More than two months since an earthslide crippled I-75 in Campbell County, residents say enough is enough.
Traffic has been diverted to either U.S. 25W from Jellico to Jacksboro, or Highway 297 for large trucks through Caryville.
For residents who live along 25W, it has been a headache as they watch traffic constantly clog up on their normally steady roadway.
"Everything's so backed up... we need them to find another way to go," Patricia Wilson said in front of her LaFollette home. She missed her doctor's appointment this morning because of the extra traffic near her house.
On Tuesday, two separate fatal car accidents added traffic and stalls to 25W, one on the detour, the other in Whitley County, KY.
"Traffic does not get real bad until about 11:00 in the morning to 7:00 at night. It's pretty much gridlock," said Campbell County mayor William Baird. He said there have been complaints from police and nearby businesses about the increase in traffic.
Baird added TDOT and county officials can only do so much.
However, county road superintendent Dennis Potter is proposing a new alternate route that would have car drivers avoid these towns, and cut down on the drivetime. In March, when the earthslide occurred, 10News clocked the route at 1 hour 10 minutes.
"It would bypass Lafollatte, Jacksboro, and Caryville..." he said.
He's proposing drivers take Exit 144, and go on Stinking Creek Road south to Highway 63 (Howard Baker Hwy.), where they rejoin I-75 at the Caryville exit.
For that to work, Stinking Creek Road would have to be paved since it's currently a gravel street, according to Potter.
"We've had slides off Jellico Mountain for years, wrecks for years, that shut the interstate down. This would be a permanent fix," Potter added.
TDOT said they're still recommending drivers take 25W since it is a state route and it's better suited for the traffic. However, some people don't know how much more they can take.
"It needs something done," Patricia Wilson said.