By Paul Leach
Correspondent
OCOEE, Tenn. — The Ocoee Whitewater Center hosted the “On the Road Again!” celebration Friday for the recent reopening of U.S. Highway 64 along the Ocoee River.
“This rock slide is probably the most complex and difficult event of its kind in the history of the Department of Transportation,” Tennessee Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely said.
Scores of visitors were on hand by 1 p.m. to mingle, munch hot dogs and listen to bluegrass music by local band Steel String Session.
Polk County Executive Mike Stinnett thanked Mr. Nicely and TDOT for their efforts.
Mr. Stinnett also added, “We have another great day to look forward to, and that’s when we can open the Corridor K Road. It’s not a question of it this will happen again, but when.”
State Sen. Dewayne Bunch and Rep. Eric Watson, both Cleveland Republicans, were present as well.
The highway was blocked Nov. 10 by a massive rockslide. The five-month blockage turned the 45-minute commute between eastern Polk County and Cleveland to a two-hour trek.
It also drastically slowed business in the county’s heavily tourist-oriented economy.
“The closure was extremely detrimental to local businesses, especially on the eastern side of Polk County,” Patricia Scott, co-owner of Copperhill Country Cabins, said Friday.
David Nelson, owner of Woodland Express Mini-Mall in McCaysville, Ga., said the rock slide’s effects have been terrible.
“Fifteen of my antique dealer clients from the Cleveland and Chattanooga area have stayed away,” he said. “Business was probably down 40 percent in January and February.”
Blake McPherson of Cherokee Rafting said local outfitters had lost four weekends of the spring season, but that it could have been worse.
“If it had to happen, November is way better than the summer. That would not just be lost business, but potentially lost lives,” Mr. McPherson said.
Area outfitters tested the Ocoee River rapids Friday to see if the slide cleanup affected the riverbed.
“I’ve got trainees coming out (today) and I at least wanted to know I was up against,” said Lance Butler with the Ocoee Inn. “It’s not a big deal at all, but there are some changes.”
There’s a rock called White Face on the Middle Ocoee that “may be a little more tough,” he said.
And the slide also deposited a new rock in the middle of the Diamond Splitter rapids on the Middle Ocoee.
Paul Leach is based in Bradley County. Contact him at paulrleach3@gmail.coms.