A reminder: The City of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Police Department have issued a notice for drivers regarding the planned closure of a large portion of Melton Lake Drive on Thursday, June 27. The road closure is necessary to provide a safe, closed-loop course for athletes, volunteers, and spectators at the USA Cycling Para-cycling and Professional Road National Championship Time Trials being held in Oak Ridge, a press release said.
Beginning at 6 a.m. Thursday, Emory Valley Road was closed from the Artesia Drive intersection to Melton Lake Drive. There will be no access onto Melton Lake Drive from Emory Valley Road. Residents who live off of Amanda Drive or Emory Valley Road will need to take Antioch Drive, Baylor Drive, or Baltimore Drive to exit the neighborhood, the press release said.
Melton Lake Drive will also be closed from Palisades Parkway to Edgemoor Road for course set-up. At this time, drivers will be able to turn left from Palisades Pkwy onto Melton Lake Drive. The Rivers Run Boulevard entrance to Melton Lake Drive will be closed, the press release said. Residents entering and exiting the Rivers Run, Royal Troon, or Rockbridge neighborhoods were allowed to use the Rolling Links Boulevard entrance to turn right onto Melton Lake Drive until 10 a.m. Thursday.
Phase two was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. when additional sections of Melton Lake Drive, along with River’s Run Boulevard, Riverside Drive, Rolling Links Boulevard, and the eastern portion of Union Valley Road were to be shut down to complete the course. At this point, the River’s Run, Rockbridge, and Royal Troon neighborhoods will be closed until at least 3 p.m. as a part of the new time trial course, the press release said. In case of emergency, an ambulance and fire engine will be stationed at the entrance of the neighborhood.
Rivers Run residents who had a need to leave their home during this time were asked to park their cars on the upper part of Rolling Links Blvd (uphill from Riverside Dr) between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., and a shuttle was to drive everyone back to their houses. Residents who wish to depart during the race change (11:50 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) should stand at the end of their driveway beginning at 11:50 a.m., and a shuttle will pick everyone up to be taken to their cars, the press release said.
Rolling Links Boulevard, Royal Troon, and Rockbridge residents can drive their cars to the road closure at Rolling Links Boulevard and Riverside Drive at the designated time of 11:50 a.m. Thursday, and an outlet will be provided during the race change, the release said.
All roads are expected to reopen to traffic by 6 p.m. on June 27.
For additional road closure information, call the Oak Ridge Police Department at (865) 425-3504. Event questions can be directed to Visit Knoxville by calling (865) 342-9292 or by emailing [email protected].
See the time trial map here.
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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