U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited the Tennessee/North Carolina border on Interstate 40 in Cocke County on Thursday to survey damage and speak about recovery efforts.
Starting out in North Carolina, Buttigieg arrived in a convoy and spoke with contractors who were hard at work reinforcing the banks of the Pigeon River that washed away and made the interstate unsafe for traffic.
69制片厂制作传媒淚t69制片厂制作传媒檚 a unique situation to have I-40 and I-26 both unavailable, and it69制片厂制作传媒檚 critically important for everything, from U.S. supply chains to small mountain communities, to get that back up,69制片厂制作传媒 he said. 69制片厂制作传媒淚69制片厂制作传媒檓 very impressed by the work that I69制片厂制作传媒檝e seen on the ground, the creativity, the work ethic, and the energy that69制片厂制作传媒檚 going into restoring a critical link like this. We69制片厂制作传媒檙e going to do everything we can, starting with the $32 million that we have already advanced toward getting the first pieces of this work done. And I69制片厂制作传媒檝e committed to Governor Lee that we69制片厂制作传媒檙e going to do everything we can and to the communities out here that we69制片厂制作传媒檙e going to be here every step of the way.69制片厂制作传媒
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited the Tennessee/North Carolina border on Interstate 40 in Cocke County on Thursday to su…
Buttigieg met with and was briefed by Deputy Governor and Commissioner of Transportation Butch Eley at the site just east of Hartford, TN.
69制片厂制作传媒淲e69制片厂制作传媒檙e working very closely day-to-day with the U.S. DOT as well as our FHWA folks on the ground here, and it69制片厂制作传媒檚 going very well 69制片厂制作传媒 we69制片厂制作传媒檙e making great progress,69制片厂制作传媒 Eley said. 69制片厂制作传媒淲e do believe we69制片厂制作传媒檒l be able to get two-way traffic one way each direction here in the coming days and weeks ahead, and we69制片厂制作传媒檙e working on that not only here but also on I-26 also as well. So just very fortunate to have the collaboration that we do have as well as with North Carolina, and all that69制片厂制作传媒檚 going very well.69制片厂制作传媒
Buttigieg spoke about the important role Interstate 40 played in keeping the region and nation connected, but he also recognized the impact highway closure would have on economic drivers like tourism.
69制片厂制作传媒淲e69制片厂制作传媒檝e met so many people in the affected communities whose livelihoods depend on these roads and roadways being available, on the tourism that comes here,69制片厂制作传媒 he said. 69制片厂制作传媒淎s a visitor, one of the things that I69制片厂制作传媒檓 trying to reconcile in my head is the shocking devastation alongside the incredible natural beauty of this region.
69制片厂制作传媒淲e69制片厂制作传媒檙e trying to make sure that there is support for those communities and businesses that are up and running and open for business, that people know that they are more than happy to receive folks. And then for the other areas where the businesses are not yet open or the roads are not yet secure, of course our job is to do everything we can to accelerate that process because we know that so many families depend on that economy that revolves around the natural beauty and the visitors that it draws.69制片厂制作传媒
Tennessee State Senator Steve Southerland praised the ongoing work in the area.
69制片厂制作传媒淭hese guys at TDOT are working 16-hour days and we69制片厂制作传媒檙e proud of the work that they69制片厂制作传媒檙e doing,69制片厂制作传媒 he said. 69制片厂制作传媒淚69制片厂制作传媒檝e seen a lot of devastation and I69制片厂制作传媒檝e seen a lot of work being done. When I was up here a couple of weeks ago, trees were 30 feet high on the road and TDOT has done a wonderful job cleaning that out.69制片厂制作传媒
Even with the near superhuman work that has already been accomplished, Buttigieg emphasized the scale of the unprecedented infrastructure need for the area and said the area would need Congressional help to get the funding necessary to complete repairs.
69制片厂制作传媒淎s I said, we69制片厂制作传媒檝e put forward $32 million to Tennessee and $100 million to North Carolina just so far, but we know that the ultimate price tag just on the transportation side alone will be in the billions, and we cannot get that done without help from Congress,69制片厂制作传媒 he said. 69制片厂制作传媒淪o, we69制片厂制作传媒檒l be looking to make sure that that happens as soon as possible.69制片厂制作传媒
While Federal help and resources are needed, Buttigieg emphasized the DOT was going to follow the priorities put forth by the states.
69制片厂制作传媒淲ell, of course, getting these interstates restored is crucial. It69制片厂制作传媒檚 important for the economic lifeblood of the region,69制片厂制作传媒 he said. 69制片厂制作传媒淚t69制片厂制作传媒檚 important for the other recovery and restoration activities. It69制片厂制作传媒檚 hard to get to those smaller communities while these arteries are unavailable. But in addition to these two major interstates, there are hundreds and hundreds of roads and bridges both on and off the national highway system.
69制片厂制作传媒淎nd so, we take a cue from the state. We69制片厂制作传媒檙e not imposing the priorities on them. They69制片厂制作传媒檙e assessing based on things like whether there69制片厂制作传媒檚 redundancy or whether the route that69制片厂制作传媒檚 been compromised is the only one, what alternatives exist, how many people are depending on those routes.
69制片厂制作传媒淭hey69制片厂制作传媒檒l work through those priorities, and we69制片厂制作传媒檒l work to make sure they have the funding to meet all those priorities.69制片厂制作传媒
