A temporary repair for Interstate 40, which was damaged by Hurricane Helene, is set to start in mid-October, according to the Tennessee Governor. The storm, which hit at the end of September, destroyed nearly three miles of the eastbound lanes near the Tennessee-North Carolina border, leading to significant travel disruptions on this vital highway.
“This particular stretch of highway is incredibly important not only for Tennessee for the people that come – that drive in and out of Tennessee – but it’s important for North Carolina because the repairs that have to be made on the North Carolina side of I-40 will have to be delivered through Tennessee,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said.
Repairs on the critical route will begin by October 18th at the latest, but the full restoration of the road isn’t anticipated to be finished until 2025, according to a report by WRAL. However, an official timeline for completion has not yet been provided.
“Already under contract, already underway as you can see work being done to turn this interstate at least into a two-way traffic road temporarily until permanent fixes are made, but a lot of work being done, very hopeful, very collaborative, and we won’t stop until we get it done,” Lee said. “It is tragic that we’ve lost as much life as we have here, but it is a blessing that there was no one lost on this highway stretch.”
