🚧 Chattanooga Opens Back Up, the Exit 117 Night Loop Starts Tonight and Halloween Lands on a Saturday: Your Roads & Commute Report

Or: East Brainerd Road’s Weekend Closure Was Set to End Before Dawn, I-24 Gets a Wednesday Bridge Check Near Haletown, Bonny Oaks Drive Has Lane Closures, and Sunday’s First Real Rain Arrives the Same Morning We Fall Back

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Monday, October 26, 2026

Monday on the roads is like Monday on the farm: the gates that were shut all weekend swing back open, and everybody gets moving. The Valley woke up to a calm, mostly sunny day, headed for a high near 74. Let’s walk through the week so nothing sneaks up on you.

Here’s what’s in this report: East Brainerd Road and the Shallowford Road ramps in Chattanooga were scheduled to reopen before dawn today, and we found no report of a delay. Daytime flaggers stay on East Brainerd Road, though. Tonight, the nighttime Exit 117 bridge loop on I-24 near Manchester begins. I-24 night paving near Jasper keeps going, and TDOT will check an I-24 bridge deck near Haletown on Wednesday. In Chattanooga, Bonny Oaks Drive is new on the list. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, which means more cars and more kids out after dark. And the weather finally changes: Sunday brings the first real rain in weeks, on the very morning the clocks fall back.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Today: East Brainerd Road and the Shallowford ramps were due to reopen early this morning. Daytime flaggers on East Brainerd Road, about 6 a.m.–4 p.m. our time.
• Tonight through Wednesday night, 7 p.m.–6 a.m.: I-24 eastbound (the way home from Nashville) loops up and over the Exit 117 ramps. Thursday and Friday nights: westbound.
• Tonight through Thursday night, 7 p.m.–6 a.m.: I-24 night paving near Kimball and Jasper. One lane closed.
• Wednesday, Oct. 28, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.: one I-24 lane at a time closes for about an hour near mile marker 160.5 (Haletown area) for a bridge check.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: Halloween. Peak trick-or-treat hours run about 5:30–9:30 p.m. Slow down in neighborhoods.
• Sunday, Nov. 1: clocks fall back at 2 a.m., and showers are likely. First rain after a dry spell makes roads slick. Go slow.

🌅 Monday Morning Check: Chattanooga’s Weekend Closures Were Set to Open Before Dawn

We’ve followed these two since last week. Here’s where they stand this morning:

• East Brainerd Road (SR-320), Vance Road to Prosperity Lane: TDOT scheduled the weekend closure to end at 5 a.m. Eastern today (4 a.m. our time). We found no report of a delay. What’s new: the Chattanooga Journal’s weekly list says daily flagging continues about 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern (6 a.m.–4 p.m. our time) while utility poles and overhead lines are moved for the CSX railroad bridge replacement.
• Shallowford Road ramps at I-75 (Exit 5): all ramp closures were expected to be lifted by 6 a.m. Eastern (5 a.m. our time) today. The bigger I-75 rebuild at Hamilton Place keeps its lowered speed limit and lane shifts.
• Still on track: the Times Free Press says the East Brainerd Road repaving between I-24 and Lee Highway should be finished by Halloween.

What it means for you: The big detour is done, like taking the sawhorses down after the church homecoming. But flaggers are still in the yard. If your appointment is out East Brainerd way between breakfast and mid-afternoon, give yourself five to ten extra minutes (our estimate) and follow the flagger, not your GPS.

👉 Read more (Chattanooga Journal, this week’s closures) · TDOT, East Brainerd closure notice · NewsChannel 9, Shallowford ramps · Times Free Press, East Brainerd paving

🌙 Tonight’s the Night: The Exit 117 Loop Begins on the Road to Nashville

This one starts tonight, Monday, Oct. 26. Crews are tearing down the old Wattendorf Memorial Highway bridge over I-24 at Exit 117 in Coffee County, near Manchester. From 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., one direction of I-24 at a time leaves the interstate, crosses at the top of the ramps and gets right back on.

