Rock Slide Forces Closure Of I-40 In Haywood County; Traffic Information Available

A rock slide on Interstate 40 in Haywood County has shut down a portion of the interstate at the North Carolina-Tennessee border, potentially for months. 

Engineers told the media Monday that it will take months to clear all the rocks and restore normal travel on I-40.  They are also trying to figure out how dangerous the situation is, how to fix it and how to keep more rock from falling.  Some of the rocks are the size of a small house.  Two cars and a tractor trailer were totalled in the rock slide but there are no reports of major injuries.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation says the rock slide happened around 2 am Sunday morning at mile marker 2.6 in Haywood County, near the Tennessee border. Department of Transportation officials say that a contractor has already been selected and is en route to begin cleanup operations. while an emergency declaration has been declared.

Officials say that the cleanup could take several months to complete due to the extent of the slide. Department of Transportation members say that a top-down method may be used to remove the debris and stabilize the slide area. The Department of Transportation is working with the US Forestry Service in cleanup operations.

A detour for motorists has been established.

Department of Transportation officials say that motorists traveling west to Tennessee should take Interstate 40 West to Interstate 240 West in Asheville to Interstate 26 West. Follow Interstate 26 West from Asheville to Interstate 81 South in Tennessee and back to Interstate 40. Eastbound motorists will follow the reverse directions.  NCDOT says that this detour will take you 50 more miles then you would already travel on this route.

NCDOT says to check their website for real time updates and Twitter updates.