🚧 Fresh Blacktop, Tunnel Cleanings and Deer on the Move: Your Roads & Commute Report

Or: Where the Orange Cones Are This Week, and How to Breeze Right Past Them

Road work is a lot like a dentist appointment. Nobody enjoys sitting in the chair, but you’re glad for it afterward. Right now, several stretches of highway around the Valley are getting new pavement, and most of what you’ll run into is a flagger, a short wait and a smoother ride on the other side.

Here’s what’s in this week’s report: three repaving jobs in Sequatchie County on SR-111, SR-399 and SR-8, the East Valley Road bridge replacement that’s set to reopen in December, night paving on I-24 in Marion County and a few spots in Grundy, what Chattanooga commuters will see on Signal Mountain, Lookout Mountain and in the tunnels, the long-range plan for U.S. 127 through downtown Dunlap and a friendly reminder that deer season is happening on the roads, too.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Driving around the county? Expect flaggers and one-lane stretches on SR-111, SR-399 and SR-8 while crews repave. Leave five extra minutes.
• Use East Valley Road? The bridge at Barker Branch is closed for replacement, with reopening expected in December. Follow the detour signs.
• Headed to Jasper or Nashville at night? I-24 in Marion County has overnight lane closures Sunday through Thursday nights.
• Commuting to Chattanooga? Watch for night work on Signal Mountain Boulevard through Friday, and tunnel cleanings on Oct. 14 and 15.
• Driving at dawn or dusk? Deer are on the move this fall. Slow down and don’t swerve.

🛣️ Smoother Rides Ahead: Three Repaving Jobs in Sequatchie County

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) lists three resurfacing projects underway in Sequatchie County in its weekly roadway report for Oct. 1 to 7:

• SR-111 from near Lewis Chapel Road to near East Valley Road, about 3.25 miles. Crews are using a method called cold in-place recycling, which grinds up the old pavement, mixes it and lays it back down.
• SR-399 from the Grundy County line to near SR-111. The same job continues on the Grundy side of the line, all the way to SR-108.
• SR-8 (U.S. 127) from south of Whitlow Road to north of Sherman Road, in both directions.

All three use single-lane closures with flaggers, so traffic takes turns through the work zone. TDOT also has a striping crew making touch-ups where SR-111 meets SR-8, and where SR-30 meets U.S. 127 in Bledsoe County, using a slow-moving truck with a crash cushion on the back.

What it means for you: Think of a flagger like the person holding the gate at the hayfield. You wait a minute, they wave you through, and everybody gets where they’re going. Build in a few extra minutes for school drop-off and work, slow down when you see the orange signs and give the crews room. That fresh blacktop will be worth it.

👉 Read more (TDOT: Roadway Activity Report, Oct. 1–7, 2026) · SValleyNow: TDOT work at 8 area locations

🌉 A Safer Crossing on the Way: East Valley Road Bridge Set to Reopen in December

Sequatchie County is replacing the bridge on East Valley Road at Barker Branch, about 1.5 miles south of the East Valley Road and Old York Highway intersection. Road Superintendent Eric Higgins told The Dunlap-Tribune the old bridge was narrow enough that drivers kept losing side mirrors or scraping other vehicles. The new bridge is paid for with a TDOT grant. When work started this summer, the county said the job would take about 120 days, depending on weather, with the road set to reopen in December.

What it means for you: If East Valley Road is part of your daily drive, keep following the posted detour signs that start at Old York Highway. A wider bridge means no more holding your breath and tucking in your mirrors when a truck comes the other way.

👉 Read more (The Dunlap-Tribune: Road closed during bridge replacement) · Sequatchie County Highway Department

🌙 Night Shift on I-24: Paving in Marion County, Plus a Few Grundy Slowdowns

If you head toward Jasper, Kimball or Nashville, here’s what TDOT lists nearby:

• I-24 in Marion County, mile markers 152.2 to 156: Resurfacing in both directions, Sunday through Thursday nights, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. One lane stays open, and some ramps may close for short stretches, with at least one ramp open in each direction. The Tennessee Highway Patrol is helping with traffic.
• SR-108 in Marion County: A long-term slide repair project has the road down to one lane with temporary traffic signals. TDOT lists the completion date as Aug. 31, 2027.
• SR-50 (Pellum Road) in Grundy County: Utility work with flaggers, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., through Oct. 19.
• U.S. 41 in Grundy County, between Bells Cove and West Main Street: Utility work with flaggers, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., through Nov. 17.

