KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — One spot on I-40 West, off Lovell Road, can be a nightmare for drivers during rainstorms. Water tends to overflow in the area, puddling and causing some cars to risk hydroplaning. The Tennessee Department of Transportation said it is keeping an eye on the spot and is working to address issues with it.
An advocate said it's only a matter of time before the pooling water leads to a severe incident at that spot. The road is already marked from previous crashes.
"It's only a matter of time before one of those is a really bad crash," said Steve Eimers, who captured a crash on a TDOT camera. "They're hydroplaning into the right end of the concrete block, and we've seen this happen over and over."c
He said over the past six or eight months, he has seen several car crashes at the same spot. Every time it rains, large puddles form which can cause cars to either lose control or swerve in an attempt to avoid hazards.
"It can be extraordinarily deadly. One of those tractor trailers, we could end up with an underside crash, we could end up with just a collision," he said.
He is calling on TDOT and Knox County leaders to address issues with the road. For him, road safety is personal after he lost his daughter in a crash. After the crash, he led efforts to reform the ways guardrails were installed and maintained in Tennessee.
"My daughter was killed in the guardrail, spearing crash. She's the fourth person in a four-month period," he said.
TDOT said it is monitoring flooding impacts, and several factors could contribute to an overflow of water. It said the particular area of I-40 West has been impacted by years of commercial development, natural vegetation, as well as overgrowth.
As they work towards a long-term solution with Knox County Engineering and Public Works, TDOT is using water pumps to move water off the road and into a nearby creek.
"But the problem is, again, the volume. The volume that's being created by the pump simply can't get it off the road fast enough," said Eimers.