[Diana in Wisconsin]

Officials estimate it will take another two to three years to fully restore I-40 to its original four-lane capacity. However, this timeline is contingent on several factors, including material availability and weather conditions.

“We’re about 10 to 12 percent into designing a permanent solution,” Tanner said.

“We are happy to have this open for the people who depend on a connected transportation system between North Carolina and Tennessee,” said NCDOT Division 14 engineer Wanda Payne.

[V_TWIN]

What a difference a REAL president makes

[scrabblehack]

One lane in each direction - 35 mph. Driving the gorge, especially at night, is not easy. If I were a trucker I think I would still do I-81/I-26.

[wildcard_redneck]

We built the original freeway much quicker than that. We have devolved under the communists.

[C19fan]

Great news. The family vacationed in Gatlinburg, TN area. We would take a day trip to and fro Asheville, NC to visit the Biltmore. Glad to know we can do that agsin next time we are in the area.

[Stosh]

Real pretty drive before that stretch of I-40 was obliterated by the hurricane - but even before that, one would have to contend with the occasional land-slide, including one that trapped some unlucky travelers in one of the tunnels.