A release said the new damage would keep the interstate closed until engineers decide it’s safe to make the area around the gorge a narrow, two-lane path.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Anyone hoping to start 2025 with a road trip may need to reconsider their plans after the North Carolina Department of Transportation said Interstate 40 would stay closed for longer than expected due to new damage.
When Hurricane Helene hit East Tennessee and western North Carolina, it washed away a section of I-40 and effectively shut down a major transportation corridor. As crews made repairs, they said they hoped to have the road back open during the first week of January.
The department said Friday that an additional chunk of asphalt fell away from an eastbound lane and into the Pigeon River Gorge, delaying the reopening. A release said the new damage would keep the road closed until transportation and geotechnical engineers decide the area is safe for drivers to use as a narrow, two-lane path.
The department said wet weather and repeated freezing and thawing contributed to the new slide.
Engineers were on site Thursday to find a way to stabilize the new location, such as by using soil nails similar to the other 10 damaged locations along the North Carolina side of I-40. The department said Wright Brothers Construction, working with GeoStabilization International as a subcontractor, is working to stabilize eastbound lanes.
There are several detours in place for people who usually use I-40 to travel between Tennessee and North Carolina. From Knoxville, people can take Interstate 81 up to Wytheville, Virginia, and back down into North Carolina, according to the department. Detours from the transportation department are available below.
