ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — With Interstate 40 still closed in the North Carolina mountains from Hurricane Helene flooding, officials are warning truckers not to use narrow, winding roads instead of designated highways.
Law enforcement handed out more than 100 tickets just on Thursday as drivers of “large trucks” tried to use “non-truck routes” to cross the North Carolina-Tennessee border, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
“Travel between western North Carolina and Tennessee is limited, especially for trucks greater than 30 feet long,” the NCDOT said on Thursday.
As of Saturday, 294 roads are still closed and an additional 42 roads are closed especially to truck traffic, according to the Hurricane Helene dashboard from the NCDOT.
The only large truck routes to/from western North Carolina are Interstate-77 to Interstate-81 or Interstate-40 to U.S. 74, officials said.
Photos posted by the NCDOT on Thursday showed trucks stuck on narrow, twisting roads and one truck that flipped along a small road at a drainage culvert.
“If GPS apps send you to other routes, don’t try it,” transportation officials said. “Doing so may lead to a ticket, getting stuck or even overturning.”
Several miles of I-40 are closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene, with crews still working on the highway through the Pigeon River Gorge.
Officials said Saturday that they plan to first open one lane of I-40 in each direction with the split at the tunnel near the Pigeon River. The NCDOT has targeted the I-40 partial reopening for New Year’s Day.
Meanwhile, North Carolina officials reported Saturday that more than 1,050 roads that were once closed are now open.
The department also reported that 99 roads in the mountains have partial access while nine roads were reopened by crews working during the last week.
