Another section of asphalt broke off from an eastbound lane of Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge this week, further postponing the highway’s reopening, according to a recent announcement by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
NCDOT stated that its teams and contractors had originally aimed to reopen the interstate during the first week of January after it suffered significant damage from Hurricane Helene in late September. However, the newly discovered damage will keep the road closed until transportation and geotechnical engineers determine it is safe to allow traffic through the gorge in a restricted two-lane configuration.
“It is an unfortunate situation,” NCDOT Division 14 Engineer Wanda Payne said. “It’s a new hurdle that we have to overcome in order to provide a safe facility for the traveling public.
“We would like to open the corridor as soon as it is safe to do so. We know it is a critical route for folks who live here, visit here and travel through here.”
According to NCDOT, wet weather and freeze-thaw cycles contributed to the latest slide on I-40. Geotechnical engineers visited the site on Thursday, Dec. 19, to develop a stabilization plan, which will involve installing additional soil nails similar to those used at 10 other damaged spots along a four-mile stretch on the North Carolina side of the state line. Engineers will continue to monitor the site as work progresses into the winter and will recommend further stabilization if needed.
The contract to stabilize the eastbound lanes and provide a safe one-lane passage in each direction from Harmon Den to the state line was awarded to Wright Brothers Construction, with GeoStabilization International as a subcontractor. NCDOT is currently collaborating with Wright Brothers Construction on a supplemental agreement for the new repairs.
Drivers are reminded to use the designated detours to travel safely and efficiently between North Carolina and Tennessee.
Since Hurricane Helene’s destruction in late September, NCDOT and its partners have managed to reopen over 1,200 roads previously closed due to the storm.
