Tennessee – After a tough year of weather setbacks, Tennessee travelers can finally breathe a sigh of relief: Interstate 40 is open again, just in time for the Fourth of July rush. The scenic corridor connecting Tennessee to Asheville, North Carolina—vital for tourism and local commerce—was battered first by Hurricane Helene in October 2024, then again by rockslides and flooding in June 2025.
The back-to-back disasters devastated historical sites, stranded residents, and shuttered businesses across the Smokies. But thanks to the heroic efforts of the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), the road is now passable. Crews cleared debris from four separate slide zones and repaired the Waterville exit ramps in record time—finishing the job in just one week, despite an initial two-week estimate.
Currently, I-40 is operating with one lane in each direction and a reduced speed limit. Oversized vehicles are still restricted due to ongoing stabilization work from last year’s hurricane damage, not the recent slide. TDOT reminds drivers to slow down and stay alert in work zones…