I-40 To Re-Open Saturday

Saturday will be a big day for residents of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina who have been cut off from each other for five months. Interstate 40 will officially reopen on Saturday. The North Carolina Department of Transportation is reopening the interstate with one lane in each direction, utilizing the westbound lanes. NCDOT warns travelers that there may be delays when traveling through the affected area of the interstate as the speed limit will be only 40 mph and in some areas will be just 35 mph.

Parts of the eastbound side of I-40 were washed away by the Pigeon River during flooding on September 27. NCDOT officials say that the complete reopening of I-40 could take years.

Both TDOT and NCDOT say that even though I-40 will reopen, they are still recommending a detour of I-81 to I-26. Wide load trucks will not be permitted on the affected section of I-40 when it reopens on Saturday.