Traffic problems hit the Chattanooga area early this morning with Interstate 24 West into the city having some of its lanes blocked and Signal Mountain Boulevard being totally blocked by downed trees.
TDOT maintenance crews filled 35 potholes on Interstate 24 with 5 tons of cold mix this morning.
The holes dot a 1.4 mile stretch of the interstate between the Fourth Avenue and Rossville Boulevard exits.
Most of the holes were existing holes that had deepened due to recent wet weather, said TDOT spokeswoman Jennifer Flynn.
Those holes previously had been patched with the cold mix, which is used in colder weather as a temporary fix, but the patches can errode during wet weather. The more reliable hot mix can only be used in warm weather conditions.
“They’re out there patching more holes,” Ms. Flynn said. “The constant battle for us is to keep the roadway smooth.”
No accidents with injury were reported after police received calls on the holes at 6 a.m., and Chattanooga police along with TDOT trucks directed traffic around the impediment, she said.
TDOT help trucks and maintenance crews will return to the Interstate and other city roadways to patch holes throughout the day, she said.
The front way down Signal Mountain had its traffic brought to a halt by downed trees. Cars were lined up bumper to bumper along much of Signal Mountain Boulevard.
That same road had been out of use recently when a portion of one lane was washed out. That road was cleared later this morning.
That led to the Tennessee Department of Transportation carrying out a major reconstruction that included the placement of about 8,000 tons of rock to buttress the roadbed.
In Whitfield County, there are reports of water over the roads in the Mill Creek area.
According to the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office, there is flooding at the intersection of Old Mill Lane and Battlefield Parkway and also on Pine Grove Road near Jack Maddox Park in Ringgold.
Continue to check timesfreepress.com for more information as it becomes available.