Road Back Open after Sinkhole at McGhee Tyson Airport Causes Closure

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) UPDATE 6/13 6:00 a.m.: A portion of Airport Loop Road at McGhee Tyson Airport has reopened Friday morning following the discovery of a sinkhole Thursday night.

Airport officials say the roadway is the main road circling the airport terminal building and garage; travelers and visitors to McGhee Tyson were rerouted for a time yesterday.

Airport officials still advise fliers to arrive several hours before their flights.

ORIGINAL STORY: A portion of Airport Loop Road at McGhee Tyson Airport will be closed indefinitely following the discovery of a sinkhole Thursday night.

Airport officials say the roadway is the main road circling the airport terminal building and garage; travelers and visitors to McGhee Tyson are being rerouted.

“A portion of Airport Loop Road will be closed indefinitely and airport visitors will be rerouted,” TYS officials said. “This roadway is the main road circling the airport terminal building and garage.”

Airport officials are asking fliers to arrive at least three hours before their flights.

Temporary Rerouting of Traffic at McGhee Tyson Airport (Current as of 10:30 p.m. EST, June 12)

Directions to Airport from Blount County– Pass the airport entrance on Alcoa Hwy and travel to the Pellissippi Parkway (HWY 129) exit heading to Oak Ridge. Use the cloverleaf exit to circle back around to Alcoa Highway and enter the airport through the main entrance. If picking up a passenger and they are not on the curb ready to be picked up, please use the free Phone and Wait Lot as a designated meeting location. Circling back to the front of the terminal will require exiting the airport toward Knoxville and repeating the cloverleaf exit process at Pellissippi Parkway.

Directions to Airport from Knoxville– Enter the airport off Alcoa Hwy. You will have access to the front of the airport on both levels and all parking lots. If picking up a passenger and they are not ready to be picked up on the curb, please use the free Phone and Wait Lot as a designated meeting location. Circling back to the front of the terminal will require exiting the airport toward Knoxville and repeating the cloverleaf exit process at Pellissippi Parkway.