Latest on Western North Carolina: I-40 closure near NCTN line will last months, says Pete Buttigieg

North Carolina drivers hoping to drive to Tennessee will have to find a way around Interstate 40 after Helene badly damaged the interstate. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said the stretch of I-40 near the North Carolina-Tennessee border will be closed for months after being washed out by Tropical Storm Helene. The Tennessee DOT said a mudslide took out the eastbound lanes about three miles into North Carolina. As of Thursday, I-40 is closed from mile marker 432 in Tennessee east to mile marker 3 in North Carolina.

Buttigieg has been in touch with the NCDOT in discussing next steps and building a timeline for repairs. Buttigieg said the NCDOT plans to file for emergency relief, which will open up some new funding from the federal government. He said even with that there is no way the department has enough money to provide what the state needs, saying congress will need to pass legislation to provide more funding.

Video of the Pigeon River against the side of I-40 shows the water rushing beside the roadway. Part of the road ended up crumbling into the river.

Some people saw an alert on Google Maps indicating the road won't reopen until 2025. DOT leaders have not given an official estimated time for when the highway will be fixed.

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[jessicah]

It's beautiful to see so many communities come together to help fellow Americans ❤

[tylersanders]

My faith in humanity has been restored! I don't even live in North Carolina but this news cast certainly made me cry. I'm a grown man too. I love your state and always have.

[busterhackler]

People helping people its the only good news these days.

[chargeit]

Just got back power and internet here in Hendersonville, NC. I felt like a new man after a shower. Don't know what you've got till its gone. Thank you to all the men and women that worked there butts off to get us power and utilities back. I thought it would take months considering the sheer charnage the power lines were in here.

[champievlogs]

I'm gonna be donating every paycheck as long as I can afford to help our neighbor NC. From Anderson SC

[Sassy]

I saw a post on fb of a rancher using his mules to get supplies to people stranded. Mules are surefooted and sturdy animals. That's a good way to help find missing people too.

[bb]

Let's all take a moment and pray for all the wonderful people that have went through this terrible tragedy and especially the one's who have lost their lives. Please think hard before you post a negative comment we need to come together as a nation and learn to love each other, remember how we came together as a nation on 9/11. May God lay his hand on these wonderful people and help the pain go away. ❤

[beatleme]

194 people :( rest in peace - this is so devastating, lost my wife of 13 yrs to cancer last year, cant imagine losing love ones and everything also at once - good news is people helping one another there

[cassandraroper]

God knows. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones.😔

[robertd]

There are law firms, real estate firms, all kinds of businesses and organizations in the areas of NC not affected that are gathering truckloads of relief supplies from local people. Help is already there and massive amounts more are coming. We will take care of our neighbors to the west.

[pttpforever]

I traveled through that section of I-40 many, many times in the 40 years I lived in WNC. I saw for myself how much the DOT has done to secure that road from rock slides above the road. Just yesterday I watched a YT video posted by a civil engineer who explained that the type of rock that road goes through at the TN/NC border is very prone to fracturing. And now large sections of it are washed out from under it. This flood is a once in a thousand year event. I don't think we can blame the DOT for this in any way. Unless you've driven on that road, you have no idea what it's like. And no, I don't work for or even know anyone who works for the DOT.

[ThomasThompson-gevr]

I'm so glad to see people helping

[GardenMinistry.]

Our community in SC is collecting food and other items to send to Western North Carolina by helecopter!! We are all praying for you and trying our best to help in the littles ways we can! Blood donations too!

[melanie]

They should divide the goods and set up many lines so it moves faster for the people waiting. A single very long line is torturous for the people standing in it and wasted time.

[canu-dklw]

Thank you for info. People need more info and updates on resources.

[compulsive_curiosity]

It needs to be noticed that it was largely not the human built stuff that failed, but the natural environment that succumbed to the deluge, taking the infrastructure with it.

[XtremiTeez]

I-40 was NOT taken out by a mudslide. It was eroded away from beneath by the Pigeon River. That is a HUGE difference and I can't believe you would have such shoddy reporting.

[rosemariebredahl]

There are still areas that need grid-style searches for stranded people beyond functional road access (by drone, helicopter, & by foot, , Etc.).
Very labor intensive!

[beckync]

How can the count of those without power be figured? Many don’t have homes anymore to even have power. 😢

[kampfirecircle]

The number of dead is significantly higher, but the body count only goes off of the bodies to be id’ed by their friends or family