A stretch of Interstate 40 could reopen to traffic in two weeks – but only within Tennessee, not traveling across the state line, the Tennessee Department of Transportation announced Oct. 5.
Sections of I-40 were w a shed away by the catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Helene, abruptly shutting down a major route between Tennessee and North Carolina.
TDOT is working to reopen I-40 from the Tennessee/North Carolina state line to mile marker 447/Hartford Road in Tennessee in two weeks’ time, department spokesperson Mark Nagi shared in an update on X, formerly known as Twitter. Traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction in what are normally the westbound lanes.
The interstate will remain closed between Tennessee and North Carolina, however, Nagi said.
Amid flooding on Sept. 27, a mudslide on the North Carolina side resulted in a partial collapse of the highway, according to Kelse Edwards, a communications director for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The Tennessee and North Carolina departments of transportation are working together to assess the extent of the damage on their respective sides of I-40.