An additional chunk of asphalt fell away from an eastbound lane of Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge this week, delaying the reopening of the highway, according to a recent statement from the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
NCDOT said its crews and contractors initially focused on reopening the interstate the first week of January following severe damage from late September's Hurricane Helene. The new damage will keep it closed until transportation and geotechnical engineers deem the area safe for drivers to be in a narrow, two-lane pattern in the gorge.
“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.”
Wet weather and freeze-thaw conditions contributed to this latest slide on I-40, according to NCDOT. Geotechnical engineers were onsite Thursday, Dec. 19 to determine a solution to stabilize the new location. It will include additional soil nails similar to 10 other damaged locations along a four-mile stretch on the North Carolina side of the state line. NCDOT said engineers will continue to monitor the location as work transitions into the winter season and will recommend additional stabilization if necessary.
Wright Brothers Construction, with GeoStabilization International as a sub-contractor, was awarded the contract to stabilize the eastbound lanes and create a safe passage for one lane in each direction from Harmon Den to the state line. NCDOT staff is currently working with Wright Brothers Construction on a supplemental agreement for the new repairs.
NCDOT reminded drivers about the designated detours in place to drive to and from Tennessee as safely and efficiently as possible.
Since the devastation Helene caused in late September, NCDOT said, its contractors and partners have reopened more than 1,200 roads that were closed due to the storm.
