The Tennessee Department of Transportation intends to proceed swiftly with the reconstruction of the infrastructure that Hurricane Helene destroyed, particularly the section of Interstate 40 that collapsed close to the border between Tennessee and North Carolina and the few bridges that werehed away.
Thirteen state bridges on state highways were closed due to the hurricane, and five of those are “completely gone,” according to TDOT Deputy Commissioner Will Reid at a press conference on September 29. This implies that in order to reunite communities, total rebuilds as well as repairs will be required.
TDOT said in a 5:30 p.m. social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that it had examined over 100 bridges in the previous 36 hours. There are hundreds more for officials to check.
According to Reid, the bridges on state roads 340, 350, and 351 as well as Bridge 107 in Greene County are vulnerable. The county’s municipal bridges are also in jeopardy. According to Reid, TDOT hopes to start awarding repair contracts as early as September 30.
“We are still in the debris removal and assessment phase,” he stated.
Video: @myTDOT crews working at the bridges on I-40 at Exit 443 in Cosby. pic.twitter.com/XdJAOIYpRU
— Mark Nagi (@MarkNagiTDOT) September 29, 2024
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North Carolina and Tennessee have prioritized I-40 repair.
For the purpose of repairing Interstate 40 between mile marks 443 and 451 close to the Tennessee–North Carolina border, TDOT and the North Carolina Department of Transportation are collaborating closely.
The highway partially collapsed as a result of a mudslide on the North Carolina side, according to NCDOT spokesperson Kelse Edwards. Images of the spectacular collapse made the rounds on social media.
A significant route through the Southern Appalachians, Interstate 40, is closed in both directions:
- From mile marker 432 in Tennessee to mile marker 3 in North Carolina, I-40 East is closed.
- From mile marker 3 in North Carolina to mile marker 435 in Tennessee, I-40 West is closed.
This weekend, representatives from each state evaluated the damage on their own sections of I-40, but they did not know when the road would be fixed.
According to Reid, State Route 81 in the counties of Unicoi and Washington, as well as Interstate 26 between mile markers 40 and 43, are also areas of significant concern.
