🚧 East Brainerd Road Now Closes Saturday, Smoke Smarts for a Dry Week and Ten Days Until We Fall Back: Your Roads & Commute Report

Or: A Chattanooga Closure Slides a Day Later, Patchy Fog Before 8 a.m., Burn Permits and Smoke by the Roadside, and What Changes When the Clocks Turn Back on Nov. 1

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Thursday, October 22, 2026

Thursday on the roads feels a lot like Thursday at the feed store: the big rush is over, and folks are just picking up what they need to finish the week. Close to home, nothing new has popped up on our roads since yesterday. The biggest news is actually good news: a weekend road closure in Chattanooga got pushed back a day, so your Friday errands are in the clear.

Here’s what’s in this report: East Brainerd Road now closes Saturday morning, not Friday, and reopens Monday morning. The weather service keeps us dry and sunny through next Wednesday, with patchy fog before about 8 a.m. Friday. All that dry weather means burn permits, a burn ban in Cookeville and a planned forestry burn near Fredonia, so we’ve got a few smoke smarts for the road. Friday brings a homeschool Renaissance Faire in Whitwell and the last day of a bridge lane closure in Chattanooga. And we’re ten days from falling back on Sunday, Nov. 1, which changes what your drive home looks like.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Correction: East Brainerd Road in Chattanooga closes Saturday, Oct. 24, at 4 a.m. to Monday, Oct. 26, at 4 a.m. our time. Friday it’s open.
• Friday before 8 a.m.: Patchy fog in spots. Then sunny, high near 73.
• Through next Wednesday, Oct. 28: Dry and sunny or mostly sunny every day in Dunlap.
• Dry week: If you see smoke on the road, treat it like fog: low beams, slow down, more room.
• Friday, Oct. 23, 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.: Homeschool Renaissance Faire in Whitwell. Extra cars near the park.
• Sunday, Nov. 1, 2 a.m.: Clocks fall back one hour. Sunset jumps from 5:48 to 4:47 p.m.

🔁 Correction: East Brainerd Road Closes Saturday, Not Friday

Yesterday we told you East Brainerd Road (SR-320) in Chattanooga would close starting early Friday. That came from TDOT’s weekly report. On Wednesday afternoon, TDOT put out a new notice with a later start. Here’s the updated plan:

• Closed: East Brainerd Road between Vance Road and Prosperity Lane.
• When: From 5 a.m. Eastern Saturday, Oct. 24 (4 a.m. our time) to 5 a.m. Eastern Monday, Oct. 26 (4 a.m. our time).
• Why: Crews will install storm drains and clear trees for the project that replaces the bridge over the CSX railroad.
• Heading west: TDOT will send you up I-75 North, then SR-153 North, then Lee Highway South, and back onto East Brainerd Road.
• Heading east: Lee Highway North, then SR-153 South, then I-75 South to Exit 4 to get back to East Brainerd Road.

TDOT says the work depends on the weather and will be moved to a later date if needed. With the dry forecast, it looks likely to go ahead.

What it means for you: If you were planning to shop around Hamilton Place or see the doctor out East Brainerd way, Friday works fine now. Over the weekend, the detour is a big loop, a bit like having to drive all the way around the courthouse square because one side is blocked off for a festival. It works, it just takes longer. If you can, save that errand for Friday or for next week.

👉 Read more (WDEF, TDOT’s East Brainerd Road notice) · Times Free Press · Chattanoogan.com

🌫️ Update: Dry and Sunny Now Runs Through Next Wednesday

Yesterday the dry spell was forecast through Tuesday. This morning the National Weather Service in Morristown stretched it again: “a dry forecast for the entire period through Wednesday.” Forecasters expect cool nights and pleasant afternoons, with low humidity in the afternoons and patchy early fog mainly near rivers and lakes.

For Dunlap, the forecast calls for patchy fog after 4 a.m. tonight and before 8 a.m. Friday, then sunny with a high near 73. The weekend looks sunny, highs 72 to 73, with lows in the low 40s and calm winds. Monday is sunny, and Tuesday and Wednesday are mostly sunny, with highs in the low to mid 70s.

What it means for you: If you’re out before 8 o’clock Friday, keep the low beams on through the low spots and near the river. Fog in the Valley is like a quilt thrown over the bottomland at night: it’s thickest early and gets pulled off once the sun is up. Sunrise is about 6:54 a.m. and sunset about 5:58 p.m. today.

