US 70, Day 6: Jackson, TN - Knoxville, TN
8/29/2000
Not too much to note for today. The landscape has gotten much greener, lusher, and more kudzu-encrusted as I go east.
Unlike many state, Tennessee hasn't done much to decertify sections of US highways. US 70 has a three-way split -- US 70N, US 70, and US 70S. I followed regular US 70. One odd bit -- in Nashville, US 70S is multiplexed with its parent US 70 before splitting off again. Speaking of Nashville, there are two turns of US 70 that aren't marked. Bad job, TennDOT. At one point US 70 runs as a frontage road to I-40, but the left turn off it isn't marked. I could see another marker around the corner, so I could figure it out. Worse is at the Cumberland River. The right turn isn't marked at all.
Near Kingston, a cop stopped traffic while a couple of tow trucks took the remains of a tractor-trailer into a wrecking yard. It looks like it may have rolled over.
I've driven the leg of US 70 between Nashville and Knoxville before. Because air fares are so much into Knoxville, I've flown into Nashville, rented a car, and driven to Knoxville. It's cheaper this way, plus you have a car. US 70 is a scenic alternative to I-40.
The timezone change to Eastern Time is marked at the Roane County line. None of the others, which are at state borders, were marked.
US 70 turns into Kingston Pike in Knoxville. The most popular street names for US 70 in towns have been Broadway, Main St., and 1st Street. Tennessee leans more toward naming them by where they go. US 70 is very congested through Knoxville. I turned off at US 129 to go to Maryville, where I'll be staying overnight with friends.
Today I drove 365 miles, for a total of 2383.
Next day: 8/30
Previous day: 8/28
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