North Carolina details I-40 reconstruction progress
The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced Sept. 2 that new geotechnical information gathered during the reconstruction of Interstate 40 through the Pigeon River Gorge has resulted in revised cost and schedule estimates for the largest reconstruction project in NCDOT history.
Based on the information available, NCDOT’s current estimated cost to reconstruct the corridor is approximately $2.8 billion, compared with an approximately $2 billion estimate earlier this year.
The Department also estimates restoring four lanes of traffic by late 2029 and continues to evaluate opportunities to accelerate that timeline. The interstate has been open with one lane in each direction since March 2025.
New testing found deeper bedrock in some areas, which requires longer steel piles, which has increased the estimated cost and timeline to complete these repairs, NCDOT said.
“This is the most complex reconstruction NCDOT has ever conducted, and we remain focused on delivering the safest, most durable solution while carefully managing taxpayer dollars,” North Carolina Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson said. “We are rebuilding while we continue to investigate and design, which means our understanding of the work becomes more precise as construction advances. We will continue to be transparent as those estimates evolve, while looking for every opportunity to reduce costs and restore four lanes of traffic as quickly as possible without compromising the long-term resilience of this critical interstate.”
The five-mile section of interstate was washed out during Hurricane Helene nearly two years ago.
NCDOT said the reconstruction of the interstate is extremely robust. The combination of roller-compacted concrete walls, interlocking pipe pile walls and associated elements are designed to withstand forces that were exerted by the Pigeon River during Hurricane Helene. It is intended to make the interstate more resilient to the hydraulic forces likely to be associated with future extreme events.
“History shows us that I-40 in the Gorge is vulnerable to flooding and failure, and not addressing the vulnerabilities now would result in the same damages at some point in the future,” said NCDOT Engineer Wesley Grindstaff, who oversees highway operations in the 10 westernmost counties. “The cost and consequence of slope failure is very high along this critical transportation corridor.”
[Related: ‘All roads in Western NC should be considered closed’: The aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024]
Highway Angel recognized for helping driver during medical emergency
Joann McNabb, a truck driver for Frito-Lay Transportation, has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association for her actions after recognizing that a fellow truck driver was experiencing a medical emergency on I-94 in Michigan.
Joann McNabb
The truck initially slowed significantly in the middle lane. When McNabb moved into the left lane to pass, the truck suddenly began drifting toward her lane. She sounded her horn, causing the truck to move back, but the driver soon began drifting again.
The driver crossed between lanes, moved onto the shoulder and then began drifting back across the highway. McNabb and another motorist repeatedly sounded their horns, but the driver did not appear to respond. That’s when McNabb realized something more serious could be happening.
“I thought maybe this was a medical emergency because I wasn’t getting his attention, and neither were other cars that were honking,” McNabb said.
McNabb turned on her four-way flashers and maintained a safe distance behind the truck while another motorist did the same. The two vehicles helped block lanes behind the semi as they followed, creating a buffer for other motorists as the truck continued along the shoulder. The truck eventually struck the concrete wall, sending debris across the roadway. Despite the collision, it continued moving along the shoulder for approximately another mile. McNabb was already on the phone with state police.
“I told them, ‘He’s already hit the wall,’” she said. “But he’s continuing to drive. I think something is seriously wrong.”
When the truck finally stopped, McNabb and the other motorist stopped their vehicles and ran to help. She found the driver slumped over behind the wheel. Because the driver’s side door was locked and the opposite side was against the wall, she pounded on the window and called out to him. Eventually, the driver regained enough awareness to open the window.
McNabb opened the door, climbed into the cab, pulled the truck’s air brakes and shut off the engine. The driver appeared confused and disoriented. McNabb noticed that his mouth was drooping and that he was drooling.
“I’m like, this guy had a stroke, or is having a stroke,” McNabb said.
She immediately alerted arriving police officers and firefighters to her concerns. Firefighters connected the driver to medical equipment and determined that he was experiencing an active stroke. An ambulance arrived and transported the driver to a hospital for emergency treatment. McNabb remained with the driver as emergency personnel prepared him for transport.
“I told him everything was going to be OK,” McNabb said. “At this point, he’s in good hands.”
[Related: Owner’s push past near-disaster to 45 years, millions of miles]
