The Tennessee Department of Transportation has listed two interstate detours for motorists as crews work to restore I-26 and I-40 on the North Carolina- Tennessee state line.
One detour to reach western North Carolina is to drive north. Motorists can take I-81 north to Virginia to reach I-77 south, then drive along I-40 west. Joey Barker, the communication specialist for the Virginia Department of Transportation says that the detour has led to higher levels of traffic.
“We've added some messaging on the electronic message boards just to let people know to take some extra caution with the increased traffic flow,” Barker said. “We have suspended all daytime lane closures for work construction projects along the interstates.”
Another route to western North Carolina is to take I-75 south to Georgia, hop on I-285 east, follow I- 85 north to South Carolina, then get on I- 26 west.
WUOT reached out to Georgia and South Carolina’s departments of transportation for comment.
Most counties in western North Carolina are limited to essential travel due to the conditions of the roads.
“Road conditions are becoming clearer in the affected area,” NCDOT spokesperson David Uchlyama said in an emailed statement, “However, travel between western North Carolina and Tennessee is extremely limited, especially for trucks.”
Trucks over 30 feet traveling between Tennessee and North Carolina are advised to take I-77 and I-81 in Virginia. Another route is to take US Route 74 eastbound to I-40. Trucks are not advised to use navigation apps such as Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps.
Routes curated by GPS devices have proven to be sticky for trucks following Helene. Local governments that are near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are turning around hundreds of truck drivers who try to pass through North Carolina and Tennessee through US Highway 441, more commonly referred to as Newfound Gap Road. The road is known for its tight curves and steep grades. Sevier County is urging truck drivers to not rely on GPS.
“Many navigation systems are directing vehicles onto inappropriate roads, such as Line Springs Road and US 441 (Newfound Gap Road), which are not intended for heavy commercial use,” according to a news release from Sevier County.
Sevier County and the National Park Service ask that all commercial vehicles use major highways and truck routes instead.
I-40 in Tennessee is expected to reopen soon for local traffic between the Tennessee state line and Cocke County but remains closed in North Carolina. TDOT says that local traffic can travel on I-26 between the state line and exit 40.
Updates on road closures can be found on the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s website.
This story was co-produced with students from the University of Tennessee's School of Journalism and Media.
