I-40 closed near TN/NC border due to flooding

Helene’s Wrath: North Carolina Towns Isolated, Dozens Dead | Weather.com

 

This is exactly where I live and run. I just bought a few acres about 10 miles north of Truckermania's picture above (of I-26 in Erwin). For those unfamiliar, if you've seen the pics and video of the hospital flooded with people on the roof that is just to the left side of this picture, it's just out of the frame. Right there is where the Nolichucky drops off the mountain and across 26 at Erwin. Not only is I-26 out for a LONG time and 40 is in the Gorge as we saw above, there are bridges out on 107 through Greeneville and also in Hot Springs. Fancy Gap to the north or #### near to Atlanta in the south are going to be the only ways across for a good long time.

Grrrrrrr......

 

Parts of I-40, I-26 to remain closed for days, according to NCDOT

 

I just found this excellent no-nonsense video of what's going on in East TN and western NC but I'd like to know more about NC.



For those unaware of how badly western NC was hit here is a pic of Chimney Rock along Hwy 74 today southeast of Asheville. This is near Lake Lure.

 

Biltmore Village in Asheville was inundated!
Aerial: Biltmore Village Submerged In Asheville - Videos from The Weather Channel

 

How do you even fix something like that? It looks like it's all dirt and mud, nothing solid to build on. They would have to build a giant retaining wall and fill it up with earth.

 

That's kinda what they did to I-40 from the last mudslides/rockslides....... and it washed the retaining wall right away.....

 

They'll need to drive some deep piles. Not sure how deep bedrock is through there, but I've seen piles driven well over 100' in midwest flood plains. You can usually see the length of the pile spray painted on them as they're driving them.

 

I saw the army headed that way on 40 near Greensboro