One rockslide cleared, another still being cleared. All that rain may have been welcomed for lakes and gardens, but it did play havoc with the ground, especially hillsides where unstable rock formations fell victim to soggy turf and underground streams.

The rock slide that affected traffic along the Spur between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge may have attributed to a slowdown in business in Gatlinburg. The Spur was never closed; traffic headed to Gatlinburg was rerouted onto the northbound side for about a mile. Yet rumors got out, fueled by misinformation, that you couldn’t even get to Gatlinburg because of the slide. There were reports some workers at welcome centers along the interstate were telling motorists to avoid Gatlinburg because it was isolated and inaccessible. How unfair and hurtful that was.

Fortunately, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, with assistance from Sevierville’s Charles Blalock & Sons, set about to remedy the Spur rockslide and get traffic moving smoothly again. The Blalock crew finished the first phase of the project way ahead of schedule. Now both southbound lanes are open, at least temporarily. One lane likely will be closed from time to time as the work crews construct the retaining wall to keep back the hillside.

Blalock deserves much praise for getting this job finished ahead of schedule. Yes, it had financial incentives to complete it early, but the company also realized how the slide was affecting local businesses and tourists, so it set out to remedy the problem as quickly as possible, without compromising safety. It did that.

Meanwhile, the October rockslide on Interstate 40 at the Tennessee-North Carolina line continues to keep that stretch of road blocked, causing detours many miles out of the way. Completion of that project now appears to be April, some six months after the rockslide occurred. This one has been especially troublesome for engineers and work crews. Get it right, guys, even if it means delaying the reopening.

We may not have seen the last of the rockslides. All that rain seeped into the ground and may yet create problems in other places. Be alert as you drive our scenic routes. As pretty as they are, they also could be the site of the next rockslide.

It’s the price we have to pay for living in such a gorgeous, mountainous place.