PHOTOS: Knocked down pole causes I-40 Eastbound closure

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A tractor-trailer crash that knocked down a pole caused a closure of all eastbound lanes of I-40 at the I-640 split on the east side of Knoxville.

TDOT spokesperson Mark Nagi shared about the crash just at 11:55 a.m. Wednesday, saying the closure stemmed from a tractor-trailer crash. Part of I-40 West was also temporarily closed.

Around 12:30 p.m., traffic began being allowed to pass again on one lane of I-40 eastbound after the pole was removed from the roadway using a crane.

Photos from the scene show the pole knocked down in the roadway. The TDOT SmartWay cameras show that a crane has been brought in to remove the pole from the roadway.

According to Knoxville Police, the crash happened when a semi-truck travelling east on I-40. The driver of that semi-truck told police that another vehicle had cut it off, and it veered into the guard rail in an attempt to avoid a collision.

The truck went through a guard rail and a utility poll and the continued into the grass median between I-40 and I-640. KPD added that the driver of the semi-truck was not injured, but the utility pole fell across I-40 and impacted traffic for roughly two hours.

During that time, the pole blocked all of eastbound traffic and two westbound lanes, KPD said. The interstate was temporarily closed down with traffic diverted to Rutledge Pike as crews worked to clear the scene.

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