• Mon.–Wed. nights, Oct. 26–28: eastbound (toward Chattanooga, the way home from Nashville).
• Thu.–Fri. nights, Oct. 29–30: westbound (toward Nashville).
• A detail worth knowing: during the work, the Wattendorf Memorial Highway bridge is closed to through traffic. Folks who need to cross it have to get on I-24 and go to the next exit to turn around.
• How long: about two to three weeks of nightly work. TDOT will post new schedules as it goes, so next week’s directions may be different. The whole bridge project is expected to finish in spring 2027.
• Sticky-note tip: the Wednesday-night window runs into early Thursday morning. A pre-dawn drive home Thursday still counts as an eastbound night.

What it means for you: It’s like the drive-thru lane at the feed store: pull off, swing around, and you’re back on your way. If you’re coming home late from Nashville tonight through Wednesday night, add about 10 to 15 minutes (our estimate, not TDOT’s). Daytime trips aren’t affected.

👉 Read more (TDOT, Exit 117 announcement) · 931GO · Tullahoma Local

🛣️ I-24 Closer to Home: Jasper Night Paving, Plus a Short Wednesday Bridge Check

Two items on our own stretch of I-24 in Marion County, from TDOT’s weekly report:

• Night paving continues, Sunday through Thursday nights, 7 p.m.–6 a.m.: from near U.S. 72 (Kimball/South Pittsburg) to just east of SR-28 near Jasper, about mile markers 152 to 156. Single-lane closures, with some ramps closing off and on. TDOT says one ramp in each direction always stays open, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol is helping.
• New this week, Wednesday, Oct. 28: TDOT bridge crews will do “deck sounding” near mile marker 160.5, just west of the Haletown exit. They close one lane at a time for about an hour:
  • Eastbound: one lane at 7 a.m., the other at 9 a.m.
  • Westbound: one lane at 11 a.m., the other at 1 p.m.
  • TDOT says times may vary.
• Over the mountain: night crack-sealing on I-24 in Grundy County near Monteagle (about mile markers 127 to 129), 7 p.m.–6 a.m.

What it means for you: A one-hour lane closure is like waiting for the pie to cool: a short pause, not a lost afternoon. If you’re headed to Chattanooga Wednesday morning, leaving a few minutes early covers it.

👉 Read more (TDOT weekly report, Oct. 22–28) · TDOT report, mirror copy

🏙️ Chattanooga This Week: Bonny Oaks Drive Joins the List

None of these are on the main ways in from the Valley, but they can catch you on the way to an appointment or a store. Chattanooga runs on Eastern time, so we’ve converted to our Central time:

• New: Bonny Oaks Drive (SR-17): TDOT bridge inspection with lane closures and flaggers, Tuesday–Thursday, Oct. 27–29, about 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Highway 153, Towne Hills Drive to O’Henry Drive: flagger lane closures for utility work, about 8 a.m.–1 p.m., through Wednesday.
• Birchwood Pike (SR-312) at Eldridge Road: flaggers, about 8 a.m.–1 p.m., through Wednesday.
• Still going from last week: Bailey Avenue (1700 block) lane shifts through Friday, with one lane each way open, and Siskin Drive (900 block) closed through Thursday.
• Night striping: pavement markings on SR-17 (Campbell Street to SR-153) and SR-58 overnight through the end of the week.

What it means for you: Think of these like a neighbor painting his porch: you only notice if you’re visiting that house. If you’re headed to Bonny Oaks Drive midweek, give it a few extra minutes.

👉 Read more (Chattanooga Journal, closures list) · Chattanoogan.com, city closures

🏡 Close to Home: Flaggers on Our Own Roads, and a Heads-Up for Cookeville Trips

TDOT’s weekly list for Sequatchie and Bledsoe counties hasn’t changed much, and that’s good news. Expect flaggers off and on here:

• SR-111: resurfacing with single-lane closures between Lewis Chapel Road and East Valley Road.
• U.S. 127 (SR-28): flaggers from the Marion County line to Wilson Road.
• SR-8: flaggers from south of Whitlow Road to north of Sherman Road.
• SR-399: single-lane closures from the Grundy County line to near SR-111.
• Fresh paint: a striping crew with a slow truck may stop at SR-111 at SR-8 and at SR-30 at U.S. 127 in Pikeville.
• Heading up SR-111 to Cookeville? TDOT says the SR-111 J-turn project in Putnam County may have sporadic lane closures over the next few weeks while crews rebuild shoulders and get ready for paving.
• Coming up: TDOT’s next weekly report for our region (Oct. 29–Nov. 4) usually posts late in the week. We’ll share what’s new.

