SALE CREEK, Tenn. — Drivers on U.S. 27 near Sale Creek, at the north end of Hamilton County, will find the highway divided into separate lanes for four days starting Thursday, Nov. 5, and ending Sunday, Nov. 8, as the Tennessee Department of Transportation handles crowds heading to the 2026 Hamilton County Fair.
The change covers the stretch of U.S. 27, also marked as State Route 29, close to the Rhea County line. In each direction one lane is set aside for people going to the fair and the other carries everyone else.
Heading north, fairgoers should be in the left lane while drivers passing through stay right. Heading south it flips: the right lane is for the fair and the left lane is for through traffic.
Officers will be posted at the intersection that leads into the fairgrounds for the whole event, guiding cars in and out. TDOT asks drivers to follow the signs and traffic control devices, slow down, and build extra minutes into trips through the area while the fair is open.
The crowd draw is a full lineup. Organizers list rides, pig races, a lumberjack show and a rodeo, with country singer Rodney Atkins as the headliner. The extra lanes are meant to keep fair traffic from backing up into the through lanes, so drivers who are not going to the fair can keep moving past the fairgrounds entrance during the busiest hours.
Travelers can check conditions before they leave on the TDOT SmartWay map or by calling 511. The state also reminds drivers that Tennessee law requires moving over for highway crews and emergency vehicles, and a violation can mean up to 30 days in jail and a fine of as much as $500.
Section: More Chattanooga TN crime news
Filed under: Chattanooga TN Traffic News
