It is beyond time to make a major reroute of Interstate 40 between Asheville, North Carolina and Knoxville, Tennessee

[Safiel]

In the 1950's, when the general routing of the interstate system was being laid out, a major blunder was made. Instead of following the existing route of U.S. Highway 25, the planners made a major mistake and chose to route Interstate 40 through the steep and treacherous Pigeon River Gorge.

Over the years, hundreds of people have paid for that error with their lives and commerce has been repeatedly interrupted by the many closures and disruptions, as recent as two days ago, when another landslide took out a portion of the highway.

My proposal is thus:

When I-40 reaches I-240 just east of Asheville, it would run concurrently with I-240, then concurrently with I-26 north out of Asheville and up to the U.S. Highway 25/70 concurrency running westbound out of Weaverville. It would follow that concurrency all the way to Newport, Tennessee and leave that concurrence to join the existing Interstate 40 just south and east of Newport.

The existing stretch of Interstate 40 heading west from Asheville would become spur route I-740, which would go as far as the existing Exit 20. The last 20 miles of Interstate 40 in North Carolina would be closed and abandoned.

The existing stretch of Interstate 40 heading east from Newport would become spur route I-940, which would go as far as the Existing Exit 447. The last 8 miles of Interstate 40 in Tennessee would be closed and abandoned.

The necessary upgrading of the U.S. Highway 25/70 concurrency to Interstate standards would be expensive, but would be a good investment, providing a RELIABLE and SAFE route, in comparison to the unreliable and unsafe existing route. Plus all the money that must be constantly sunk into the existing route to keep repairing and reopening it AND the cost to industry of travel disruptions.

In addition, the new route would have less hairpin turns and less grades. A much easier drive, both for commercial and non-commercial drivers.

 

[Parrish]

You've got a point.

 

[multivita-man]

You can reroute all you want: climate change is a mother****er, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Wherever you reroute, climate change will wash that out, too.

 

[Safiel]

You can reroute all you want: climate change is a mother****er, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Wherever you reroute, climate change will wash that out, too.

This NOT a climate change issue.

These problems have existed from the very day that stretch of highway opened. The Pigeon River Gorge is very steep and it was stupid for the road planners to have used that route. There have been landslides and closures and problems from day 1.

The alternate route I suggest eliminates this issue.

 

[MamboDervish]

Indeed, if the objective is to get from Asheville NC to Newport TN, then even a cursory look at the map indicates that the Rt 25 corridor is a much better location for Interstate 40 than the serpentine mess it follows now. The only thing that would seem to be up for debate is whether this is the time to do it. How much traffic even uses that stretch of Interstate today, and what is the revenue derived by it?

Alas, with no more federal infrastructure hawks in the White House, I don't see the allocation for it coming anytime soon. The $1.15 billion already allocated to reroute I-26 across the French Broad River in Asheville might be in jeopardy if Trump decides he wants to build half a mile of wall between Turner Montana and Climax Saskatchewan.


Whether it makes sense or not, I don't see an I-40 reroute in my lifetime.

 

[bythoughts]

I don't understand the "closed and abandoned" stuff. Why not just upgrade the section of 25/70 you were talking about, whatever you call the new road?

 

[Safiel]

I don't understand the "closed and abandoned" stuff. Why not just upgrade the section of 25/70 you were talking about, whatever you call the new road?

The "closed and abandoned" applies to just 28 miles of highway, 8 in Tennessee, 20 in North Carolina, that are the very worst portion of Interstate 40 through the Pigeon River Gorge. All of it in very bad shape and none of it needed once Interstate 40 is rerouted to the US Highway 25/70 concurrency.

The best thing to do is just to write off those 28 miles.

 

[Volunteer]

In the 1950's, when the general routing of the interstate system was being laid out, a major blunder was made. Instead of following the existing route of U.S. Highway 25, the planners made a major mistake and chose to route Interstate 40 through the steep and treacherous Pigeon River Gorge.

Over the years, hundreds of people have paid for that error with their lives and commerce has been repeatedly interrupted by the many closures and disruptions, as recent as two days ago, when another landslide took out a portion of the highway.

My proposal is thus:

When I-40 reaches I-240 just east of Asheville, it would run concurrently with I-240, then concurrently with I-26 north out of Asheville and up to the U.S. Highway 25/70 concurrency running westbound out of Weaverville. It would follow that concurrency all the way to Newport, Tennessee and leave that concurrence to join the existing Interstate 40 just south and east of Newport.

The existing stretch of Interstate 40 heading west from Asheville would become spur route I-740, which would go as far as the existing Exit 20. The last 20 miles of Interstate 40 in North Carolina would be closed and abandoned.

The existing stretch of Interstate 40 heading east from Newport would become spur route I-940, which would go as far as the Existing Exit 447. The last 8 miles of Interstate 40 in Tennessee would be closed and abandoned.

The necessary upgrading of the U.S. Highway 25/70 concurrency to Interstate standards would be expensive, but would be a good investment, providing a RELIABLE and SAFE route, in comparison to the unreliable and unsafe existing route. Plus all the money that must be constantly sunk into the existing route to keep repairing and reopening it AND the cost to industry of travel disruptions.

In addition, the new route would have less hairpin turns and less grades. A much easier drive, both for commercial and non-commercial drivers.

I like your idea. Yes, a major blunder was made in the 1950s due to political considerations.
I'll be travelling 25/70 next week on my way to Knoxville.

