Asheville – I-26 was once again drivable, and work on I-40 west of Asheville was not interfering with traffic at all. However, on June 18, approximately three inches of rainfall in just a few hours caused a rockslide on I-40, just west of the North Carolina state line. This incident occurred along the same 12-mile stretch of road that had been devastated by the rapid floodwaters of the Pigeon River, which were stirred up by Hurricane Helene. This stretch had remained closed for six months before a single lane in each direction could reopen. Stabilization of the slopes above and below the highway is expected to take years. Currently, the highway is closed again in both directions until at least July 4.
The official detour now directs drivers on I-40 in Asheville up I-26 to Johnson City and then back to I-40 via I-81. This detour adds anywhere from 50 to 100 miles to a trip to Knoxville, depending on how much backtracking on I-40 is necessary. While taking winding, sloping mountain roads can reduce travel time, the official route considers factors such as the ban on commercial truck travel through Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which was imposed after too many trucks became stuck attempting the route.
In simpler terms, people trying to visit or leave Weaverville have been and will continue to see solid red lines in their navigation apps. The area was waterlogged, necessitating drainage and possibly foundational reconstruction. Geotechnical engineers are currently assessing damages and developing a scope of work.
The latest misfortune occurred too late to be included in “WNC Strong: Rebuilding Western North Carolina’s Transportation System Following Catastrophic Damage from Hurricane Helene.” This report was compiled by TRIP (The Road Information Project), a private nonprofit based in Washington, DC, with sponsors that include insurance companies, transportation engineering groups, and teamsters unions.
The very brief report concludes, “NCDOT estimates that deferring maintenance on its transportation system as a result of redirected funding in the wake of Hurricane Helene would have significant long-term impacts on the overall condition of the transportation system. If approximately $1.4 billion is redirected from the state’s highway fund over the next five years (an average of $300 million each year), the statewide route score, which evaluates the condition and smoothness of pavements, would drop from its current level of 83 to 71 in five years.”
As of this month, the estimate for Helene-related repairs to the state’s transportation system stands at $4.953 billion. The federal government has offered to cover 81% of these expenses, leaving the NCDOT responsible for diverting $917 million from its capital improvement plan and scheduled maintenance program. “Without additional funding to pay for needed road, highway, and bridge repairs in Western North Carolina,” the report states, “the state may risk further deterioration of its other state-maintained roads and bridges.”
The report indicated that $917 million is about three times what the NCDOT spends each year on its Bridge Program or 1.5 times what it spends on resurfacing. It also noted that Hurricane Helene damaged 9,370 road sites, 73% of which would require rebuilding of the underlying structure. Additionally, Helene affected 818 bridges and closed 1,400 roads, contributing significantly to its estimated -$200 billion economic impact. The report described the current reconstruction effort as the NCDOT’s “largest ever reconstruction program.”
Furthermore, the Asheville Regional Airport had to close for two and a half days, and it took several days for its full flight schedule to resume. Norfolk Southern, CSX, Blue Ridge Southern, Great Smoky Mountains, and Caldwell County railroads also experienced outages while tracks were cleared and earthwork and trestles were rebuilt.
The report acknowledged Governor Josh Stein and NCDOT Secretary Joey Hopkins for their efforts. They wrote a joint letter to Congress “asking for its support expediting and maximizing Helene reimbursements so NCDOT can avoid disruption to its non-Helene related program.”