Interstate 40 along the Pigeon River Gorge will reopen on March 1. The road will have one lane open in each direction. Officials are calling for motorists to expect delays and longer travel times.
I-40 at the North Carolina/Tennessee line was initially scheduled for reopening in January 2025 after the roadway sustained severe damage during Hurricane Helene in late September 2024, but a new collapse occurred in December 2024 that set back the timeline.
The reopening of I-40 gives visitors additional options to reach the Smoky Mountains when planning their next trip. Whether you take I-40 or opt for an alternative route, be sure to check road conditions before traveling. If taking I-40, please remember to expect delays on popular travel days, particularly in sections of the interstate that ...
When the stretch of I-40 does eventually reopen, traffic is expected to be reduced to one lane in each direction. I-40 is one of 190 roadways that remain closed in the wake of Hurricane Helene. In Asheville, some routes, such as Swannanoa River Road near Biltmore Village, do not have a timeline for reopening.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says it will be months before crews are able to repair the stretch of Interstate 40 near the North Carolina-Tennessee border after it washed out during Hurricane Helene.. Dozens of roads are closed and slowly reopening throughout the state.That includes significant portions of I-40, which are open only to emergency traffic and evacuees.
Still, the reopening is a milestone in the recovery from Helene. Before the storm, I-40 was the busiest connection between North Carolina and points west, handling 26,000 cars and trucks a day on ...
Interstate 40 near the North Carolina-Tennessee line will be closed for months after being washed away during Hurricane Helene. Both I-40 and I-26 washed out during Hurricane Helene.
I-40 to partially reopen in western North Carolina months after Helene One lane to open in each direction on March 1. One lane will open in each direction on March 1. ... At the time, Stein said he hoped to have lanes open by March 1 -- a timeline that now aligns exactly with the planned reopening. The North Carolina Department of ...
I-40 to reopen at Tennessee-North Carolina state line five months after Helene damage by: Naomi Hillmer. Posted: Feb 27, 2025 / 06:39 PM EST. Updated: Feb 27, 2025 / 06:55 PM EST.
A portion of I-40 was destroyed by Helene's torrential rainfall on Sept. 28. The road is reopening, but like much of western North Carolina it's from anything resembling normal. - Articles from ...
Beyond the highway's initial reopening, NCDOT has announced few details of what a long-term fix could look like for I-40. There is no timeline or budget estimate for the project.
A milestone in Hurricane Helene recovery is coming this weekend: drivers will be able to travel between North Carolina and Tennessee on Interstate 40 starting Saturday. The route will look different than pre-storm conditions as some areas of the interstate have been reduced to a two-lane road with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour.
I-40 is a major thoroughfare through the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The stretch of I-40 in North Carolina that was damaged by Helene supports about 7,610 trucks daily and a total average ...
Unprecedented federal coordination delivers early win for I-40 rebuilding effort. ... FHWA not only to meet but exceed expectations by securing access to seven material sites and fast-tracking the overall timeline. FHWA remains on track to meet its goal of transferring property rights to NCDOT, ensuring that recovery efforts continue without ...
An effort to reopen a 20-mile (32-kilometer) stretch in early January got held up when more asphalt from eastbound lanes fell in mid-December. The department attributed the December slide to wet ...
A contractor with NCDOT is working on a stabilization project on I-40, with the goal to reopen traffic on 9-miles of the highway by New Year's Day. ... while a long-term reconstruction timeline ...
I-40 to reopen Saturday in Pigeon River Gorge. Published 5:02 pm Thursday, February 27, 2025 ... contract for the permanent reconstruction of I-40, with Ames Construction as the contractor, RK&K as the designer and HNTB as the project manager. This type of contract accelerates the timeline and reduces costs by having the contractor and designer ...
