Interstate 40 is about to officially reopen between Tennessee and North Carolina on March 1 after extensive repairs from Hurricane Helene.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced the reopening on February 10 following a visit from federal and state officials.
The Pigeon River Gorge stretch has been closed since September after Helene caused 10 collapses across a nine-mile segment and damaged hundreds of roads. The increased stabilization efforts included installing 2,088 feet of “soil nails” and 15,200 pounds of steel to reinforce the highway for heavy truck traffic.
I thank USDOT @SecDuffy for joining us in western NC to view I-40’s damage, along with Sens. Tillis and Budd and Rep. Moore. The partnership between our state and federal governments is the only way that we’ll succeed in getting back on track. I look forward to continuing our… pic.twitter.com/2LSlBePy0U
— Governor Josh Stein (@NC_Governor) February 10, 2025
The reopening will allow two-way, one-lane traffic while full reconstruction continues.
According to NCDOT spokesperson David Uchiyama, complete restoration of I-40 will take multiple years.
