Haywood EMS considers how to navigate I-40 ahead of partial re-open
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It’s been about five months since the 20-mile stretch of Interstate 40 in Haywood County up to the Tennessee state line has been shut down due to massive damage over a span of about three miles, but as of now, one lane of travel in each direction is expected to be restored next week.
The news is a welcome relief for people who depend on the route regularly, especially commercial truck drivers, as well as business owners in Western North Carolina expecting to see a bit more traffic with the thoroughfare open.
However, ahead of the return of traffic to the Pigeon River Gorge, Haywood County Emergency Services is letting people know that response times in the area are going to be slow, and there are some details still to be ironed out regarding how ambulances and other vehicles will navigate around traffic. EMS Public Information Officer Allison Richmond said that for now, and quite likely until I-40 reopens entirely, drivers should still consider using alternate routes to reach Eastern Tennessee.
“I think this should really be considered an emergency route and not a primary route at this time,” Richmond said.
“That stretch has always been narrow, and with this just one lane in each direction, it’s going to be even narrower,” she added.
Responders and officials from NCDOT and other agencies have been meeting to discuss how to handle the issues that come along with emergency response on such a difficult stretch of road. Along with one lane opening up in each direction, there will also be an emergency lane on what used to be the eastbound side of the highway that Richmond said is almost exactly the width of an ambulance, meaning response will be slow, and swapping paint or kissing side mirrors with others in traffic may become a more regular occurrence.
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This makes conditions more dangerous not only for those in the ambulance but also others in traffic.
“Imagine if you have a vehicle sneaking out on the eastbound lane into our emergency lane, then you’re going to have vehicles approaching each other head on,” Richmond said.
With some calls, such as multi-vehicle collisions, often requiring the response of multiple agencies, another question has arisen: how can ambulances with patients onboard turn around and return eastbound toward a medical facility with a clear path ahead?
“That’s a question we’re still trying to figure out,” Richmond said. “We’re not entirely sure how to get an ambulance turned around other than doing a 300-point turn. There are breaks in the divider that are supposed to enable an ambulance to turn around, but I also imagine there’d be traffic there … we may have to drive up and turn around at the Tennessee line and come back, which is what we’ve had to do sometimes even without traffic.”
On some of the worst calls, collisions or other medical emergencies may require a medivac from Mission Health’s Mountain Area Medical Airlift (MAMA). Before, responders could usually clear a landing zone on a bridge along I-40, but because most bridges near the construction zone are also being worked on, that may not be possible. The landing zone could be established at the rest areas near mile marker 10, but Richmond said even that may not always work out.
“The rest area may still be an option, but that’s also where we’re going to tow cars to,” she said. Basically, depending on how busy that lot is, where to establish a landing zone will have to be a gametime decision.
When it comes to the consideration of whether there will be more collisions necessitating a larger emergency response, some have expressed fear that the narrow roads and 40 mile-per-hour speed limit (the Tennessee section under construction is 35), may lead to more emergencies. However, Richmond was also quick to point out that in the past when there’s been construction in that area that has led to only one lane of travel in each direction, traffic is often slow-moving, meaning the likelihood of serious collisions actually decreases.
“I don’t think you’ll see traffic even getting to (40 mph) unless it’s the middle of the night,” she said.
However, Richmond ultimately wanted to remind people — especially those with potential medical conditions that could necessitate an emergency response — that taking I-40 into Tennessee should probably still be avoided altogether.
“I would really caution people to think about making the best choice for them,” she said. “If you are someone who has a severe heart condition or you’re heavily pregnant, it’s not a good idea for you to be stuck in long traffic or potentially having to wait a long time for emergency services. I would strongly consider what my options were if I needed to drive to Tennessee.”
