The death of a North Carolina woman who drove into a restricted portion of I-40 in that state serves as a terrible reminder that Helene’s recovery is far from complete.
More than a month after the storm caused historic and fatal flooding in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, some Tennessee state leaders have expressed cautious hope. Steve Borden, Director of TDOT Region One, is one of them.
“In the beginning, there were around 49 routes that were closed in that six-county area. Within the first 100 hours, we had successfully restored 25 of them. “We were down to 14 after 30 days, and we’re down to nine today,” Borden explained.
He lauded the work of his TDOT employees, many of whom were from the communities hardest devastated by Hurricane Helene. He stated that their imaginative problem-solving has resulted in the speedy reopening of some bridges and streets. He expects this to continue.
Jeremy Faison, a Republican legislator representing Cocke County in state District 11, concurred.
He stated that the emotional, spiritual, and physical assistance his community has gotten from all over has been important, but he remains wary about the road ahead.
“You can’t go into North Carolina from Tennessee. I-40 has been demolished and is still being reconstructed. “For whatever reason, we have truck drivers who don’t believe that,” Faison explained.
He said resources are redirected whenever a semi-truck or tracker trailer enters the restricted region of I-40 near the North Carolina border.
These diversions haven’t killed anyone yet, but they are slowing ongoing recovery efforts, he said.
Faison advised drivers to pay attention to warning signs. For everyone else, he stated that he is available by phone to answer any inquiries and assist those in need.
“This is a lengthy process. “It is not a sprint; it is a marathon,” he stated.
Reference: State leaders say road repairs progressing after Helene, though some roads remain unsafe
