U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy surveyed the damage I-40 sustained at the Tennessee-North Carolina state line during last year’s Hurricane Helene on Monday.
Portions of I-40’s eastbound lanes were washed away by flood waters when the Pigeon River rose to historic levels due to Hurricane Helene in late September.
While the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) have been working to stabilize the 9-mile stretch of the gorge connecting the two states in order to open up enough space for vehicles to travel on one lane in each direction, the project has been delayed without a targeted completion date.
Thank you @SecDuffy for quickly accepting my invitation to see firsthand the damage that Tennessee experienced with Hurricane Helene. it caused historic damage to East TN, but it’s a new day with President Trump and Secretary Duffy at the helm of @USDOT. With their leadership, we… pic.twitter.com/vQ75ngwero
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) February 10, 2025
Tennessee U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) was among the officials who met with Duffy to survey I-40 on Monday, who said with the help of the federal agency, “[W]e will restore I-40 and help meet the needs of those that are still suffering from these tragedies.”
U.S. Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01) also among the officials who met with Duffy on Monday, saying, “Secretary Duffy and President Trump are committed to our recovery efforts and will not leave the folks of East Tennessee behind.”
Duffy’s visit to Tennessee and North Carolina to survey the damage along I-40 comes after the secretary vowed to visit the area as one of his first moves in his new role.
During his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Duffy, under questioning from Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), said his intent would be to visit the area to survey the damage and understand the needs of the communities impacted by the hurricane if he were to be confirmed to the role.
“If I’m confirmed, the first trip I would like to make is with both of you to see the devastation, destruction, and the needs to rebuild your states,” Duffy told Blackburn during the hearing.
Duffy’s visit to East Tennessee comes weeks after President Donald Trump traveled to western North Carolina to receive an emergency responder briefing on the impact of Hurricane Helene.
While surveying the damage and meeting with the community, Trump announced during his visit that he would sign an executive order “slashing all red tape and bureaucratic barriers and permits to ensure the rapid reconstruction of the roads” damaged by the hurricane.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Sen. Bill Hagerty and DOT Sec Sean Duffy” by Sen. Bill Hagerty.
