Gov. Phil Bredesen has asked the state departments of transportation and human services to scour their budgets for funds that could help Polk County residents incurring hardships because of the Nov. 10 rock slide.
In a written statement, the governor said he "is aware of the difficulties the rock slide has imposed on those who travel this route."
"The state remains committed to working with local and federal officials to offer whatever assistance may be available to help the families whose lives have been disrupted by this rock slide," he said.
Transportation officials have said U.S. Highway 64, which was made impassable by the rock slide, will be closed until March 31. Eastern Polk County residents have found the detour lengthens their commutes to Cleveland or Chattanooga by an hour.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation has secured $3.8 million in federal funds to pay for the cleanup of the massive slide.
Rep. Eric Watson, R-Cleveland, said the governor's request for TDOT and Department of Human Services assistance came after a meeting last week.
He asked the governor to press Tennessee Emergency Management Agency officials to study whether the county's economic loss is enough to get a disaster declaration and FEMA grants, he said.
"Businesses are reporting a 30 to 40 percent loss in sales because of the road closure," Rep. Watson said. "The cities are also seeing less sales tax revenue compared to the year before."
So far, Polk businesses have been able to apply for Small Business Administration loans, and the Southeast Tennessee Human Resources Agency has allocated an $8 per day stipend to low-income residents who commute to work.
"But that doesn't help the regular folks who make more than $16,000 but are just barely getting by," Rep. Watson said. "They are really hurting now."
Crews had removed about 5,500 tons of debris from the site as of Friday, according to TDOT. Workers have stabilized the western side of the slope and are now addressing the eastern side where a large, unstable rock shelf about 22 feet thick must be split using small, controlled blasts.
Crews also will drive 40-foot-long metal anchors into the rock to secure it in place.
Also Tuesday, Bradley County commissioners voted to ask Gov. Bredesen if the U.S. 64 cleanup can be expedited.
Commissioner Howard Thompson, who proposed the resolution, said a state sign on Interstate 75 directs motorists to Sweetwater for a detour. That hurts Bradley County business, he said.
"The time line they are talking about now goes into rafting season,'' Mr. Thompson said, referring to the area's major tourist attraction, whitewater rafting.
Adam Crisp covers education issues for the Times Free Press. He joined the paper's staff in 2007 and initially covered crime, public safety, courts and general assignment topics. Prior to Chattanooga, Crisp was a crime reporter at the Savannah Morning News and has been a reporter and editor at community newspapers in southeast Georgia. In college, he led his student paper to a first-place general excellence award from the Georgia College Press Association. He earned ...
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