Kentucky has sent around 150 State Transportation Highway workers to help assist with flood recovery in North Carolina. Transportation Secretary Jim Gray had a chance to spend some time in Ashville this past weekend. State Transportation Ky Transportation Sec Jim Gray with crew members The transportation secretary said seven crews are helping out around Ashville and another four crews in Booneville. Gray said state workers are helping repair culverts, bridges, and approaches. And these crews had a feel for the job coming in. “The reason that our folks are so effective is that they have the experience of dealing with mountainous terrain, mountainous territory here in Kentucky,” said Gray. Jim Gray said they also went through recovery efforts following major eastern Kentucky flooding just over two years ago. Gray said state officials in North Carolina just asked that Kentucky crews be self-sufficient when it comes to equipment and repair expertise. Gray spoke about one crew that found visible appreciation the first night there in western Carolina. “When one of our crews went into a restaurant to get dinner. This was a restaurant that was actually functioning, had water, and had electricity and gas to function. And our folks were given a standing ovation by the people in the restaurant,” said Gray. State Transportation Department Gray said the assistance offered by state crews from Kentucky allows North Carolina transportation workers to focus on damage caused to Interstate 40. The transportation secretary noted Kentucky workers came from various parts of the Commonwealth and so resources were not spread too thin. Gray added North Carolina officials have asked Kentucky workers to help out up until Thanksgiving. ** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation. The post Kentucky’s Transportation Secretary visits recovery crews in North Carolina appeared first on The Lexington Times.