I-40 partially reopening by March 1: N.C. Guv

On Monday, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced that two lanes of I-40, closed since the Hurricane Helene washout last Fall, will reopen by March 1. 

The announcement came during U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s visit to area of I-40 that was impacted, where Duffy announced in a press conference that the DOT and the U.S. Forest Service have partnered in their efforts to help the DOT obtain a “Special Use” permit to use rock from Forest Service land and extract construction materials from the local river in the rebuilding effort.

The DOT said this will allow the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to get construction materials from a nearby river, just 1 to 3 miles away, instead of transporting them from 20 to 50 miles away.

NCDOT said over the next few weeks, it and its contract partners will work on “completing the stabilization of the westbound lanes of the interstate, installing 40-mph speed limit signs and a 9-inch curb to separate the two travel lanes, and inspecting the area for safety.”

[Related: I-26 reopens in Tennessee after Helene flooding]

One lane of the interstate will be open in each direction from Exit 20 to Exit 15 for non-Helene construction and again from Exit 7 to the state line and about five miles into Tennessee. This stretch will be open for standard-sized trucks, but no oversized loads.

“President Trump directed me to build infrastructure faster, better, and more affordably,” Duffy said. “That is why, when we recently identified a path to reduce I-40’s construction costs and timeline by as much as two-thirds of the original Biden-era estimate, I immediately asked my team what we could do to help. Today’s announcement will help ensure we deliver this critical project more efficiently.”

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Gov. Stein said he is “proud of NCDOT’s focus on this challenge and the roadworkers who have worked tirelessly to reopen roads and keep people safe. Reopening these lanes will help reconnect North Carolina and Tennessee and allow us to welcome back visitors to bolster the economy.”

[Related: I-40 reopening could take 'months or years': DOT Secretary Buttigieg]