TDOT, Project Comments
505 Deaderick Street, Suite 700
James K. Polk Building
Nashville, TN 37243-0332
 
I am an Earth Science teacher in a public high school in East Tennessee who would like to register my objection to plans to build a four-lane road through the Cherokee National Forest to serve as an alternative to US 64. 
 
A four-lane road along any of the proposed routes would degrade the value of the natural resources in the national forest, which are an increasingly rare asset to our state and the Appalachian region.  There is no way ever to replace these resources, and we all are responsible to protect the environmental quality of life for future generations to enjoy.
 
Such a road would not solve the problem of rockslides such as the recent one on US 64.  As we have seen on I-40 in recent months, a four-lane road is susceptible to these problems on an even larger scale.  The underlying problem is the interaction of geological formations and weather, neither of which is within our control.  We could expect to have even larger, more expensive, and longer-lasting problems with a four-lane road as proposed.
 
In light of the reasons stated above, such a road would not be a wise use of the taxes paid by citizens of Tennessee.  Even with 80% of funds provided by the Appalachian Regional Commission, the state would have to spend more than it would cost to improve US 64 and some of the secondary roads that are useful alternatives when US 64 is blocked by rockslides.
 
For the reasons stated above, I urge you to decide on the best, least costly, and most environmentally responsible alternative.
 
Sincerely,

Isaac Lassiter