Rockslide in NC near Tennessee shuts Interstate 40

Wall? Did you see the size of some of the boulders blocking the westbound side (I think it's the wb side anyways from the pics)? It would take a hell of a wall to stop that momentum lol.

 

Plus, it's not the same spot as the last slide. It's a miles and a half away.

 

Yea I don't think you can build a retaining wall to hold back a mountain. If you look real closely you can see where they lay chain link fence over the side of a hill but that's probably to keep smaller boulders that are going to fall anyways from using momentum to find their way onto the roadway. When the whole mountain goes, stand back.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_40_in_North_Carolina

 

I hate driving through the gorge.

 

It will take 2 hours longer to take the detour. The road will be closed for at least 8 weeks.

 

Why so much longer? does that depend where ur coming from?
I worked out that is only 62 miles longer from my normal route.

 

One reason is that you have to take I-240, which is a parking lot several times a day, since it goes through Asheville. Then between Asheville and Johnson City are several mountains that are very steep. Next, you not only have the original traffic that always uses the detour route, now you have all the I-40 traffic added.

A pain, but much better that before the four lane was completed between Asheville and Johnson City, and also much better that when you had to use US 25.

 

i get paid by the mile, ill take the 166 mile detour!!

 

VERY STEEP MOUNTAINS?????? Where at? You aint left nc much have ya those are meerly hills

 

I live close to there, and yes, the detour has a couple of steep mountains. Why else would a 60 mile detour take two hours.