WARNING-I-40 Detour (Knoxville, Alcoa, Kingston: travel, work, home)

[hiknapster]

Plans do not call for I-40 to be shutdown until May 1. The signs are in place but they have been covered up.

On my way home from work, this afternoon, all the covers were lifted and they were detouring thru traffic onto I-640 west. I don't know if this was a Sunday afternoon dry-run or if this is permanent.

You might want to give yourselves extra time tomorrow, if you travel I-640.

[knoxgarden]

Latest and ongoing info on the I-40 closure is here:
SmartFix - I-40/James White Parkway/Hall of Fame Drive - Tennessee Department of Transportation
There have been rolling road blocks on 640 at Western Avenue that have created major traffic jams at night. I hit one the other evening. Makes you realize that we are a major trucking route.
They're making major changes to the connection between the west end of 640 and I-40, unrelated to the I-40 changes.
TDOT SmartWay
Anyway, it's a mess. To get to and from downtown, my alternate route is Pellisippi Parkway to Topside Road to Alcoa Highway to Neyland Drive or Kingston Pike. That gets me to City-County building. East of that you're on your own. I'd take Broadway to Magnolia and pick up 11E to reconnect with I-40 past the 640 interchange.

[phyll]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Plans do not call for I-40 to be shutdown until May 1. The signs are in place but they have been covered up.

On my way home from work, this afternoon, all the covers were lifted and they were detouring thru traffic onto I-640 west. I don't know if this was a Sunday afternoon dry-run or if this is permanent.

You might want to give yourselves extra time tomorrow, if you travel I-640.

this is going to be fun for ne, I am going to the arena in may, I have NO clue of the area, but will figure out ways to get there I hope

[JMT]

Originally Posted by phyll

this is going to be fun for ne, I am going to the arena in may, I have NO clue of the area, but will figure out ways to get there I hope

Actually, if you're going TO downtown Knoxville traffic will be a breeze. If you're going THROUGH downtown Knoxville, that's something different entirely.

Only through traffic is being routed onto I-640, so if your final destination is actually downtown Knoxville, you'll have little traffic on I-40 (well, what's left of I-40) after the I-640 split.

Phyll, which direction will you be coming from when you go to Thompson-Boling Arena?

[knoxgarden]

Originally Posted by phyll

this is going to be fun for ne, I am going to the arena in may, I have NO clue of the area, but will figure out ways to get there I hope

If you're coming from the west side of Knoxville, it's not bad. Take the Alcoa Highway exit before you get to downtown. The second exit is Neyland Drive. Take that and go toward UT. (there are signs).
You'll run along the river. Continue to the light at Lake Loudon Drive. Turn left (unless you want to go for a swim!) and hang a right at Philip Fulmer Way and that takes you into the vast expanse of parking lots and garages.
The arena is immediately on your right once you're on Philip Fulmer.
Thompson-Boling Arena

[phyll]

Originally Posted by JMT

Actually, if you're going TO downtown Knoxville traffic will be a breeze. If you're going THROUGH downtown Knoxville, that's something different entirely.

Only through traffic is being routed onto I-640, so if your final destination is actually downtown Knoxville, you'll have little traffic on I-40 (well, what's left of I-40) after the I-640 split.

Phyll, which direction will you be coming from when you go to Thompson-Boling Arena?

I am coming from bean station, I went onto mapquest and put in "avoid highways" and this is what they gave me, (I know my way to 11 s, then TN1,
hall of fame dr,ontoTN158 toward neyland dr,turn ono lake loudon blvd then turn onto Phillip Fulmer way,arena's on that road, How's that sound ..LOL, good I hope

[knoxgarden]

11W is really the fastest way into Knoxville from where you are, even with no contruction on I-40. I'm out that way a lot visiting friends in Mooresburg.
I'd take 11W all the way into Magnolia Ave. -- go past the I-40 turn off and just keep going past the Zoo. Stay on Magnolia until you get directed to Hall of Fame/Neyland Drive. The only way you can go on that is in the direction of Thompson-Boling and Neyland Stadium. Keep on Neyland/Hall of Fame and you'll see the big electronic board for T-B. Make the next right onto Lake Loudon.
Just follow the signs to Neyland Stadium. You'll get to the arena before the stadium.

[phyll]

Originally Posted by knoxgarden

11W is really the fastest way into Knoxville from where you are, even with no contruction on I-40. I'm out that way a lot visiting friends in Mooresburg.
I'd take 11W all the way into Magnolia Ave. -- go past the I-40 turn off and just keep going past the Zoo. Stay on Magnolia until you get directed to Hall of Fame/Neyland Drive. The only way you can go on that is in the direction of Thompson-Boling and Neyland Stadium. Keep on Neyland/Hall of Fame and you'll see the big electronic board for T-B. Make the next right onto Lake Loudon.
Just follow the signs to Neyland Stadium. You'll get to the arena before the stadium.

tHANK YOU BOTH SO VERY MUCH!

[NJDevil]

I still don't understand the rolling roadblocks - I don't understand why they make you go 5 mph. 30 or 40 mph, I could understand.

[knoxgarden]

Was just downtown and the detour is now in place. Guess they're trying to get traffic habits established.
Traffic was heavy for a Monday getting up to Papermill and I-640, but after that it was a breeze! So nice being able to go to the Downtown/Henley Street exit without some fool driver realizing he has to get out of the exit only lane and sits there and waits for an opening between miles of semis.