What it means for you: Daytime drivers on I-24 shouldn’t notice much, since the paving happens while most folks are asleep. If you work a night shift or drive late, plan for one lane and a slower pace. On the Grundy routes, the utility crews keep banker’s hours, so going before 9 or after 2 is the easy way around them.

👉 Read more (TDOT: Roadway Activity Report, Oct. 1–7, 2026)

🏙️ Chattanooga Commuters: Signal Mountain, Lookout Mountain and the Tunnels

For those of you who make the drive over the mountain to work, shop or see the doctor, TDOT lists these in Hamilton County:

• Signal Mountain Boulevard (SR-8), between Sunset Drive and Laurel Street: Nighttime utility work with flaggers, 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., through Friday, Oct. 9.
• Cummings Highway (SR-2) on the side of Lookout Mountain: A routine bridge inspection closes the outside westbound lane, going up the mountain, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Thursday, Oct. 8.
• Stringer’s Ridge Tunnel: Closed for cleaning Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., with a detour, weather permitting.
• McCallie Avenue tunnels through Missionary Ridge: Cleaned one side at a time on the night of Oct. 14, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., with flaggers. The city suggests I-24 or Wilcox Boulevard instead.
• Bachmann Tubes: Closed for cleaning Thursday, Oct. 15, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., with a detour, weather permitting.

What it means for you: Almost all of this happens after dark, so the regular 8-to-5 commute should roll along fine. If you’re coming home late from a ballgame or a night shift, check the map before you leave, the same way you’d peek out the window before hanging laundry.

👉 Read more (Local 3 News: Chattanooga road closures and paving) · TDOT weekly report

🏗️ Looking Down the Road: The Plan for U.S. 127 Through Downtown Dunlap

You may have heard talk about changes coming to U.S. 127 (SR-8) in town. Here’s where that stands, according to TDOT’s project page. The plan covers SR-8 from the SR-28 and Main Street South intersection up to Church Street. It would add curbs, bike lanes and pedestrian lighting, keep on-street parking downtown, build a wider bridge over Coops Creek with a continuous center lane and a crosswalk, and swap the traffic light at SR-8, SR-28 and Main Street South for a one-lane “peanut” roundabout. TDOT says the roundabout design was checked to make sure trucks and school buses can get through it safely.

The timeline is long. TDOT expects to sign the federal grant agreement this fall, start buying needed right-of-way in January 2027 and begin construction in early 2029.

What it means for you: Nothing changes on your drive this year. This is a plant-in-the-fall, harvest-in-a-few-years kind of project. If you own property or a business along that stretch, the project page has maps and contacts, so you can see the plans for yourself.

👉 Read more (TDOT: SR-8 (US-127) Corridor in Dunlap)

🦌 Deer Season Isn’t Just in the Woods: They’re Crossing the Road, Too

Fall is when deer move the most, and that means more of them near the highway, especially at dawn and dusk on rural roads like ours. Tennessee recorded 8,036 deer-related crashes in 2024, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol says November is usually the busiest month. Most of those crashes damaged a vehicle without anyone getting hurt.

The state’s advice is simple. Slow down where you see deer-crossing signs, use your high beams when no one’s coming, and remember that if you see one deer, more are probably right behind it. If a deer steps out, brake firmly and stay in your lane. Swerving is what causes the worse wrecks.

What it means for you: A deer in the headlights is a little like a toddler near a candy aisle. You can’t predict which way it’ll go, so slow down and let it make up its mind. It’s also a good week to call your insurance agent. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance says hitting a deer is usually covered under comprehensive coverage, which is optional, not collision or liability alone.

