BULLETIN: North Carolina has done what Tennessee won't do ...... ban trucks heading to the DRAGON. It is now illegal for trucks longer than 30 feet to operate on US 129 anywhere from US 19/74 all the way to the NC/TN State Line. They are also banned on NC 28 from NC 143 all the way to US 129. Also on the ban list is the entire Cherohala Skyway in North Carolina.

tailofthedragon.com/

YAY!!! Good news indeed!

Good show North Carolina!

That should de facto ban them from the Tennessee side as well, since there isn't any place to turn around past the bridge. Hopefully TDOT will at least erect a sign before the bridge to let truck drivers know once they cross the border they will be running illegally.

The Tail Of The Dragon website said something about turning trucks around right at the border. That's where the gate was put up after the rockslide....I would sure hate to try and turn an 18 wheeler around there!

Write an email to Governor Haslam and ask him to follow North Carolina's lead.

If enough Tennesseans raised their voices, he has the TDOT commissioner on speed dial.

Awesome news!!!!

So who is goin w me this yr, and when??

Finally! The ban should stop any GPS trucks as it will no longer sent them that route... At least not ones with updated gps systems.

Take a minute this weekend, send these guys an e-mail!

Office of Bill Haslam - Governor
1st Floor, State Capitol
Nashville, TN, 37243
Primary (615) 741-2001
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tennessee Department of Transportation - Commissioner's Office
James K. Polk Building
505 Deaderick Street
Suite 700
Nashville, TN, 37243
Primary (615) 741-2848
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

TDOT Commissioner - John Schroer

This ban is pretty old. While doing some research for a letter I wrote to various TDOT officials (back when Ike was killed in August) I found out that NC had initiated a ban on their portion of US 129 going back to at least February 2010, and maybe earlier.

Page 11:
www.ncdot.org/travel/statemapping/download/nctruckrestrix.pdf

Maybe they extended the ban farther down the road?

The truck that Ike collided with was north bound at mile marker 5. This means that it had to travel through the NC portion of US129 to get there. The fact that the truck had to use roads that it was banned from, and crossed the white line on the opposing side of the road to navigate the turn that resulted in Ike's death are the basis of the 14.5 Million lawsuit Ike's family has brought against the driver and Thom’s Transport Company Inc.

Family sues for $14.5M in fatality on ‘Dragon’:
www.thedailytimes.com/Local_News/story/F...-on-Dragon-id-018596

I had no idea there was an existing ban on the NC side of US129, and would venture many others didn't either, especially truck drivers headed north on it. Maybe what is new is the increased awareness, hopefully to include signage and enforcement.

The TDOT Commissioner's argument regarding economic impact has a grain of truth in it - US129 really is the most direct route between Marysville and Robbinsville. But, I would guarantee you if he himself was behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler, he wouldn't go that way.

During the time the road was closed after the rock slide, commerce continued. Continuing to argue about economic impact, after a practical, months long test, defies common sense.

I think it does expand the ban, from this map they're not allowed past Robbinsville


Map showing roads that Prohibit Trucks Over 30 feet long.
The DARK BLACK ROADS INDICATE THE BAN

signs are up on the NC side of things


edit: photo is from www.killboy.com btw

Great to see.

Anyone who has been there has a truck siting and probably scare.