A Geologic Trip Across Tennessee by Interstate 40

• Author(s): Moore, Harry L.
• Series: Outdoor Tennessee Series
• Imprint: Univ Tennessee Press
• Publication Date: 1994-08-10
• Status: Active
• Available in Paper: Price $29.95 | Buy Now

Spanning Tennessee from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Mississippi River, Interstate 40 is more than just a convenient roadway. It affords travelers the opportunity to observe the state’s geologic and physiographic features in all their variety. In this accessible and profusely illustrated book, Harry Moore offers a fascinating guided tour of that roadside geology.

Part 1 of the book includes an informative discussion of basic geologic terms and concepts as well as a concise survey of Tennessee’s topographic character and geologic history. One chapter focuses on the design and construction of highways in the state, with a special emphasis on I-40. Moore also addresses the relationship between geology and certain environmental problems, such as landslides, sinkholes, and acid drainage from road cuts.

In Part 2, an annotated road log traces the state from east to west, with detailed discussions of the structural and surface geology and geomorphology of specific sites, all keyed to mileposts along the highway. Moore also features nine side trips to scenic and geologically interesting areas, describing hiking trails within each.

Illustrated throughout with photographs, maps, and cross-sectional drawings, this unique guidebook will inform and delight specialists and general readers alike.

The Author: Harry L. Moore is a geologist with the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the author of A Roadside Guide to the Geology of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.