Interstates open, NC DOT christens 'recovery week'

Although I-95 opened statewide late Sunday and I-40 was added Monday afternoon, Gov. Roy Cooper said flooding dangers remain in much of the southeast portion of the state.

"It's not something where we are going to work on all these roads at the same time, because there only so many contractors, but we are going to get the work done as fast as we can to get this stuff open," said DOT spokesman Steve Abbott.

I-95 completely reopens after Hurricane Florence

Officials also have reopened U.S. Highway 74 between Charlotte and Wilmington, and U.S. Highway 70, which has been closed east of Kinston since the middle of last week, is expected to be reopened Tuesday morning, Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon said.

"Getting those critical arteries open again is key to our recovery," Cooper said at a news conference.

As of Monday afternoon, 399 roads remain closed across the state because of flooding, including 15 U.S. highways and 59 North Carolina highways, Trogdon said.

More than 1,800 roads statewide need extensive repairs, he said, calling damage to U.S. Highway 421 at the New Hanover-Pender county line the most significant seen so far.

The DOT has advised motorists to avoid travel in Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, Pender, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland and southeastern Wayne counties due to washed out roads and bridges.

The DOT recommends motorists reach these cities by the following routes:

From Fayetteville via N.C. Highway 87 to U.S. Highway 701 south to N.C. Highway 211 east to U.S. 74 east

Two eastbound lanes and one westbound lane are open in I-40 between N.C. Highway 41 (Exit 385) and Wilmington.

U.S. 74 serves as another alternate route from I-95 to Wilmington

"We still have a lot of issues with people going around barricades, even moving barricades, which threatens the people who come after them," Abbott said.

Even if a road looks clear, its structural integrity could be affected, and the road is dangerous to drive on.