Wednesday, Sept. 6 (UPDATE) — The Tennessee Department of Transportation wrote on social media that, weather permitting, the roadway is anticipated to reopen by Friday, September 22.
TELLICO PLAINS, Tenn. (WATE) – An update on efforts to reopen Cherohala Skyway has been released after heavy flooding in the area washed away a section of the roadway.
Monroe County Mayor Mitch Ingram shared an update from Monroe County Tourism on Tuesday. The Tennessee Department of Transportation is working on a temporary fix to the road at mile marker 4.5.
The temporary repairs should be completed in two to three weeks, Monroe County Tourism said. This would allow the roadway to reopen in early September.
A more permanent solution for the roadway will be completed at a later date, according to the update shared by Ingram.
Not only did the flooding cause heavy damage, Tellico Plains was forced to issue a water boil advisory and close area schools.
Tellico Plains Mayor Marilyn Parkers said the closure to Cherohala Skyway would have a big impact on the city due its economic reliance on tourism.
“Tellico Plains is a tourism town. So with everything, our business is having to shut down, with the Cherohala Skyway being shut down, with the river road being shut down— economically, it’s gonna hit us pretty hard,” Parker said.
While drivers can pursue other alternate routes, the official TDOT detour around the Cherohala Skyway closure takes drivers an additional 121 miles and nearly three hours to reach River Road from Old Furnace Road or vice versa.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated.
