Federal Aid Requested to Cover Impact of I-40 Rockslide

Update 11/18/09 12:40 p.m.
Gov. Bev Perdue requested assistance, wednesday, from the federal government for businesses affected by the closure of Interstate 40 because of the rock slide of Oct. 25.
In asking for a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster declaration, Perdue sought funding to help businesses in Haywood County cover normal operating expenses.
If approved, the declaration will make low-interest loans available to help eligible business owners pay expenses until the interstate reopens. Also eligible will be Buncombe, Henderson, Jackson, Swain and Transylvania counties.
“Interstate 40 is a major commercial route through western North Carolina and many local businesses depend upon that traffic for their livelihood,” Perdue said. “These federal loans would offer needed assistance to businesses that have been impacted since the rockslide.”

Several business owners have asked the state for financial assistance after they experienced a dramatic decrease in business activity over the past three weeks. A major rockslide Oct. 25 near the Tennessee border has shut down that portion of Interstate 40 for several months while crews work to remove the debris and repair the road. Traffic has been rerouted along interstates 26 and 81.

“It’s encouraging to see this process moving forward so quickly, as I-40’s closure has harmed tourism, transportation and other businesses in our region,” said Congressman Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville. “Many of these companies are usually profitable but will need some assistance over the next several months until the road is reopened.”

An SBA disaster declaration for economic injury would enable business owners to apply for low interest loans to pay for repairs and loss of revenue. If the request is approved, business owners will be advised of the process for applying for loans.

Update 11/09/09 5:40 p.m.
INTERSTATE 40 ROCKSLIDE UPDATE FOR NOVEMBER 9
FROM SCDOT:
Construction workers from contractor Phillips & Jordan today continued to work on bringing loose rock down the rockslide slope and break up the boulders along the bottom of the slope in preparation for hauling it away.

Crews worked on clearing out the middle of the slope, more than 50 feet above Interstate 40, using a track hoe. On Sunday, crews detonated about 1,200 pounds of explosives in an attempt to clear a rock mass that is about 60 feet wide, 80 feet tall and 20 feet thick, which is about the size of a small apartment building. The mass could not be cleared, so subcontractor Janod Construction is in the process of drilling holes to set more explosives Tuesday, weather permitting. Due to the terrain and safety concerns, crews will not conduct blasting in wet weather.

Crews continued to break up the boulders at the bottom of the slide using hoe rams. Hauling operations of the debris are tentatively scheduled to begin this week. The plan will continue to be evaluated to ensure safety.

A track hoe is an excavator that consists of an articulated arm, a bucket on the end of the arm and a cab for the operator mounted on a rotating platform. A hoe ram replaces the bucket and is a powerful percussion hammer – much like a jackhammer – that is used to break up large boulders.

Update 11/03/09 3:37pm
INTERSTATE 40 ROCKSLIDE UPDATE FOR NOV. 3

Rock blasting began today, continues tomorrow

RALEIGH – Just after 1 p.m., contractors blasted rock along the face of the mountain slope, as well as several large boulders on the road. They are drilling holes in preparation to continue the process tomorrow afternoon. This work will continue over the next couple weeks before any material is hauled away from the site.

N.C. Department of Transportation geotech experts are on site inspecting the slope. They are working with the contractors to determine the next blasting points and inspecting the rock formation to see how much more material needs to be removed.

Update 10/30/09 11:37pm
Equipment has arrived from New York to help clean up a rockslide on North Carolina.

Friday crews will use that equipment to break up rocks on the ground.

On Thursday, the NCDOT said it will take at least 4 months to reopen two lanes of I-40 after the rockslide and it will take longer to get it completely reopened.

Gov. Beverly Perdue signed an emergency declaration, which will enable the state to ask the Federal Highway Administration for federal funding.

The NCDOT announced a three-step plan Tuesday to deal with the situation at the three mile marker of I-40 near the North Carolina/Tennessee border.

Interstate 40 is now closed at exit 20 in North Carolina to exit 451 in Tennessee.

Unstable rock in the lower and middle sections of the slide will be removed and large boulders will be blasted into small pieces in phase one.

DOT says Tuesdays rain may be beneficial because it could wash away some of the loose debris.

The public is in no danger because the road is closed in both directions.

The rocks removed from the side of the mountain and the pieces of blasted boulders will be used to construct a ramp that will enable specialty equipment - on the way from New York - to climb to the top of the slide area in the second phase.

Phase three will have crews removing rock from the top down to the bottom and the slope will be stabilized.

Temporary asphalt will be laid on the highway until permanent paving is done in the spring.

The cost of the project could reach $10 million.

Detour around rock slide

Travelers can still reach Western North Carolina via a number of routes. An official detour has been set up for inter-state traffic. Motorists traveling west to Tennessee should take I-40 West to I-240 West (Exit 53b) in Asheville to I-26 West (Exit 4a). Follow I-26 West from Asheville to I-81 South (Exit 8a) in Tennessee, back to I-40. Eastbound motorists will follow the reverse directions.