Interstate 40 on fast track to reopening
Haywood County Commission Chairman Kevin Ensley (left) speaks with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Interstate 40 in Haywood County on the morning of Feb. 10.
Kyle Perrotti photo
A visit from U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and comments made by North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein have given residents of Western North Carolina and East Tennessee considerable reasons for optimism as the region continues to recover from Hurricane Helene.
Surveying damage with local officials today, Stein announced Interstate 40 — portions of which were washed away in the Sept. 27, 2024 extreme weather event — would reopen with one lane of traffic in each direction on March 1, according to News Editor Kyle Perrotti, who joined Duffy; Stein; N.C. Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins; Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd; Reps. Chuck Edwards and Tim Moore; Haywood County officials; leaders from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; and other media on the tour.
A press release from Duffy’s office issued today makes clear that the project will achieve significant progress quicker and cheaper than previously thought. That press release is reprinted below, in its entirety.
ASHEVILLE, NC – Today, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy visited North Carolina and Tennessee to assess the damage along I-40 caused by Hurricane Helene and received an update on the ongoing recovery efforts from state and federal officials.
“Our hearts broke last year watching Hurricane Helene ravage the communities in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “When one part of our country hurts, our entire nation hurts and that is why it is my priority to help the people of North Carolina and Tennessee rebuild this critical highway, ensuring their communities stay connected to the rest of both states.”
During the visit, Secretary Duffy also announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and U.S. Forest Service have partnered in their efforts to help USDOT obtain a “Special Use” permit to use rock from Forest Service land and extract construction materials from the local river. This will allow the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to get construction materials from a nearby river, just 1 to 3 miles away, instead of transporting them from 20 to 50 miles away, a process that would have tripled both the cost and duration of the project. This permit is a commonsense solution to reduce the time it would take to rebuild the highway and significantly cut down on costs.
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“President Trump directed me to build infrastructure faster, better, and more affordably,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “That is why, when we recently identified a path to reduce I-40’s construction costs and timeline by as much as two-thirds of the original Biden-era estimate, I immediately asked my team what we could do to help. Today’s announcement will help ensure we deliver this critical project more efficiently for the American people. Too often, the federal government creates obstacles that slow recovery and drive up costs. This time, we're cutting through those burdensome barriers to get the job done, ensuring USDOT's full support for our state partner's success every step of the way throughout this project.”
As repairs move forward, Secretary Sean Duffy reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to ensuring that red tape does not stand in the way of rebuilding efforts. The federal government will continue working alongside state and local officials to provide the necessary resources and streamline approvals to help these communities recover.
This is a developing story. Check back for more in the next issue of The Smoky Mountain News, online and on newsstands on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