A rule worth remembering (statewide): Tennessee’s Move Over law means you move over a lane, or slow down if you can’t, for highway workers and emergency vehicles. TDOT says breaking it can cost up to $500 and up to 30 days in jail.

What it means for you: Flaggers are like the fellow directing parking at the county fair: do what he says and everybody gets in. When you see the orange sign, slow down and be ready to stop.

👉 Read more (TDOT weekly report) · TDOT, SR-111 J-turn update · SValleyNow, area road projects

🎃 Halloween on a Saturday: More Cars, More Kids, Same Simple Rules

This is a national reminder from AAA that fits right here at home. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. AAA says that means trick-or-treaters plus weekend drivers headed to parties and errands, all on neighborhood roads after dark. AAA puts peak trick-or-treat hours at about 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunset in Dunlap on Halloween is about 5:47 p.m.

Valley events we’ve already told you about, with times as organizers posted them:

• Fri., Oct. 30, 5–8 p.m.: free Trunk or Treat at White Oak Ranch, 568 Reynolds Road, Dunlap.
• Sat., Oct. 31, from 4 p.m.: Trunk or Treat at Miners Memorial Park, Whitwell.
• Sat., Oct. 31, 5–7 p.m.: Hot Rod Halloween Trunk-or-Treat on Cherry Street in downtown Dunlap. Side streets close so families can walk safely.

AAA, NHTSA and the Tennessee Highway Patrol tips for drivers:

• Slow down in neighborhoods and turn your headlights on early.
• Watch curbs, medians, driveways and the spaces between parked cars.
• Back out slowly and keep looking as you move.
• Phone down. Going to a party? Plan your sober ride home before the fun starts.
• Costume party? THP says put the mask on after you park.

What it means for you: Halloween driving is like walking through a room full of grandkids on the floor: slow steps, eyes down and around. If you don’t need to be out Saturday evening, it’s a fine night to run errands before 5 and leave the streets to the little goblins.

👉 Read more (AAA, Saturday Halloween) · NHTSA Halloween tips · THP Halloween tips · Dunlap.Today, Hot Rod Halloween · White Oak Ranch · Whitwell

🌧️ Weather Update: Dry All Week, Then a Wet, Slick Sunday as We Fall Back

Yesterday we told you Halloween weekend looked nearly dry. This morning’s National Weather Service forecast for Dunlap changed the ending:

• Monday through Friday: sunny to partly sunny, highs 73 to 77, lows in the mid-40s to low 50s.
• Tonight: patchy fog possible between midnight and 2 a.m.
• Saturday, Halloween: partly sunny, high near 74. Saturday night: a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.
• Sunday, Nov. 1: showers likely, 60 percent chance, high near 73. That’s also the morning the clocks fall back an hour.

Why it matters for driving: the Oregon Department of Transportation explains that oil and grease build up on the road during a dry spell and come to the surface with the first rain, which can make pavement unexpectedly slick. Their tips: slow down, turn on your headlights, turn off cruise control and leave more room. Wet roads can take two to three times more stopping distance.

What it means for you: The first rain on a dusty road is like the first mop on a dusty kitchen floor: slippery until it’s rinsed. Sunday morning, leave early for church, take the curves easy and give the car ahead plenty of room. This week is a good time to check your wiper blades.

👉 Read more (National Weather Service, Dunlap forecast) · Oregon DOT, first rains and slick roads

📌 Still Going On: A Quick List

• Marion County: SR-108 stays at one lane with a temporary signal for slide repair. Rolling roadblocks on SR-28 for road markers run through Nov. 30.
• Chattanooga area: daytime flaggers on Signal Mountain Road (through Dec. 4), Suck Creek Road and Scenic Highway (SR-148) on Lookout Mountain. Paving on U.S. 41/64/74 through Saturday, Oct. 31.
• Grundy County: daytime flaggers on U.S. 41 between Bells Cove and West Main Street through Nov. 17.

