Roadway reopens after I-75 overpass barrier falls onto road Monday
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — UPDATE (Tuesday morning):
Erlanger Hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Tittsworth reports that the driver who was injured in Monday's incident is listed in critical condition.
On the scene on Monday, authorities, including the Chattanooga Police Department and Chattanooga Fire Department, reported his injuries as "non-life-threatening."
Depend on us to keep you posted about the driver's condition.
UPDATE (Monday night):
TDOT spokesperson Jennifer Flynn says crews have opened up one lane of I-75 southbound after part of the overpass barrier fell to the roadway below this morning. Flynn says it will remain at one lane until repairs can be made.
All lanes of the I-75 northbound ramp onto I-24 west were reopened earlier.
Chattanooga Police say a person received non-life-threatening injuries in the accident - TDOT says they crashed into the fallen concrete barrier.
A former NTSB chairman who has experienced collapsed structures before said Chattanooga is lucky no one was killed in the collapse. See the full report here.
We received a report from TDOT that this intersection was last inspected on July 19, 2018.
According to the report, inspectors gave it a fair rating, and said it was considered structurally sound. It wasn't set to be inspected again until May of 2020.
They made two recommendations, however. One was to remove loose concrete filler beneath the beams.
The other said to remove a tree that was causing cracks in the concrete to grow larger in size.
You can read the full report below:
Depend on us to update our story as we learn more. See more of our prior coverage below.
UPDATE (6:15 p.m.):
TDOT has reopened all lanes of the I-75 northbound ramp that merges onto I-24 westbound.
TDOT says I-75 southbound will remain closed for several more hours as they continue putting in a temporary railing on the overpass.
Investigators are looking are still looking into what caused the barrier to fall onto the roadway below. Watch Kiley Thomas' report below.
Officials say a split second difference saved the life of the driver who TDOT says crashed into the fallen barrier. Watch Taylor Stewart's report below.
This is a developing story - depend on us to update you as we learn more.
See more of our previous coverage below.
UPDATE (Monday afternoon):
It's a "once in a lifetime accident" - that's what TDOT officials are saying after a concrete barrier fell onto the I-75 northbound ramp to I-24 westbound Monday morning, causing a traffic nightmare.
TDOT officials say I-75 near the I-24 split may reopen some time Monday night, but until it does motorists should stay away from the area.
Hamilton County Schools spokesman Tim Hensley says some buses may be delayed due to increased congestion from the closure at the intersection.
TDOT is asking people to find alternate routes as they work to put in a barrier wall so they can reopen the roadway.
DETOURS:
For those traveling NB on 75 heading to Chattanooga, exit 350 for Battlefield Pkwy can be used, in addition to exit 353 for Cloud Springs Road.
Both of these can be followed north/west to US-27 (aka Lafayette Road, in the Rossville, Georgia area). Follow US-27 NB to I-24 at MM 180B.
Additionally, drivers can also expect an increase in traffic along Ringgold Road (Hwy 41), Ooltewah Ringgold Road, and Graysville Road.
Investigators say the bridge was last inspected in July 2018, and they are looking into what caused the railing collapse.
They say it is possible an oversized truck hit it and knocked it off, but so far haven't found any such vehicle.
Chattanooga Police say one person received non-life-threatening injuries in a crash earlier. TDOT says the person was in a blue car that hit the barrier.
Depend on us to update our story as we learn more.
PREVIOUSLY:
TDOT crews and police are rushing to the scene of a partial collapse of a barrier on I-24 west that fell near the I-24 split.
We have a crew on the scene.
Chattanooga Police tell us the initial call came in as a "railing falling," and a car wrecked. They report only one person sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
You can see the specific railing that fell from this Google Map embed:
Latricia Thomas circled the portion in question in a tweet:
T-DOT's website lists the incident as a crash, and northbound and southbound traffic are both is closed near the split, as of noon
T-DOT's website says an estimated clear time is 4 p.m., so this will be a factor for drivers for quite a while. And the repairs could continue in to the week. We will keep you posted on that.
Back in November of 2017, Tennessee's Transportation Commissioner called this I-24/I-75 split the "worst intersection in the state." Read more about that here.
A month later, T-DOT committed to changing the interchange in 2019, in a project that is expected to last 3 years. The expected cost of the fix is $132,000,000, with construction expected to begin this fall.
We have confirmed that the last time the bridge was inspected was in July of 2016.
Depend on us for updates as we get them.
