Ellington

The U.S. Highway 27 reconstruction project from Manufacturers Road at the Olgiati Bridge to Signal Mountain Boulevard has begun, with the current stage mainly impacting those who frequently use the Manning Street ramps or Whitehall Road slip.

“Through-traffic to downtown from Signal Mountain or Red Bank to downtown shouldn’t be affected very much,” said Jennifer Flynn, community relations officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Lane closures will occur between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weeknights throughout the project area as the contractor restripes the road and puts up portable concrete barriers. At least one lane in each direction will remain open to traffic at all times, but the contractor is only working on the southbound roadway at this time.

The southbound ramps at Manning Street and the Whitehall Road slip are now permanently closed (the same northbound ramps will be closed once work begins there next), and Flynn said detours will be posted to direct traffic to Manufacturers Road or other alternate routes.

“Basically right now we’re getting traffic control down and [the contractor] is staging their equipment to begin construction on 30 retaining walls,” said Flynn.

The closure of the slip ramp from Whitehall Road to SR-29 South is necessary to modify the Dayton Boulevard entrance and acceleration zone approaching U.S. Highway 27.

As the project progresses, she said TDOT will keep drivers in the area informed with current information and possible delays through Twitter feeds as well as an information center soon to be established on Signal Mountain Road. No other delays or detours are planned for the near future. The estimated completion date for the project is October 2014.