Part of road collapses in Marion County

MARION COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — A road in Marion County is closed off because a portion of it was washed away.

Part of Ketner Mill Road, off Highway 28, in Whitwell collapsed on Thursday because of heavy rain.

“The four and a half inch rain, the culverts couldn’t handle that much water at one time and we think there was some debris that maybe got in front of it, blocked it up,” said Andy Morrison, the Marion County Assistant Road Superintendent.

Morrison says the pressure from the storm broke the water main.

“With the water main and the rain it just washed from underneath the road and took the road out,” Morrison said.

He says this has never happened here before.

“It is a real good road it’s got real good asphalt. It is just one of the things that nature took over,” Morrison said.

People who live in the area are not blocked in, so they can still get in and out.

Neighbors were out cleaning up some of the damage to their property. They say on Thursday night someone moved the road closed sign and a car got stuck. Crews put these barricades so people can’t move them and try to go through the road.

Morrison says they plan to start fixing the road early next week.

“On Monday, we will have to order some piping for the culverts to go back in and then Monday or Tuesday, we will be over here working on it in full force and have it graveled in anyway,” Morrison said.

The Assistant Road Superintendent says other roads had to be closed of due to flooding, but this was the only one that collapsed in Marion County.