UPDATE:  As of April 25, 2010, I-40 has reopened, though ongoing road safety measures could cause delays. Please visit the North Carolina DOT webpage for the latest developments.

A portion of I-40 in western North Carolina near the Tennessee state line remains closed due to an October 25th rock slide and officials say it could take several months to clear the debris. I-40 is closed between exit 20 (west of Asheville, North Carolina) and exit 451 in Tennessee (just north of the Tennessee/North Carolina border).

The road closure has been applied in TripTik Travel Planner (TTP) and TTP routings in the area will provide the fastest alternate route using US-25 and US-70 (Newport, TN to Weaverville, NC). That route includes at least one bridge with low weight limitations. If you prefer Interstate driving, or are driving a heavy commercial vehicle, you may want to consider the longer detour (recommended by both state's DOTs) that uses Interstates 26 and 81.To follow the Interstate-based route, utilize TripTik Travel Planner's click and drag route modification tools. For a pdf version of detailed detour recommendations and a static map, please download the Travel Advisory.