Traveling across Tennessee, North Carolina, and surrounding areas is causing majorchallenges after the devastation left by Hurricane Helene. The storm hit in late September, causing severe flooding and significant damage to towns. Sections of Interstate 40, a key route for truckers, washed away, complicating routes many take daily.
As crews continue to assess the damage and remove debris, many roadways and bridges remain closed. There will be significant detours through unfamiliar routes for a long time. According to Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), 14 state bridges arecurrently closed, with five of them destroyed. Among the most affected areas are Greene County, where state routes 107, 350, and 351 are closed; Unicoi County, where a section of Interstate 26 is closed at mile marker 39.6; and Washington County, where the State 81 Alfred Taylor Bridge washed away.
The closure of I-40 at the state line between Tennessee and North Carolina is one of the most significant disruptions to the roadways. TDOT Deputy Commissioner Will Reid emphasized that repairs will take time, and I-40 will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
For truckers navigating holiday traffic, these detours present extra challenges. With heavy holiday shopping and travel on the rise, extra time should be allocated. TDOT has been updating their roadway activity report, which includes road closures and detours. Truck drivers are encouraged to check this report before their travels.
You can find the latest updates here: TDOT Roadway Activity Report. TDOT also issued a warning to motorists: “All roads in upper east Tennessee should be considered potentially hazardous, and motorists should avoid traveling in these areas unless seeking higher ground. Motorists should adhere to all road closure signage and barricades and should never attempt to driver through standing water.”
With major highways like I-40 closed, expect increased traffic on alternate routes. This is especially true as more cars and trucks hit the road to meet the demands of holiday shopping and travel.
DriveNC.gov has a fantastic map that allows you to see all road closures. They released a report that says access is limited to local and hurricane response traffic. You cannot get from North Carolina to TN via I-40 or I-26. There may be closed roads not listed on DriveNC.gov as many areas are not able to report at this time. People evacuating the Asheville area can use I-40 east or I-26 east.
