NCDOT to Begin Inspecting Tunnels on I-40 in Haywood County

Posted on — Jake Frankel

Here’s the press release from the N.C. Department of Transportation:

RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Transportation will conduct inspections of three tunnels in the Pigeon River Gorge on Interstate 40 in Haywood County beginning Sunday, July 22, to study possible lighting upgrades. During the inspection, crews will also take the opportunity to examine the structural integrity of the tunnels.

The tunnels being examined are located between the Tennessee border and Exit 15 (Fines Creek). Two of the tunnels are on the eastbound side of the interstate and one is on the westbound side.

All work will take place between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. During work on the first I-40 East tunnel, the entire tunnel will be shut down and traffic will be routed along an adjacent service road. Work on the other two tunnels will be conducted by shutting down one lane of traffic.

The tunnels on I-40 East will be examined on the following dates:

First tunnel: Sunday, July 22-Wednesday, July 25, and Sunday, July 29
Second tunnel: Sunday, July 29-Wednesday, Aug. 1, and Sunday, Aug. 5-Monday, Aug. 6

The tunnel on I-40 West will be examined on the following dates:

Tuesday, Aug. 7-Wednesday, Aug. 8, and Sunday, Aug. 12-Wednesday, Aug. 15

The investigation work is being conducted by HDR Engineering Inc. of the Carolinas, with traffic control assistance provided by NCDOT and IMAP.

NCDOT reminds motorists to watch signs for construction information, stay alert and obey the posted speed limit.

For real-time travel information at any time, call 511, visit www.ncdot.gov/travel or follow NCDOT on Twitter at www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter . Another option is NCDOT Mobile, a phone-friendly version of the NCDOT website. To access it, type “m.ncdot.gov” into the browser of your smartphone. Then, bookmark it to save for future reference. NCDOT Mobile is compatible with the iPhone, Android and some newer Blackberry phones.

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About Jake Frankel
Jake Frankel is an award-winning journalist who enjoys covering a wide range of topics, from politics and government to business, education and entertainment.
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