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Rockslide Floods, Closes Stretch of I-40 Near Tenn.-N.C. Line Damaged by Helene in 2024

A rockslide and flooding close a section of I-40 near Tenn.-N.C. line, causing a two-week interstate shutdown. The area, previously damaged by Helene, sees recurring road hazards, affecting travel to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Motorists advised to seek alternate routes.

Mon June 23, 2025 - Southeast Edition
CEG


A tractor-trailer and several other vehicles were stuck in mud and swamped by the brown water on the flooded roadway   (NCDOT photo) The state’s Department of Transportation is working hard to reopen the major east-west thoroughfare before the busy July 4th weekend.   (TDOT photo) The rockslide occurred at mile marker 450 on I-40 in Cocke County, Tenn.   (TDOT photo) By June 19, crews had begun working to clear the mud and assess any road damage.   (TDOT photo)

Almost nine months after Hurricane Helene heavily damaged Interstate 40 near the Tennessee-North Carolina state line, forcing its closure until March 2024, a rockslide and road flooding on June 18, 2025, has once again shut down the freeway in the same area.

The interstate through the Pigeon River Gorge will be closed for at least two weeks, according to Mark Nagi, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). Any repairs and cleanup activities will be delayed until the water on the highway has receded, he added on the evening following the mishap.

By June 19, though, crews had begun working to clear the mud and assess any road damage.

The rockslide occurred at mile marker 450 on I-40 in Cocke County, Tenn.

Nagi posted a series of videos on social media showing the rockslide's aftermath, including a tractor-trailer and several other vehicles stuck in mud and swamped by the brown water on the flooded roadway. He later said that all traffic was moved out within hours of the flooding.

Before sunset on June 18, Nagi said geotechnical engineers were heading to the area, while noting that nearby Waterville Road was also flooded. A popular jumping-off point for kayaking and whitewater rafting, Waterville Road is now closed as well, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

The newspaper reported at midday June 19, 2025, that cars and trucks trapped in the mess were only freed after TDOT workers removed the interstate's center dividers.

As a result, TDOT said drivers will need to seek alternate routes, including using I-81 North to I-26 East in Tennessee.

The mountainous I-40 corridor near the state line is prone to rockslides. Since the section's completion in 1968, falling rocks and loose soil have frequently closed portions of the road, sometimes for weeks at a time.

To protect motorists from rockslides, a complex system of metal fences designed to hold back falling rocks was installed along the highway in both states years ago to prevent them from hitting the pavement below.

The interstate through the valley also is known for stunning views of the Pigeon River, steep grades and a steady stream of long-haul semis.

The site of the latest slide is just northeast of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which staddles the two states. As the country's most visited national park, the Smokies attract a lot of vehicles during the summer. The interstate's closure could pose difficulties for tourists heading to the park over the coming weeks.

Cocke County and adjacent counties in North Carolina were devastated last fall by Helene. After being shuttered for six months, I-40 reopened with one lane in each direction in late February, before a full resumption of service in March.

County officials also worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to rebuild the road in the wake of the storm.

Nagi's counterpart in western North Carolina, David Uchiyama, a spokesperson for NCDOT, said the suggested detour for drivers looking to drive into Tennessee is I-26 west to I-81. Trucks are prohibited from using secondary roads to access Tennessee and are restricted from taking Newfound Gap Road/U.S. Highway 441 in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Uchiyama said drivers are advised to check DriveNC.gov to find the best detour routes.

"For now, traffic on I-40 East must exit at Hartford Road (Exit 447), The established detour route for traffic heading to NC is I-81 North to I-26 East," Nagi said on X.

He added that more rain was predicted for the area in the coming nights.

Update: Several days after a rockslide and subsequent flooding shut down Interstate 40 in eastern Tennessee, Construction Equipment Guide learned June 23, 2025, that the state's Department of Transportation is working hard to reopen the major east-west thoroughfare before the busy July 4th weekend.

In an email to CEG, Mark Nagi, a communications officer for TDOT's region one, based in Knoxville, said "We are expecting the road to be back open on or before July 3," a date that will be within the two weeks department engineers initially predicted to again have the roadway open to traffic.




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