When will the rest of I-40 reopen in western North Carolina?
"The damage to our roads and bridges is like nothing we’ve ever seen after any storm," said North Carolina Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins.
Chimney Rock, North Carolina rebuilding after devastating Helene flooding
FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell reports from Chimney Rock a month after Hurricane Helene flooded western North Carolina. She spoke to City Serve Spearhead Shane Zoccole and business owners working hard to rebuild.
Interstate 40, the main artery between western North Carolina and East Tennessee, is still under construction after Hurricane Helene devastated the region with historic rainfall and flooding in late September.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported nearly 7,000 sites where roads and bridges were damaged, along with nearly 600 road closures. The department noted that the number of road closures could rise as it continues to make its assessments.
Aerial shot of the site of the mudslide, after crews began clearing mud and debris from the interstate.
(NC DOT)
"Damage estimates from what we have been able to assess to this point are up to several billion dollars and we’re not done," said state Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins. "The damage to our roads and bridges is like nothing we’ve ever seen after any storm, and this will be a long-term recovery operation. But we will be here until western North Carolina can get back on its feet."
In the meantime, some progress has been made, including the reopening of 600 roads in western North Carolina. One of those roads includes a portion of Interstate 40 that runs between Old Fort and downtown Asheville.
Interstate 40 collapse in North Carolina.
(NCDOT)
Repairs to I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge are on the horizon. NCDOT said that it awarded a $10 million contract to Wright Brothers Construction to stabilize the westbound lanes of the interstate in that area. The department noted that the contract included incentives to be completed by Jan. 4.