NORTH CAROLINA, USA — United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg assessed roadway damage from Helene in both Tennessee and North Carolina on Thursday.
Both Buttigieg and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper called Helene a catastrophic event.
Parts of I-40 and I-26 in both East Tennessee and North Carolina were closed after devastating flooding hit the area at the end of September.
Buttigieg said it's going to take billions of dollars to fix the crucial pathways, signaling that bipartisan support from Congress is needed.
The federal government has already given $32 million to the Tennesee Department of Transportation and $100 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation so temporary fixes can begin.