 

[cAPSLOCK]

In the 1950's, when the general routing of the interstate system was being laid out, a major blunder was made. Instead of following the existing route of U.S. Highway 25, the planners made a major mistake and chose to route Interstate 40 through the steep and treacherous Pigeon River Gorge.

Over the years, hundreds of people have paid for that error with their lives and commerce has been repeatedly interrupted by the many closures and disruptions, as recent as two days ago, when another landslide took out a portion of the highway.

My proposal is thus:

When I-40 reaches I-240 just east of Asheville, it would run concurrently with I-240, then concurrently with I-26 north out of Asheville and up to the U.S. Highway 25/70 concurrency running westbound out of Weaverville. It would follow that concurrency all the way to Newport, Tennessee and leave that concurrence to join the existing Interstate 40 just south and east of Newport.

The existing stretch of Interstate 40 heading west from Asheville would become spur route I-740, which would go as far as the existing Exit 20. The last 20 miles of Interstate 40 in North Carolina would be closed and abandoned.

The existing stretch of Interstate 40 heading east from Newport would become spur route I-940, which would go as far as the Existing Exit 447. The last 8 miles of Interstate 40 in Tennessee would be closed and abandoned.

The necessary upgrading of the U.S. Highway 25/70 concurrency to Interstate standards would be expensive, but would be a good investment, providing a RELIABLE and SAFE route, in comparison to the unreliable and unsafe existing route. Plus all the money that must be constantly sunk into the existing route to keep repairing and reopening it AND the cost to industry of travel disruptions.

In addition, the new route would have less hairpin turns and less grades. A much easier drive, both for commercial and non-commercial drivers.

I have spent a significant amount of my life in that area. Your suggestion is sensible. I will say that that stretch of I-40 is one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the country when it's not killing people.

The other side of Asheville, the black mountain ascent is also a pretty tricky.

 

[Lisa]

I have spent a significant amount of my life in that area. Your suggestion is sensible. I will say that that stretch of I-40 is one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the country when it's not killing people.

The other side of Asheville, the black mountain ascent is also a pretty tricky.

The trip heading east on 40 back to Statesville is easy, even in snowy weather.

Heading west on Asheville though the gorge is a white knuckle ride even in the summer. The first time I did it I had a 18 wheeler tattooed to my bumper most of the way down, even though I was 5 over the speed limit. I cant imagine what it would be like in the winter.

Heading into Asheville across the mountains from Johnson city is a pretty drive but can be hairy in the winter.

 

[Fearandloathing]

In the 1950's, when the general routing of the interstate system was being laid out, a major blunder was made. Instead of following the existing route of U.S. Highway 25, the planners made a major mistake and chose to route Interstate 40 through the steep and treacherous Pigeon River Gorge.

Over the years, hundreds of people have paid for that error with their lives and commerce has been repeatedly interrupted by the many closures and disruptions, as recent as two days ago, when another landslide took out a portion of the highway.

My proposal is thus:

When I-40 reaches I-240 just east of Asheville, it would run concurrently with I-240, then concurrently with I-26 north out of Asheville and up to the U.S. Highway 25/70 concurrency running westbound out of Weaverville. It would follow that concurrency all the way to Newport, Tennessee and leave that concurrence to join the existing Interstate 40 just south and east of Newport.

The existing stretch of Interstate 40 heading west from Asheville would become spur route I-740, which would go as far as the existing Exit 20. The last 20 miles of Interstate 40 in North Carolina would be closed and abandoned.

The existing stretch of Interstate 40 heading east from Newport would become spur route I-940, which would go as far as the Existing Exit 447. The last 8 miles of Interstate 40 in Tennessee would be closed and abandoned.

The necessary upgrading of the U.S. Highway 25/70 concurrency to Interstate standards would be expensive, but would be a good investment, providing a RELIABLE and SAFE route, in comparison to the unreliable and unsafe existing route. Plus all the money that must be constantly sunk into the existing route to keep repairing and reopening it AND the cost to industry of travel disruptions.

In addition, the new route would have less hairpin turns and less grades. A much easier drive, both for commercial and non-commercial drivers.

Oh wow.....


A thread on traffic!!!!!!


Just what a political site needs.

 

[Safiel]

Oh wow.....


A thread on traffic!!!!!!


Just what a political site needs.

Nothing more political than infrastructure.

 

[Volunteer]

Nothing more political than infrastructure.

Especially when it goes awry.

 

[Safiel]

Especially when it goes awry.

Sometimes even when it doesn't.

If you have ever traveled Interstate 95 through the Carolinas, you have come across that King of all tourist traps, South of the Border.

Alan Schafer was a major businessman of the 1930's, 40's and 50's in South Carolina. He had numerous car dealerships and gas stations, among other things. One was a Shell Station on US-301 just South of the North Carolina border. He had already opened a liquor store there since North Carolina was mostly dry in those days. He started selling Mexican trinkets to travelers and South of the Border was born.

But in the mid 1950's, they were laying out the Interstate system. But instead of heading north out of Florence to Dillon and Lumberton, Interstate 95 was to take a more westerly route, going from Florence to Laurinburg, North Carolina and passing west of Fayetteville, before returning to the route it is on today.

Schafer knew that would screw up his little enterprise, so he got his good buddy Strom Thurmond to intervene and had the route moved easterly, so it would cross the border right at South of the Border.

And it is a similar deal that resulted in I-40 being routed through the Pigeon River Gorge, rather than US-25.