👉 Read more (National Weather Service, Morristown forecast discussion) · Dunlap forecast

🔥 New: Dry Woods, Burn Permits and Smoke Smarts for the Road

A long dry spell this time of year means folks are thinking about fire. Here’s what we found, and what’s statewide versus local:

• Statewide: From Oct. 15 through May 15, Tennessee’s Division of Forestry requires a free burn permit for leaf piles, brush piles and other outdoor debris burning, unless your town has stricter rules. Permits are available online at BurnSafeTN.org, and the state issues them only when conditions are safe for burning.
• Upper Cumberland (Cookeville only): On Wednesday, the City of Cookeville put a citywide burn ban in place because of the drought. Grills are still allowed. Fire Chief Benton Young says it stays in place until further notice. This ban is for Cookeville, not our counties.
• Close to home: A neighbor’s notice, shared on Dunlap.Today this morning, says the state forestry department planned a prescribed burn on Thursday on timber land well behind homes near Highway 399 and Cohutta Road in Fredonia. The notice says the burn has a permit and the Fredonia Volunteer Fire Department was told ahead of time.

What it means for you: A planned burn is a lot like a kitchen fire in the woodstove: it’s supposed to be there, and someone is watching it. But you may see or smell some smoke drifting across SR-399 or along the Plateau. Treat smoke on the road just like fog: low beams, slow down and leave extra room. And on dry days, don’t park your car or mower on tall dry grass, since the Cookeville chief said even the heat from a muffler can start a fire. If you ever see a fire that isn’t being tended, call 911 and let the professionals handle it.

👉 Read more (TN Wildland Fire, burn permits) · Upper Cumberland Reporter, Cookeville burn ban · Dunlap.Today, Fredonia burn notice

🎭 Friday Around the Valley: A Faire in Whitwell and a Bridge Lane’s Last Day

• Whitwell, Friday, Oct. 23, 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central: The 3rd Annual Sequatchie Valley Homeschool Renaissance Faire is at the veterans memorial park in Whitwell (listed as “MC Vet Mem Park”). Admission is a $10 donation per family.
• Chattanooga, Friday, Oct. 23: Last day of the C.B. Robinson Bridge inspection on DuPont Parkway. The southbound right lane and shoulder are closed 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. our time.
• Marion County, today: Thursday is the last scheduled day of the Popular Springs Road paving closure, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

What it means for you: Friday is an easy driving day. If you’re in Whitwell around lunchtime, expect a few more cars than usual near the park, and watch for young knights and princesses crossing the parking lot. Folks in costume are like chickens loose in the yard: they go where they please, so let them. If you use DuPont Parkway headed south, give yourself an extra few minutes until 4 p.m.

👉 Read more (Dunlap.Today, Renaissance Faire) · Chattanoogan.com weekly road report, C.B. Robinson Bridge · SValleyNow, Popular Springs Road

🕰️ Ten Days Out: What Falling Back Does to Your Drive

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, the morning after Halloween. Clocks go back one hour. Here’s how it changes the light in Dunlap, using U.S. Naval Observatory times:

• Saturday, Oct. 31 (Halloween): sunrise about 7:02 a.m., sunset about 5:48 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 1: sunrise about 6:03 a.m., sunset about 4:47 p.m.

What it means for you: Mornings get brighter for us early risers, but the drive home after work or after supper in town turns dark about an hour sooner. That’s also when deer are on the move, and the afternoon school bus run gets closer to dusk. Think of it like the porch light coming on before you’ve finished your coffee: the day didn’t get shorter, the clock just moved. Write it on the calendar now: Halloween night, set the clocks back before bed. Most phones change on their own, but the stove, the truck and the wall clock won’t.

👉 Read more (U.S. Naval Observatory, sunrise and sunset)

📌 Still Going On: A Quick List

We checked TDOT’s newsroom around noon Thursday. The weekly report for our region that ran Oct. 15–21 has ended, and the next one hadn’t posted yet. Until it does, these are the jobs we know about. They’re here so you don’t have to remember them:

• Sequatchie County: flaggers for resurfacing on U.S. 127 (Marion County line to Wilson Road), SR-111, SR-399 and SR-8.
• Grundy County: resurfacing with flaggers on SR-50 from Hideaway Cabin Road to SR-56. Daytime flaggers on U.S. 41 between Bells Cove and West Main Street, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., through Nov. 17.
• Marion County: I-24 resurfacing on Sunday through Thursday nights (mile markers 152.2 to 156), 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. SR-108 stays at one lane with a temporary signal.
• Signal Mountain: weekday flaggers on Signal Mountain Road and Suck Creek Road, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Eastern (8 a.m.–1 p.m. our time), through Dec. 4.
• Chattanooga: lane shifts on I-75 at Hamilton Place, night lane-marking work on SR-17, and milling on U.S. 41/64/74 through Oct. 31.
• Statewide, if you’re headed to Knoxville this weekend: TDOT’s bridge-inspection plan closes the I-275 southbound ramp to I-40 East on Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Eastern (6 a.m.–6 p.m. our time). TDOT suggests I-40 West to I-640 East, then back to I-40 East.

