I-40 near Tennessee line could be closed until 2025 after Helene

North Carolina drivers hoping to drive to Tennessee will have to find a way around Interstate 40 after Helene badly damaged the interstate.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said the stretch of I-40 near the North Carolina-Tennessee border will be closed for months after being washed out by Tropical Storm Helene.

The Tennessee DOT said a mudslide took out the eastbound lanes about three miles into North Carolina. As of Thursday, I-40 is closed from mile marker 432 in Tennessee east to mile marker 3 in North Carolina.

Buttigieg has been in touch with the NCDOT in discussing next steps and building a timeline for repairs.

"You got to understand in some of these rural communities, mountain communities, these are places where if a bridge gets taken out, the next nearest bridge, might be 20, 30 or more minutes away on a good day," Buttigieg said in a TV interview. "As far as the interstate, the miles of closure are down below about 40 miles from 100, so definite improvement there, but parts of I-40 North Carolina's DOT is telling us that at best, best case scenario, it is months before they are permanently restored."

Buttigieg said the NCDOT plans to file for emergency relief, which will open up some new funding from the federal government. He said even with that there is no way the department has enough money to provide what the state needs, saying congress will need to pass legislation to provide more funding.

Video of the Pigeon River against the side of I-40 shows the water rushing beside the roadway. Part of the road ended up crumbling into the river.

Some people saw an alert on Google Maps indicating the road won't reopen until 2025. DOT leaders have not given an official estimated time for when the highway will be fixed.

Other interstates in western North Carolina include I-81, I-26 and I-77. Drivers heading west out of North Carolina can use I-77 North and get on I-81 South in Wytheville, Virginia, to enter Tennessee.

Part of I-26 in Erwin, Tennessee, was also closed from damage from Helene.