sk47
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2020
- Threads
- 27
- Messages
- 5,042
- Reaction score
- 2,399
- Location
- North Eastern TN
- First Name
- Jeff
- Vehicle(s)
- Chevy Silverado & Nissan Sentra SE
Hello; A few decades ago the Feds built a tunnel thru the ridge between Middlesboro KY and Harrogate TN. A federal project because it is partly on Cumberland Gap National Park land.When people tailgate me like that I slow down.
There was a road up over the ridge thru what was known as the gap of the cumberlands. It was not too bad to drive except sometimes in winter. Anyway they bored tunnels thru the bottom of the ridge and opened them in 1996.
The tunnels improved some things but are a pain in the ___. Being Federal they have some odd rules. A crew of several people are kept on duty 24/7. There are arrays of digital signs with traffic messages. Any time a hazardous load passing thru such as fuel, the tunnel is closed for traffic until the load is escorted thru the tunnel. I have to drive thru both tunnels several times a week and get stopped a lot.
There are also cameras in the tunnels and rule saying to stay in a lane. The speed id 45 MPH and it is a federal ticket. There are park rangers giving out federal tickets. There are KY police on one side of the tunnels and TN on the other. They have clever hiding places used. So, I keep it at or below 50 mph.
US 25 E is a busy corridor between I 80 and I 75, so a lot of folks just passing thru. When they tail gate me thru the tunnels which are about 3/4 of a mile long I gradually slow down from 50 to around 40. The road is a four lane so they can get around me when we exit a tunnel. They almost always speed around me at some point. I will not speed up to get them off my tail. I do not want a federal ticket.
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