TDOT: I-40 in Cocke County to reopen in coming weeks

COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced Saturday that crews will work over the next two weeks to reopen Interstate 40 in Cocke County near the North Carolina state line.

TDOT Region One Spokesperson Mark Nagi said there will be one lane open in each direction on I-40 between the Tennessee/North Carolina state line and Exit 447 at Hartford Road. All traffic will be pushed to the westbound lanes.

I-40 is currently closed at Exit 447 for westbound drivers and Exit 440 for eastbound drivers.

The roadway was closed due to flooding and after a portion of it washed away during the storms brought to the region by Helene. A spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Transportation told News Channel 11’s sister station 6 News during the storms that the pavement was damaged or washed away in several spots between the Tennessee-North Carolina border and mile marker 4.

While I-40 remains closed, non-commercial traffic is able to travel from Tennessee to North Carolina on US US 441/Newfound Gap Road through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Because of an influx of “illegal, large commercial vehicles,” the National Park Service is temporarily closing Newfound Gap Road overnight between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

For drivers looking to get to North Carolina, the Tennessee Department of Transportation has shared another route, urging thru traffic in Tennessee to take I-81 North to Virginia and then take I-77 South into North Carolina.

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