TDOT said drivers should be aware of road closures due to flooding, downed trees and other storm debris from Wednesday night’s severe weather that will have an impact on traffic.
TDOT maintenance crews worked throughout the night and are continuing today to clear roads as quickly and safely as possible, officials said.
Also, EPB officials said, "Severe storms making their way through our service area are causing extensive damage to our power infrastructure. All EPB line crews are working to make substantial repairs necessary to restore power to customers. EPB has deployed 290 utility workers to expedite repairs including crews we've brought in from as far away as Indiana and Florida. By tomorrow, that number will increase to more than 340 as additional crews arrive."
"At the outset of the storm, Chattanooga's Smart Grid prevented outages or auto-restored service to 40,000 customers allowing us to focus on restoring power to customers experiencing outages.
"As of 4:30 p.m., about 10,000 customers continue to experience a power outage in the EPB service area.
"The best source of information about outages and restoration times is the MyEPB app. For more info or to download app, visit: https://epb.com/outage-and-storm-center/energy-outages/. Important warning: Do not approach or touch downed or damaged power lines. Report them to EPB immediately at 423-648-1372."
Below is the current list of state-owned road closures in the Lower East and Upper Cumberland areas as of Thursday morning:
• DeKalb County SR 141
• Grundy County SR 108
• Hamilton County SR 153
• Hamilton County SR 27
• Hamilton County SR 148
• Hamilton County SR 58
• Jackson County SR 135
• Marion County SR 2
• Polk County US 411
• Warren County SR 287
• White County SR 84
"Drivers are encouraged to obey all posted signage for flooding and downed power lines, these circumstances present a serious risk," officials said. "Conditions are changing quickly. Follow us on social media for the latest updates on road closures in your area."
From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any landline or cellular phone for travel information.