Is I-40 still closed? Interstate 40 at Tennessee/North Carolina border to open this spring

After a months-long closure of Interstate 40 at the North Carolina and Tennessee state line, the highway is expected to reopen this spring.

I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge has remained closed since late September when Hurricane Helene ripped through the region, leaving mass devastation in the storm’s wake. Helene temporarily closed or damaged thousands of roads in both Tennessee and North Carolina. The storm triggered at least 10 collapses alone across a 9-mile stretch of I-40 in North Carolina.

Originally, the highway was going to reopen to traffic in “early 2025,” however, another chunk of the road fell away from an eastbound lane in December, further delaying the possibility of establishing the traffic flow so soon.

Once the highway is deemed safe, I-40 across the state line will reopen in directions, according to David Uchiyama, spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

The heavily traveled four-lane highway will be reduced to just two narrowed lanes. This will accommodate eastbound and westbound traffic while leaving space for crews to work on long-term repairs with the goal of eventually opening the important route through the Appalachians.

Additionally, vehicles traveling through the gorge will have to obey a 40 mph speed limit. This logistical information has not changed since it was announced in November.

Commercial vehicles will be allowed to use the reopened highway, according to Uchiyama.

NCDOT and the Tennessee Department of Transportation are working together. Tennessee will open its side of the highway at I-40 Mile Marker 451 to the state line once North Carolina is “ready to handle traffic again,” according to TDOT spokesperson Drew Rutherford.

“TDOT and NCDOT have been and will continue to meet regularly to coordinate recovery efforts,” Rutherford said.

There will likely be congestion when I-40 reopens at the state line, according to Uchiyama. He “highly recommends” that drivers use an alternate route to travel between Tennessee and North Carolina.

A multiyear reconstruction plan for Interstate 40

To stabilize and reopen a portion of I-40 has taken NCDOT months. To fully repair I-40 at the gorge, it will take years, according to Uchiyama.

NCDOT hired Wright Brothers Construction, with GeoStabilization International as a sub-contractor, to stabilize the eastbound lanes, according to an NCDOT press release. Uchiyama said fully restoring I-40 could take “multiple years.”

“We are barely 10% into designing the reconstruction,” Uchiyama said.

Where is I-40 closed?

Still, you’re unable to drive across the Tennessee state line into North Carolina on I-40.

In Tennessee, there is one lane of traffic open in each direction between Mile Marker 446 and Mile Marker 451 at the state line. Commercial traffic cannot go any further than Mile Marker 440 on I-40 East, according to TDOT SmartWay.

The highway is closed in both directions from Mile Marker zero to 20 in North Carolina.

What part of I-40 collapsed due to Helene?

The initial partial collapse of Interstate 40 happened along the Pigeon River Gorge. Flooding from Tropical Storm Helene triggered a mudslide which caused part of the highway to collapse.

Following the devastating storm, I-40 East was closed from Mile Marker 432 in Tennessee until Mile Marker 3 in North Carolina. I-40 West was closed starting at Mile Marker 3 in North Carolina through Mile Marker 435 in Tennessee. Much of that highway stretch has reopened since.

How many people travel across I-40 at the gorge?

I-40 is a major thoroughfare through the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The stretch of I-40 in North Carolina that was damaged by Helene supports about 7,610 trucks daily and a total average daily traffic of over 26,000 vehicles.

How long is I-40?

The highway is 2,559 miles long. It passes through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina. Of that total, 455 miles of I-40 go through through Tennessee.

Knoxville News Sentinel reporter Myron Thompson contributed to this report.