After being severely damaged by the flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has successfully reopened two East Tennessee routes to traffic. State Route 350 in Greene County, also known as Jones Bridge Road, was covered in 30 feet of debris and had chunks of the road washed away, but TDOT employees worked tirelessly to clear the road and repair the damage. State Route 133 in Johnson County has also been reopened.
The efforts of the TDOT employees have been praised by Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley for their commitment to reconnecting communities and making progress in a timely manner following the devastation of the storm. However, there are still sections of I-40 East and West in Cocke County that remain closed with no definite timeline for reopening.
The damage caused by Hurricane Helene in upper East Tennessee led to catastrophic flooding on September 27-28, resulting in the reported deaths of 15 people with others still missing. Despite the challenges faced, TDOT continues to work diligently to restore the impacted routes and ensure the safety of residents and travelers in the area.
Source
Photo credit tennesseelookout.com
Two damaged East Tennessee routes reopened by Tennessee Department of Transportation • Tennessee Lookout
