On July 11, 2025, an incident involving debris on Interstate 40 Eastbound in Roane County significantly disrupted traffic flow. At 1:15 PM CDT, debris was reported at mile marker 343, obstructing the left lane and left shoulder of the two-lane eastbound roadway.

This blockage caused a considerable backup, leading to congestion reported earlier at 12:58 PM CDT at mile marker 341, approximately two miles west of the debris location. Although no lanes were blocked at mile marker 341, the presence of debris further ahead likely contributed to the slowdown, as drivers were forced to merge into the single open lane, creating a bottleneck effect.