North Carolina to Partially Reopen I-40, Permanent Reconstruction Coming
Work will continue the next few weeks on inspecting and stabilizing the westbound lane of I-40 in Pigeon River Gorge.
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Four months after partially collapsing during Hurricane Helene, two lanes on North Carolina’s Interstate 40 through the Pigeon River Gorge will reopen March 1, reconnecting the interstate with Tennessee, according to NCDOT.
Work will continue the next few weeks on inspecting and stabilizing the westbound lanes, installing 40 mph speed signs and adding a 9-inch curb between the two lanes.
One lane will open each way on I-40 between Exit 20 and Exit 15 for non-Helene construction, as well as from Exit 7 to the state line with Tennessee and about 5 miles after that.
About a month after Hurricane Helene hit the state, the North Carolina DOT awarded a $10 million contract to Wright Brothers Construction of Asheboro to stabilize the westbound lanes of I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge, as well as GeoStabilization as the subcontractor.
Their work included using 530 cubic yards of shotcrete, 2,088 linear feet of soil nails, 15,200 pounds of steel in the center curb, 4 miles of fortified shoulder to carry heavy truck traffic and the installation of 90,000 square feet of soil-nail wall.
Ames Construction will serve as the prime contractor on the upcoming permanent reconstruction of I-40, along with RK&K as the designer and HNTB as the project manager.
Hurricane Helen made landfall in Florida on September 27 as a Category 4 storm before heading north and shutting down hundreds of roads in North Carolina. I-40 became impassable in multiple locations as portions of the interstate collapsed, and I-26 closed at the Tennessee state line.
