Hurricane Helene, converted into tropical storml, left behind in its wake a trail of devastation and multiple roads closed in western North Carolina. floods and downed trees due to heavy rain and wind gusts reaching between 30 and 55 miles per hour on the morning of Friday, September 27.
Governor Roy Cooper reported during an update on the state's situation after the storm, that more than 359 roads have been closed in the west of the state due to flooding, which has caused traffic problems and isolation of people.
“For western North Carolina, do not travel unless it's an emergency, as conditions will worsen, so people should consider all roads closed unless they are seeking higher ground. I urge people to stay informed and listen to local emergency response officials,” the governor said.
Respect barricades and do not drive through standing water
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) said all roads in the western part of the state may be considered closed and advised drivers not to travel through the area.
“You should not attempt to drive through standing water and should respect road closure signs and barricades. Those in Western North Carolina should seek higher ground and refuge in place,” an alert states.
More on Hurricane Helene in Western NC: Asheville's River Arts District under water from Tropical Storm Helene
Where to check which roads and highways are closed due to Hurricane Helene
On the NCDOT website, to see only the roads affected by the storm, you can activate the filter Incident map for Hurricane Helene on DriveNC.gov.
roads The most affected are:
- All lanes of I-26 are closed south of Asheville between Exits 44 (US 25) and Exit 53 (Upward Road) due to flooding. This road is expected to reopen after 2:00 p.m.
- All lanes of Interstate 40 are closed one mile west of Exit 64 (NC 9), near Black Mountain, due to flooding. The highway is expected to reopen at 3:00 p.m.
- I-40 is closed near Asheville between Exits 66 (Ridgecrest) and Exit 72 (Old Fort) due to a landslide. It is expected to reopen by 10:00 p.m.
- I-40 is closed near the Tennessee state line due to flooding. The road is expected to reopen at 1.00:XNUMX a.m.
- West NC-10 is closed from Long Drive to Sigmon Dairy Road in Newton due to downed trees and power lines.
- Stough Road is closed in both directions in Concord near Roberta Road.
- Jennings Road is closed in both directions near Redemption Road in Statesville.
- Philadelphia Church Road is closed near NC-200 in Stanfield due to a tree down on power lines.
- Both directions of Morehead Road were closed near Hudspeth Road in Concord due to downed trees and power lines.
- Union Road near Wilson Farm Road, near the South Carolina state line in Gaston County, is closed because the road is “impassable.”
- Shady Grove Road was closed in both directions near Nolden Creek in Burke County due to downed trees and power lines.
- John's River Loop closed in both directions near NC-18 near Morganton in Burke County due to rising water.
- Statesville Boulevard in Salisbury is closed due to flooding.
- Severe congestion on I-277 in Charlotte due to construction.
- Tree in roadway blocking I-77 in Charlotte near mile marker 18.6.
Where to find more information
You can view real-time traffic and road status maps from the North Carolina Department of Transportation on the website DriveNC.gov.
You can also find more information about the state of the roads at ReadyNC.gov
NCDOT has the 511 information line , so drivers can be aware of road conditions, including closures due to weather, construction, and accidents.
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