MENU
SEARCHA 12-mile stretch of Interstate 40 between North Carolina and Tennessee, which has been closed since Hurricane Helene last September, is now open with one lane in each direction. What do truck drivers need to know?
Interstate 40 is opening with one lane in each direction in the Pigeon River Gorge.
Photo: North Carolina DOT
A 12-mile stretch of Interstate 40 between North Carolina and Tennessee, which has been closed since Hurricane Helene last September, is now open with one lane in each direction.
The highway has been closed to traffic since Hurricane Helene took out much of the eastbound lanes last September.
The westbound lanes have been stabilized to allow a one-lane stretch in each direction for approximately 12 miles from Cold Springs Creek Road (Exit 7) in North Carolina to Big Creek Road (Exit 447) in Tennessee.
Standard tractor-trailers are allowed, but wide loads are not. Wide loads must use I-77 and I-81 to travel between the two states.
Truck drivers should be aware that while they will be allowed to travel on I-40 through the gorge, there are no alternate routes available for them beyond Exit 20 (U.S. 276) — despite some GPS devices and mobile phone apps suggesting they can take an exit in the gorge.
This area will have lowered speeds, with a 40-mph limit in Tennessee and a 35-mph limit in North Carolina.
Drivers can expect:
Narrowed lanes with reduced shoulders
A 9-inch by 9-inch concrete curb separating traffic
Periodic breaks to provide EMS access
Transportation officials anticipate there will be delays passing through the gorge.
Nauto’s Stefan Heck says autonomous trucks are advancing quickly but proving they’re safe enough for large-scale deployment may be the industry’s hardest challenge.
Read More →
ATRI’s latest research points to litigation, social inflation, and soaring claims costs as key drivers behind record-high liability premiums for trucking fleets. But there are things motor carriers can do.
Read More →
The FMCSA continues its efforts to fight electronic logging devices that don't meet federal requirements, removing more than a dozen from the registered ELD list in May.
Read More →
The Supreme Court’s May 11 broker-liability ruling may not radically rewrite transportation law overnight. But industry experts say it will intensify pressure on brokers, carriers, and shippers to prove they are prioritizing safety.
Read More →
Some Fontaine Fusion flatbed trailer manufactured between February 2025, and March 2026 could have mainbeams weakened by hydrogen embrittlement because of a problem in the galvanizing process.
Read More →
Heavy Duty Trucking has extended the deadline for nominations for its Truck Fleet Innovators awards. The deadline has been extended to May 22.
Read More →
The unanimous SCOTUS ruling in the closely watched Montgomery v. Caribe case allows state negligence claims against freight brokers that hire unsafe motor carriers, raising new liability and vetting concerns among brokers.
Read More →
Can technology help prevent truck crashes? In this HDT Talks Trucking Short Takes episode, K&B Transportation explains how it’s using cameras, speed management tools, cellphone-blocking technology, and other systems to improve safety and reduce risk across its fleet.
Read More →
Fleet safety is evolving fast—and technology is at the center of it. Learn how a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.
Read More →
FMCSA's long-awaited registration system promises a single portal — and tighter fraud controls. And there are steps you need to take by May 14.
Read More →