👉 Read more (Fox 17: Fall deer activity and Tennessee drivers) · Tennessee Highway Patrol deer safety tips

✅ Your Roads & Commute Checklist

• ✅ Leave five extra minutes if your route uses SR-111, SR-399 or SR-8 this week.
• ✅ Using East Valley Road? Follow the detour signs until the Barker Branch bridge reopens.
• ✅ Driving late toward Jasper or Chattanooga? Expect one lane on I-24 and plan for the tunnel closures on Oct. 14 and 15.
• ✅ Check TDOT SmartWay or dial 511 before a long trip.
• ✅ Slow down and move over for flaggers, highway workers and emergency vehicles. It’s Tennessee law.
• ✅ At dawn and dusk, ease off the gas and watch the ditches for deer.
• ✅ Call your insurance agent and ask whether you have comprehensive coverage.

Practical rule: Leave a little early, look a little farther and let the flagger do the worrying. You’ll get there just fine.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Roads Glossary

• TDOT: The Tennessee Department of Transportation, which builds and maintains state highways.
• SR (State Route): The state’s number for a highway. Some roads have both a state number and a U.S. number, like SR-8, which is U.S. 127 here in the Valley.
• Resurfacing: Putting a fresh layer of pavement on an existing road.
• Cold in-place recycling: A repaving method that grinds up the old road, mixes it with new binder and puts it right back down, using fewer trucks and less new material.
• Flagger: A worker with a stop-and-slow sign who takes turns letting each direction of traffic through a one-lane work zone.
• Log mile (LM) and mile marker (MM): Numbers TDOT uses to pinpoint where work is happening on a state route or interstate.
• Slide mitigation: Repair work that keeps a hillside or roadbed from slipping.
• Right-of-way: The land along a road that the state owns or needs to buy before it can build.
• Peanut roundabout: A stretched, peanut-shaped roundabout that can handle two close intersections at once.
• Comprehensive coverage: The part of a car insurance policy that pays for things like hitting a deer, hail or a falling tree limb.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How long will the repaving on SR-111, SR-399 and SR-8 last?

TDOT’s weekly report doesn’t give end dates for these three jobs. Check the newest weekly report or the TDOT SmartWay map, and we’ll share updates here as they come.

When does the East Valley Road bridge reopen?

The county said it was set to reopen in December, depending on weather. Until then, follow the detour signs starting at the East Valley Road and Old York Highway intersection.

Will the I-24 paving slow me down in the daytime?

It shouldn’t. TDOT lists the work for Sunday through Thursday nights, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

When will the downtown Dunlap roundabout be built?

Not for a while. TDOT expects construction to begin in early 2029, after the grant agreement and land purchases are finished.

What should I do if I hit a deer?

Pull over somewhere safe, turn on your flashers and check on everyone in the car. Don’t walk up to the deer, since an injured animal can be unpredictable. Report the crash to local law enforcement or the Tennessee Highway Patrol, take pictures and call your insurance company.

Where’s the quickest place to check road conditions?

The TDOT SmartWay map at smartway.tn.gov, or dial 511 from your phone for statewide travel information.

🔗 Other Resources

• TDOT SmartWay: Live traffic map and travel info
• TDOT News: Weekly roadway activity reports
• TDOT: SR-8 (US-127) Corridor in Dunlap project page
• Sequatchie County Highway Department
• Tennessee Highway Patrol: Deer safety tips
• Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance: Animal collisions and your auto policy
• SValleyNow: Sequatchie Valley news
• The Dunlap-Tribune

🌻 A Few Orange Cones Mean the Valley Is Getting Taken Care Of

Every flagger you pass this fall is part of making the roads we drive every day a little smoother and a little safer. You don’t need to memorize every closure. Leave a few minutes early, keep an eye out for deer and check the map before a long trip, and you’ll handle the week like a pro.

We’ll keep watching the roads so you don’t have to. Read Dunlap.Today and sign up for our newsletter for plain-English Valley news, and find local businesses anytime on Dunlap.Directory.