Interstate 40 between North Carolina and Tennessee has been closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene since September 2024.
State officials recently announced one lane in each direction of I-40 will reopen by March 1.
“I am proud of NCDOT’s focus on this challenge and the roadworkers who have worked tirelessly to reopen roads and keep people safe,” North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said. “Reopening these lanes will help reconnect North Carolina and Tennessee and allows us to welcome back visitors to bolster the economy.”
Miss the news this week? @USDOT Sec. Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy), @NC_Governor Josh Stein and NCDOT Sec. Joey Hopkins were in WNC to announce a March 1 reopening date for @NCDOT_I40 near the Tenn.
➕ Plus, rail car bridges & research symposium on #NCDOTNow.https://t.co/Z9VRu2hURu
— NCDOT (@NCDOT) February 14, 2025
This stretch of I-40 from Exit 20 to Exit 15 and from Exit 7 to the state line and approximately 5 miles into Tennessee will be one for standard-size trucks but not oversize loads, according to a North Carolina DOT news release.
In the 126 days since the closure, contractors have installed 90,000 square feet of soil-nail wall, 4 miles of fortified shoulder to carry heavy truck traffic and 15,200 pounds of steel in the center curb, NCDOT said.
Find real-time traffic information nationwide on this Land Line resources page.
Permanent reconstruction of I-40 is expected to begin soon, with Ames Construction serving as the prime contractor.
“I look forward to working with (USDOT) Secretary (Sean) Duffy and our federal partners to ensure we have the resources we need to rebuild our infrastructure as quickly as possible,” NCDOT Secretary Joey Hopkins said. “And we’ll continue working on the rest of the routes until we get those built, too.”
The latest detour map for western North Carolina is available here.
More than 50 routes are closed to truck traffic, and a total of 155 roads remain closed to all vehicles due to damage from Hurricane Helene. LL
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