So far, nearly half of the 10,129 displaced households the Federal Emergency Management Agency has worked with have been placed in temporary shelters across the state, such as hotels, apartments and mobile homes, FEMA said. The remaining households have already found long-term housing, a spokesperson said.

While the temporary housing program was scheduled to end on Dec. 12, federal officials said that FEMA caseworkers wouldn’t force people from their temporary quarters and that they would work urgently to find them permanent shelter.

FEMA has spent $262 million on individual rental assistance and home repairs for Helene survivors in North Carolina, a spokesperson said. Another $274 million went to repairing infrastructure and removing debris. More financial help will be coming, the spokesperson said, but how much hasn’t been established yet.

Local officials said they are grateful for the assistance, but much more aid will be needed to restore Asheville, Biltmore Village and surrounding areas to their former condition.

Manheimer and other North Carolina officials traveled to Washington last month to ask President Joe Biden and members of Congress for $25 billion to repair homes, roads, bridges and other infrastructure in western North Carolina.

“We’re asking for so many exceptions and rules [to be] interpreted broadly, because this was an abnormal hurricane because of landslides, massive flooding, wind damage and large amounts of debris,” Manheimer said.

Private road and bridge repairs are costly, and there isn’t a specific federal program designed to repair them, she said.

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — The reopening of a section of Interstate 40 in western North Carolina that collapsed during Hurricane Helene’s historic flooding has been delayed after more asphalt from eastbound lanes fell this week, the state Department of Transportation said on Friday.

The primary road connection between North Carolina and eastern Tennessee was severed in late September as flooding in the Pigeon River gorge washed away over 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) of I-40’s eastbound lanes.

Transportation crews and contractors had focused initially on reopening the westbound lanes in Haywood County to two-way traffic during the first week of January. Now the new damage will keep it closed until engineers determine the area is safe enough for drivers in such a narrow pattern in the gorge, according to a state DOT news release.

“It is an unfortunate situation,” division engineer Wanda Payne said. “It’s a new hurdle that we have to overcome in order to provide a safe facility for the travelling public.”

The department attributes the new slide to wet weather and freeze-thaw conditions. Contractors have been working to stabilize one lane in each direction from Harmon Den to the Tennessee line, or about 7 miles (11.3 kilometers).

“We would like to open the corridor as soon as it is safe to do so,” Payne said. “We know it is a critical route for folks who live here, visit here and travel through here.”

Hurricane Helene and its resulting destruction damaged roads and bridges in more than 6,900 sites, according to a state government damage and needs assessment report. The department, its contractors and partners have reopened more than 1,200 roads that were closed.

HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. (FOX Carolina) – The North Carolina Department of Transportation said new damage will delay the reopening of Interstate 40. The interstate was heavily damaged during Hurricane Helene.

A large chunk of asphalt fell away in an eastbound lane of I-40 near the Pigeon River Gorge. Officials said wet and freezing weather contributed to the slide.

Crews initially hoped to reopen the interstate during the first week of January, but it will remain closed until it is deemed safe.

“It is an unfortunate situation,” NCDOT Division 14 Engineer Wanda Payne said. “It’s a new hurdle that we have to overcome in order to provide a safe facility for the traveling public.”

Engineers are working to stabilize the damage with additional soil nails.

Drivers are reminded about the designated detours in place to drive.

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