parts down in the water that they're going to get out of there," Lofty said.
Otherwise, "it's winding down," he said.
Lofty said some county employees are working for the environmental workers taking care of traffic control for the company.
Meanwhile, traffic is flowing steadily through the one open lane, he said.
"They're keeping them moving through there pretty good," Lofty said.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.