Hartford, Tennessee (WVLT) – Only a few months after devastating floods brought by Helene, Rafting companies in Hartford are faced with another challenge. On Wednesday, the rain flooded the I-40 near the Northern Carolina State line, closing the highway and stopping access to a major entrance for rafts heading for the Pigeon river.
Daniel Jannette owns Smoky Mountain Outdoors. He said he was close to the place on the highway that floods overloaded.
“We just had so much rain that he obstructed the drainage system, then he marked a little, then when the water arrived at a certain level, it simply detached, and that is what came to the highway,” he said.
The bad news: Smoky Mountain Outdoors and other companies have lost access to their usual implementation. The silver lining: Jannette said that the rafters have in fact a better experience of changing the plans.
“We were able to move all our trips from top to bottom,” he said. This road is actually longer than the upper road.
Mark Nagi, from the Ministry of Transport of Tennessee, said that the agency estimates at least two weeks before the highway begins to open. That said, Jannette said TDOT is working with companies.
“We are trying to work with TDOT to work with rafting companies to reach the next outing, and they do it,” he said, referring to the place where this access is.
Jannette said her business was still operational, like many in the region. He also said that companies have gathered to keep the business afloat in these turbulent times.
“We have all gathered our resources and gathered,” he said.
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