Note: This story was last updated at 8:20 a.m. Feb. 7.
Note: The Oliver Springs Police Department reported at 7:12 p.m. Thursday that East Tri County Boulevard and Windrock Road had re-opened.
OLIVER SPRINGS—The main road through Oliver Springs was closed due to flooding Thursday morning.
Floodwaters were flowing over all four lanes of East Tri County Boulevard near Midway Drive before 11 a.m. Thursday, and the Oliver Springs Police Department was redirecting traffic down Mahoney Road.
Midway Drive, which veers off from Tri County Boulevard, was submerged under water from Poplar Creek.
The Oliver Springs Police Department reported at about 11 a.m. Thursday that the city was impassable, and Mahoney Road, which heads west out of the city, is now closed due to flooding.
“You will now have to come downtown and go out Dutch Valley or go around via Oak Ridge and Harriman,” the OSPD said. “If you do not know these areas well, please stay in until the flood levels are down and roads opened.”
The OSPD said Wednesday night that Arrowhead Park, Windrock Road, Airport Road, and Midway Drive were closed due to high waters.
The National Weather Service in Morristown reported that Oak Ridge received about 5.19 inches of rain between 11 a.m. Tuesday, February 4, to 11 a.m. Thursday, February 6.
There were reports of other roads closed in Roane and Anderson counties.
The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said the county is under a flood warning until later Thursday afternoon as rain continues to fall.
Among the roads that were closed Thursday morning were Hillcrest in Clinton between Brandawyne and Sulphur Springs, Rogers Street, Granite Road, Batley Road at Batley Baptist, Sulphur Springs Road, Lake City Highway at Hunley Dabney Lane, Brushy Valley Road, Pumpkin Hollow Road, Lambin Road, Old Lake City Highway at Wiley Cemetery, Hickory Valley Road past Foster Road, Briceville Highway (Slatestone to Andys Ridge is impassable), west of 552 Mountain Road is impassable, McKamey Lane, Hillvale at Alley Road, Offutt Road at the bridge, Carroll Hollow at Fleetwood Lane, Hackworth Lane at Pine Ridge Lane, Marlow Circle at Red Hills Farm, and Lovely Bluff Road. The list may not include all roads that are closed or hazardous.
Anderson County Schools were closed Thursday due to flooding, and the schools will be closed again Friday. The schools are also closed last Thursday and Friday, but that was due to illness.
Knox County Schools were dismissed Thursday morning because of the weather, and they are scheduled to be closed Friday due to weather.
Roane County Schools were closed Thursday.
The Roane County Sheriff’s Office reported Thursday morning that the 4300 block of Harriman Highway was blocked off and traffic was being rerouted because of high water.
At about 5 a.m. Thursday, the National Weather Service said the threat of flash flooding would continue over the next several hours as moderate to heavy rain continues to fall, and the flooding was expected to get worse before it gets better later today.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
You can contact John Huotari, owner and publisher of Oak Ridge Today, at (865) 951-9692 or [email protected]
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