The Center Square – Interstate 26, a vital route for travelers near the North Carolina and Tennessee border, has reopened, bringing much-needed relief to residents of Unicoi County.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation completed a temporary causeway, allowing single-lane traffic in both directions on Wednesday, following the interstate’s collapse into the Nolichucky River during Hurricane Helene’s flooding in September.
While I-26 is now operational, Interstate 40 remains closed due to similar road collapse issues. Before the reopening, motorists had to detour through Erwin, a small town of approximately 6,000 residents, often doubling travel times.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation noted that overweight and wider vehicles are still barred from the causeway and must continue using the detour.
Jeff Simmons, a deacon at Riverview Baptist Church overlooking the collapsed bridges, expressed relief at the reopening. Just to get through town sometimes it’d take 20 minutes.
It should have been a 10-minute drive, he said, noting the heavy traffic impact on the community.
Simmons is also involved in rebuilding his church, which sustained significant damage.
The state Department of Transportation constructed the temporary causeway in just over a month, utilizing over 5,000 tons of asphalt and 33,000 tons of rock. Transportation Commissioner Butch Eley emphasized the project’s urgency, stating, This is about making sure that our people in this community and those around are able to access the basic needs that they’re trying to get to. The construction, completed in 33 days, typically would take several months.
Interstate 26 serves as a major route from Charleston, S.C., through Asheville, N.C., to Kingsport, Tenn., connecting with several other interstates, including I-95, I-77, I-20, I-385, I-85, I-40, I-240, and I-81.
Hurricane Helene, which weakened upon reaching the mountainous regions of western North Carolina and Tennessee, still brought heavy rainfall and flooding, resulting in 230 fatalities across seven states. Tennessee reported 18 deaths, while North Carolina mourned 101 lives lost.
In response to the widespread devastation, lawmakers from North Carolina and Tennessee have requested Congress to allocate funding for agricultural disaster assistance.
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