Construction workers with Blalock & Sons on Thursday continued removing vegetation and debris from the upper reaches of the slide area on Highway 64 at the Ocoee Gorge.
The work was in preparation for scaling (removal of loose rocks and debris), drilling, and trim blasting operations to occur as early as next week.
An 80-ton hydraulic crane was used to pull some of the material to the base of the slope where it will be loaded into dump trucks and hauled to an off-site dump location.
The contractor anticipates the delivery of a 275-ton crawler crane on Friday that will be erected on the west side of the slide. This will allow the contractor to safely begin scaling and trim blasting operations as soon as next week.
TDOT is providing a live look at the work underway to clear the rockslide via a time-lapse camera accessible by logging onto TDOT's US-64 Rockslide web page (http://bit.ly/1Tlc8m).
Motorists traveling to the area from Chattanooga or Cleveland should take I-75 North to Exit 60 (SR-68, Sweetwater) and follow SR-68 South through McMinn County and into Ducktown in Polk County. Those traveling from North Carolina are advised to take US-74 to SR-68 North at Ducktown through McMinn County then onto I-75 at Sweetwater in Monroe County.
For more information on TDOT road construction projects visit the TDOT SmartWay web site at http://www.tn.gov/tdot/tdotsmartway/. Travelers may also dial "511" for up to the minute travel information. TDOT is also on Twitter. For traffic information in the Chattanooga area and updates on the U.S. 64 rockslide follow Chattanooga511 on Twitter or follow TN511 for statewide updates.