👉 Read more (Chattanooga Journal) · SValleyNow

✅ Your Valley Driving Checklist

• ✅ East Brainerd Road: open again, but expect daytime flaggers about 6 a.m.–4 p.m. our time.
• ✅ Late home from Nashville tonight through Wednesday night? Expect the Exit 117 ramp loop, 7 p.m.–6 a.m.
• ✅ I-24 near Jasper after dark, Sunday–Thursday nights: single file, slow down.
• ✅ Wednesday morning to Chattanooga? Leave a few minutes early for the bridge check near Haletown.
• ✅ Orange sign or flagger on U.S. 127, SR-111, SR-8 or SR-399: slow down and be ready to stop. Move over for workers.
• ✅ Dawn and dusk: deer season is ramping up. Brake, don’t swerve.
• ✅ Saturday evening: headlights on early, crawl through neighborhoods, phone down.
• ✅ Saturday bedtime: set the clocks back one hour.
• ✅ Sunday morning: wet, slick roads. Slower, more room, no cruise control.
• ✅ Check TDOT SmartWay or call 511 before longer trips.

Practical rule: The first rain, the first dark evening and the first goblin all deserve the same thing from you: a slower foot and a wider eye.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Roads Glossary

• Deck sounding: Bridge crews tap or drag tools across a bridge’s driving surface and listen for hollow spots that need repair. It’s a checkup, like a doctor tapping your chest.
• Ramp diversion (the “loop”): Instead of driving under a bridge being worked on, interstate traffic goes up the off-ramp, across, and right back down the on-ramp.
• Flagging: A worker with a sign or flag lets one direction of traffic through at a time on a two-lane road.
• J-turn: Instead of crossing a busy divided highway, you turn right, go a short way and make a U-turn at a marked spot. It’s built to cut down on dangerous crossings.
• Move Over law: Tennessee’s rule that you change lanes, or slow down if you can’t, when passing stopped workers or emergency vehicles.
• Eastern vs. Central time: Chattanooga is on Eastern time. Dunlap, Jasper and Manchester are on Central, one hour earlier.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is East Brainerd Road open again?

The weekend closure was scheduled to end at 4 a.m. our time today, and we found no report of a delay. Expect daytime flaggers about 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. our time while crews move utility poles for the railroad bridge project.

Which way is the Exit 117 loop on which nights?

Eastbound I-24 (toward Chattanooga) uses the ramps Monday through Wednesday nights, Oct. 26–28. Westbound (toward Nashville) uses them Thursday and Friday nights, Oct. 29–30. It runs 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. only. TDOT will post later weeks as they’re set.

Will the Wednesday bridge check on I-24 back things up?

It should be short. TDOT closes one lane at a time for about an hour near mile marker 160.5: eastbound at 7 and 9 a.m., westbound at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The other lane stays open. Times may shift a little.

Where are the flaggers close to home this week?

On SR-111 between Lewis Chapel Road and East Valley Road, U.S. 127 from the Marion County line to Wilson Road, SR-8 between Whitlow and Sherman roads, and SR-399. A striping crew may also stop at SR-111 and SR-8, and at SR-30 and U.S. 127 in Pikeville.

What hours should I watch for trick-or-treaters?

AAA says peak trick-or-treating runs about 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. In Dunlap, Hot Rod Halloween on Cherry Street runs 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, and sunset is about 5:47 p.m.

Why are roads extra slick with the first rain?

Oil and grease build up on pavement during dry weeks, and the first rain lifts them to the surface. Slow down, turn on your headlights, skip cruise control and leave extra room.

When do the clocks change?

At 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. Set them back an hour before bed Saturday night. After that, sunset in Dunlap comes at about 4:46 p.m.

🔗 Other Resources

• TDOT SmartWay: Live traffic map and cameras
• TDOT Newsroom: Weekly roadway reports
• TDOT: I-24 Exit 117 nightly closures
• Chattanooga road closures this week
• National Weather Service: Dunlap forecast
• NHTSA: Halloween safety tips
• SValleyNow: Sequatchie Valley local news
• Dunlap.Directory: Local businesses and services

🚗 Open Roads Today, Slow Wheels Saturday, Soft Feet Sunday

Here’s all you need to remember: Chattanooga’s big weekend detour is over, but flaggers stay on East Brainerd Road. The Exit 117 loop starts tonight for late drivers coming home from Nashville. I-24’s work near Jasper stays at night, with a short bridge check Wednesday. Saturday is Halloween, so crawl through neighborhoods. Sunday brings rain and the time change together, so start slow. A week like this is like a good porch swing: a little creak here and there, but it carries you right along.

Drive easy and keep a wide eye out. Read Dunlap.Today for road and weather updates as they come in.