A rockslide in North Carolina early on October 25 has blocked both lanes of I-40 just 3 miles from the Tennessee line. This has left many travelers coming to visit the Smokies from states like Florida and the Carolinas wondering about alternate routes. The Tennessee Department of Transportation has recommended two alternate routes that are both scenic and convenient. Visitors who don’t mind taking a scenic route can take Hwy 70 from Asheville to Hwy 25. This alternate route will take about 30 minutes longer than the typical trip in on I-40 – and please be advised it is curvy and not necessarily ideal for larger RVs or semi trucks. For visitors who want to remain on the interstate system, simply take I-40 West to I-240 West to I-26 West to I-81 South and then connect back with I-40 West bound. This alternate route will take about an hour longer the typical trip on I-40. *(Please also be aware that a portion of I-81 will be closed with a detour on 11/14, 11/15, 11/20 & 11/21 to repair a bridge).
Though accounting for only 5 percent of the world's population, Americans consume 26 percent of the world's energy. (American Almanac) Last year, the city of Gatlinburg replaced 90,000 light bulbs with LED bulbs saving a tremendously amount of energy while cutting their spending in half in the process.
