Tennessee leaders from the state and federal level toured the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center at Bristol Motor Speedway and met with personnel from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to receive an update about the work being done to repair I-40 in Cocke County on Monday.
Governor Bill Lee, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and U.S. Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01) toured Bristol Motor Speedway which is currently serving as a major donation and collection site.
Today, we visited @ItsBristolBaby to see how they’re partnering with the Northeast TN Disaster Relief Center to serve impacted Tennesseans.
As TN rebuilds, I'm inspired by people across the state who are serving those in need with the Volunteer Spirit. pic.twitter.com/HvgdL8FYXX
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) October 7, 2024
The speedway is also providing logistics for search-and-rescue operations and housing a regional disaster relief hotline in wake of Hurricane Helene.
While speaking to the media after touring the speedway, the governor praised the work by volunteers helping those impacted by the hurricane.
“The government isn’t the entire answer, the people are the answer and they are answering the call. It’s evident here,” Lee said.
After touring the speedway, Lee, Harshbarger, and Blackburn then traveled to Cocke County, where they, along with U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), TDOT Commissioner and Deputy Governor Butch Eley, and other elected officials, toured I-40 and received an update on the progress being made to open the interstate for travelers.
Yesterday, we visited the damage to I-40 where repairs are already underway.@TDOT plans to reconnect East TN by swiftly repairing this vital roadway.@GovBillLee@SenatorHagerty@RepHarshbarger pic.twitter.com/c4QAMcr1U0
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) October 8, 2024
In Cocke County, I-40 remains closed from Exit 447 for westbound drivers and Exit 440 for eastbound drivers as flood waters from the hurricane swept portions of the roadway.
After meeting with TDOT, Blackburn said, “I want to say a heartfelt thank you to the Governor’s team and to the TDOT Commissioner for working so quickly on all of this.”
TDOT Regional Communications Officer Mark Nagi said the department will work to return traffic to I-40 by opening one lane in each direction, both on the westbound lanes, over the next two weeks.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Bill Lee” by Bill Lee.