👉 Read more (TDOT report for our region, Oct. 15–21) · SValleyNow, area road projects · TDOT, Knoxville ramp closures

✅ Your Valley Driving Checklist

• ✅ Friday is fine on East Brainerd Road. It closes Saturday 4 a.m. to Monday 4 a.m. our time, Vance Road to Prosperity Lane.
• ✅ Friday before 8 a.m.: patchy fog in low spots and near the river. Low beams, more room.
• ✅ Smoke on the road? Treat it like fog. Slow down and leave space.
• ✅ Burning leaves or brush? Get your free permit at BurnSafeTN.org the same day, and check your town’s rules.
• ✅ Don’t park on tall, dry grass. A hot muffler can start a fire.
• ✅ Friday, 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.: extra cars at the Renaissance Faire in Whitwell.
• ✅ Friday until 4 p.m. our time: C.B. Robinson Bridge southbound right lane closed.
• ✅ Saturday, Oct. 24, 6–8 p.m.: Pikeville’s Boo Bash on Main Street. Creep along downtown.
• ✅ Close to home: flaggers on U.S. 127, SR-111, SR-399 and SR-8. Slow down and wave.
• ✅ School buses still run their regular routes. When the red lights flash and the stop arm is out, stop.
• ✅ Halloween night: set the clocks back one hour before bed. Sunset Nov. 1 is 4:47 p.m.
• ✅ Check TDOT SmartWay or call 511 before longer trips.

Practical rule: If the road ahead looks hazy, whether it’s fog or smoke, drive like you’re carrying a pie on the passenger seat.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Roads Glossary

• Prescribed burn: A fire set on purpose by trained crews, with a plan and a permit, to clear brush and lower the chance of a wildfire later.
• Burn permit: Free permission from the state to burn leaves or brush outdoors on a certain day. In Tennessee, you need one from Oct. 15 to May 15.
• Burn ban: A rule that stops outdoor burning completely for a while, usually because it’s too dry. Cookeville has one right now.
• Signed detour: A different route, marked with signs, that takes you around a closed road.
• Patchy fog: Fog that shows up in some spots, like low places and near water, but not everywhere.
• Fall back: The night clocks go back one hour and daylight saving time ends. This year it’s 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.
• Eastern vs. Central time: Chattanooga and Knoxville are on Eastern time. Dunlap, Whitwell and Pikeville are on Central, one hour earlier.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is East Brainerd Road closed on Friday?

No. TDOT’s updated notice says the closure starts at 5 a.m. Eastern Saturday, Oct. 24, which is 4 a.m. our time, and ends at the same time Monday, Oct. 26. That replaces the Friday start in TDOT’s earlier weekly report.

How do I get around the East Brainerd Road closure?

Heading west, TDOT routes you to I-75 North, SR-153 North, then Lee Highway South back to East Brainerd Road. Heading east, take Lee Highway North, SR-153 South, then I-75 South to Exit 4.

Is there a burn ban in Sequatchie County?

We didn’t find one announced for our counties as of Thursday noon. The burn ban we found is for the City of Cookeville. Statewide, you need a free burn permit from Oct. 15 to May 15, and the state issues them only when it’s safe to burn. Check BurnSafeTN.org and your local fire department before you burn.

I smell smoke near Fredonia. Should I worry?

A neighbor’s notice says the state forestry department planned a permitted, controlled burn Thursday on timber land behind homes near Highway 399 and Cohutta Road, and the Fredonia Volunteer Fire Department was told ahead of time. If you see flames that nobody is tending, call 911.

When do the clocks change?

At 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. Set clocks back one hour before bed on Halloween night. Sunset in Dunlap moves from about 5:48 p.m. on Oct. 31 to about 4:47 p.m. on Nov. 1.

Any rain coming?

Not through next Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Expect sunny days, cool nights and some patchy fog early.

Has TDOT posted a new weekly report for our area?

Not as of noon Thursday. The last one covered Oct. 15–21. We’ll bring you what’s new as soon as it’s out.

🔗 Other Resources

• TDOT SmartWay: Live traffic map and cameras
• National Weather Service: Dunlap forecast
• TN Wildland Fire: Get a burn permit
• WDEF: East Brainerd Road closure and detours
• TDOT Newsroom: Weekly roadway reports
• SValleyNow: Sequatchie Valley local news
• Dunlap.Directory: Local businesses and services

🚗 Clear Roads, Clean Air Habits and an Extra Hour Coming

Here’s all you need to remember: East Brainerd Road closes Saturday, not Friday. It stays dry and sunny through next Wednesday, with a little fog early Friday. If you see smoke, treat it like fog, and get a permit before you burn anything. Whitwell’s faire is Friday, Pikeville’s Boo Bash is Saturday evening, and on Halloween night we set the clocks back. None of it is cause for worry. A week like this is like a good garden in October: not much to do but keep an eye on things and enjoy the view.

Drive easy, wave at the flaggers and enjoy the sunshine. Read Dunlap.Today for road and weather updates as they come in.