I-40 is fully open to traffic in North Carolina near the Tennessee border, a year after a huge rock slide shut down the Interstate.

The last orange construction barrel was removed from Interstate 40 near the Tennessee line in Haywood County at 4:45 p.m. Friday, signaling the re-opening of all lanes of the interstate to traffic.

The Oct. 25, 2009 rock slide shut down the stretch of highway for six months. Three lanes opened in April; one westbound lane remained closed between Harmon Den (Exit 7) and the Tennessee border to allow crews to work on rockslide and stabilize eight separate sites nearby. Crews removed loose boulders, rock and debris and installed rock bolts in these areas.

Over the next several weeks, motorists may encounter an occasional temporary lane closure lasting no more than a few hours as equipment is moved from the sites and work is completed on the site of the major rockslide.