“Tail of the Dragon” Riders Take Note

Beginning next year, emergency help on the Swain County part of the route known as the “Tail of the Dragon” may take longer to arrive. Graham County is ending its ambulance service into Swain County to respond to wrecks on the well-known motorcycle route on U.S. 129. Motorcyclists from around the world travel to the area to ride the route. The road starts in Blount County, Tenn., and packs 318 curves in 11 miles. Though most of the road is in Tennessee, at least two people are killed on the North Carolina side in a typical year.

It takes about 22 minutes for an ambulance to get to that part of U.S. 129 in Swain County from Robbinsville in Graham County. It can take as long as 50 minutes to get there from Bryson City in Swain County. Graham County leaders say they used to get few emergency calls for the route but now get about 30 a year, at a cost of nearly $100,000. At a meeting Sept. 21, the county’s commissioners decided to discontinue the service, effective Jan. 1. Swain had been giving Graham $21,000 a year to pick up garbage in the area but wasn’t contributing directly to emergency services and law enforcement. Earlier this year, Graham leaders considered asking the General Assembly to change the county line and give them the corner of Swain County. The proposal was tabled.

Most of the serious accidents on U.S. 129 happen in Graham County, according to the N.C. Highway Patrol.

Provided by the Associated Press