The N.C. Department of Transportation has identified two sites within Pisgah National Forest to extract and store materials critical to rebuilding a heavily damaged section of Interstate 40 following Hurricane Helene.
A 33-acre site will be used to mine stone, while an adjacent 11.5-acre site will store overburden material. Officials say the locations, just across the Pigeon River from the storm-damaged corridor, will minimize environmental impacts and accelerate recovery efforts.
The U.S. Forest Service granted a Special Use Permit allowing NCDOT to evaluate multiple sites, ultimately selecting the ones with the least ecological impact. The Federal Highway Administration later issued a temporary easement for extraction.
“The U.S. Department of Transportation is committed to helping North Carolina rebuild, and with this site selection we are one step closer to rebuilding I-40 at lightning speed,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy in a statement.
Using nearby sites will reduce construction costs, shorten timelines and limit heavy truck traffic in the narrow two-lane section of I-40. Additional work underway includes causeway construction for data collection and bridge installation across the Pigeon River.
Crews are also preparing to build roller-compacted concrete and O-pile retaining walls. Once extraction begins, materials will be used to rebuild the interstate while agencies develop long-term forest restoration and wildlife habitat plans.
Reopened westbound lanes have already reconnected communities and supported economic recovery.
Source: North Carolina Department of Transportation, 828newsnow.com
