Agreed! I drive I-40 several times a year to get to Johnson City. It's a great road (or was until today!)
The problem with I 40 is between TN border Newport TN and Asheville. If you were going to Johnson City by I 40 in TN from the west you would take I 81 to 26 or from the east in NC 1 40 to 26.
The part of I 40 over the mountains is really messed up and repairs with be time consuming and expensive if the roads have collapsed or are unstable. This would be harder to repair than 1 95 near Philadelphia last year.