Email i got back yesterday: Dear Mr. Parks: Thank you for your e-mail regarding the road closure of U.S. 129 in Blount County. Governor Bredesen has forwarded your e-mail to the TDOT Region One Office for review and a response. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has been actively addressing the safety issues that are present on the 11 mile stretch of U.S. 129, known as the “Tail of the Dragon” for the past 3 years. This section of roadway has experienced crash rates that are above the state averages and TDOT, in cooperation with the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, has addressed those safety issues by combining roadway improvements with enhanced traffic enforcement. The roadway is currently closed from the North Carolina border to near the Chilhowee Dam due to a rock slide that occurred on Sunday, March 14, 2010. Due to the complexity and severity of the rock slide, law enforcement and emergency crews have very limited emergency access to the roadway. The instability and repair work to the slide could hinder response time to any accidents or emergencies that could happen on the 318 curve, 11 mile stretch of roadway. Limited emergency access, increased response time to emergencies and a priority for safety to motorists led to the decision to temporarily close U.S. 129 in Tennessee. Due to the winter weather that East Tennessee and Western North Carolina has experienced over the past few months, rock slides have become prevalent in our mountainous regions. TDOT has worked very closely with NCDOT during the past few months to maintain open communication between our two states during the road closures. Our Transportation and Tourism Departments remain in close contact to relay the most current and consistent information to the public as it becomes available regarding detours and alternate routes around the slide areas. We are very aware of the impacts that these types of disasters have on local communities, and our TDOT employees and contractors are diligently working to be able to reopen these vital corridors between North Carolina and Tennessee. While our Safety Departments in Tennessee and North Carolina have been in contact, no official offer from North Carolina has been received to provide emergency response or law enforcement services in Tennessee. Further, North Carolina law enforcement would not have legal jurisdiction in the state of Tennessee and therefore could not provide enforcement or legal action in Tennessee. TDOT is continuing to assess the situation and is in the process of completing a stabilization plan for the rock slide. Efforts to complete an emergency contract are in the final stages but there is not a timeline for repairs to begin at this time. The “Tail of the Dragon” is an asset to our great State and it is our desire to return it to public access as soon as safety permits. Meanwhile, temporary detours around the rock slide area have been established. We regret any inconvenience this closure may cause; however, the safety of the traveling public remains our top priority. For updates on the rockslide closure, please visit our website at www.tdot.state.tn.us. Sincerely, Steven M. Borden, P.E. Regional Director TDOT – Region One