Latest news with #NorthCarolinaDepartmentofTransportation
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
1 storm, 1,400 closures: Rebuilding roads after a devastating hurricane
For months, Interstate 40 in western North Carolina was cut off following the devastation of Hurricane Helene. In February, part of the interstate reopened, but only for drivers who need to use it, and at a reduced speed. There were more than 1,400 road closures and 10 million cubic yards of debris removed from roads and waterways. It's been eight months, and WNC continues to face the aftermath of the most damaging and costly natural disaster in the state's history. Rebuilding has been arduous, and nowhere is that more evident than the work it took to reconnect I-40 from North Carolina to Tennessee. 'Our IMAP crews start driving from the Asheville side and noticed no traffic was coming through, so they know there's a problem. They got together with other local officials and opened a gate and sent traffic back to the Tennessee line,' said David Uchiyama with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. 'Without that emergency response in the moment, I have zero doubt that people would have died. The reconstruction was a historic operation that took 126 days. Although the road hasn't been fully rebuilt, the massive undertaking of opening one lane in each direction was monumental for commuters and for commerce. Some businesses are still feeling the impacts of the storm. Cass Santander with Explore Asheville says that even with 97% of the roads being partially or fully reopened, tourism is down. 'Seventy-five percent of hospitality and tourism-facing businesses are reopened, and there is a determination and grit to come back better than ever, and it's an exciting time to come and visit,' Santander said. Some roads are still struggling to reopen. Highway 64, for example, is still closed from Lake Lure through Chimney Rock and Bat Cave. Roads in Yancey County will likely take years to rebuild. 'Yancey County was one of the more devastated areas because of the rivers,' Uchiyama said. 'The Cane River, Nolichucky River that flow through it, just wiping out everything along its way.' So how do we prepare for future storms? Uchiyama says it's not about preparation, but more about resilience. 'Design standards have changed over the decades. So anything that is newer is better. And anything that is going in new now is going to be better than anything built even five years ago,' Uchiyama said. But through the noise of the bulldozers and the debris still lingering, what was once seen as a near-impossible task of rebuilding has transformed into inspiring stories of what can be achieved. (VIDEO: FEMA offers to sell temporary housing units to WNC families displaced by Hurricane Helene)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Photo: Vehicle fire on Interstate 85 North/40 East in Guilford County
GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — A vehicle fire closed a lane on Interstate 85 North/40 East in Guilford County on Friday morning, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The scene was at Mile Marker 135 near Exit 135 for Rock Creek Dairy Road and the right lane was closed. Traffic camera footage from showed a vehicle on fire on the shoulder of the highway and a firetruck at the scene. There is no further information available at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
New Helene documentary provides another wake-up call
Repair vehicles from the North Carolina Department of Transportation repair a partially cratered road in western North Carolina amid the recovery from Hurricane Helene. (Photo: NCDOT) North Carolina hardly needs any more wake-up calls about the devastating impacts of climate change, but a new, must-see PBS/NPR documentary provides another powerful reminder on the subject of dealing with the extreme weather that climate change is spawning. The documentary is entitled 'Hurricane Helene's Deadly Warning,' and in it, NPR's Laura Sullivan exposes a wasteful and vicious cycle that has come to dominate how our state and nation deal with natural disasters. It's one in which the federal government spends more than $50 billion every year to help communities recover from disasters, but that frequently includes properties that have already flooded repeatedly. This cycle is now on full display in western North Carolina where politicians and the construction industry are resisting common sense rules that would govern how new buildings are sited and constructed. The bottom line: 'Hurricane Helene's Deadly Warning,' should be required viewing and listening for all elected leaders and average Americans. Look for it online at PBS or NPR. For NC Newsline, I'm Rob Schofield.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Union County road to close for construction
A portion of New Town Road in Wesley Chapel will be closed for construction starting at 9 a.m. on Monday. The road closure will run between Will Plyler Road and Waxhaw-Indian Trail Road. The closure is a part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Officials said detours will be in place and a temporary traffic signal has been put in place at the intersection of Waxhaw-Indian Trail Road and Will Plyler Road to manage the detour. WATCH: FEMA offers to sell temporary housing units to WNC families displaced by Hurricane Helene
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Couple sought refund because of Helene, says Vrbo kept refusing
Joanne Gonnerman and her boyfriend wanted to visit the North Carolina mountains last fall, mainly for the fall leaves. So they booked a place on Vrbo. But Helene hit about a week before their reservation was supposed to start. The town they were going to issued a State of Emergency. Roads closed. The North Carolina Department of Transportation 'urge[d] people to avoid travel in western [North Carolina].' 'I said, 'I don't think this is going to be realistic for us. We probably should cancel,'' Gonnerman told Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke. READ: Couple learns they still owe mortgage insurance after thinking it was paid off It was disappointing, but they thought at least they'd get their money back. After all, Vrbo has an 'Extenuating Circumstances Policy' which applies '[w]hen broad scale travel disruptions prevent or legally prohibit Vrbo travelers from completing their reservations.' But the company said no. According to emails Gonnerman shared with Action 9, the company said the storm didn't damage the host's property so they could have stayed there, but chose not to. 'National news covered Hurricane Helene and what happened to western North Carolina,' she said. 'It wasn't an unknown or just a personal request. It seemed like the country understood what had happened to our state.' They pushed back for months, but couldn't get it resolved. 'One of my other big concerns is if my partner, Dave, and I are struggling with this, how many other people are being affected?' she said. Stoogenke emailed Vrbo. Two days later, Gonnerman told him the business reversed course and promised a full refund. READ: Woman says car buyer scammed her out of money meant for son's college The company emailed Stoogenke. It still believed her booking 'did not fall under' Vrbo's refund policy, that it was at the host's discretion. After all, you can imagine how much business he lost during that time. But Vrbo also emailed, when Gonnerman spoke with customer service, the representative 'may have' given her 'conflicting information.' So the business was giving all $1,100 back as a 'courtesy.' Vrbo's full statement: Thanks again for reaching out about Ms. Gonnerman's experience. We've reviewed the situation and confirmed that her booking did not fall under Vrbo's extenuating circumstances policy that was activated during Hurricane Helene. For reservations in non-covered counties or that fall outside of the date range of policy coverage, the host's cancellation policy still applies. In these situations, Vrbo encourages the guest and host to work together to find a solution that benefits both parties, such as a refund or credit for a future stay. However, we recognize that when Ms. Gonnerman spoke to our customer service team, she may have received conflicting information. As such, we will be providing a full refund for her booking as a courtesy. This update has also been shared with Ms. Gonnerman. The takeaway here: Vrbo has an 'Extenuating Circumstances Policy.' But the company can be strict about which addresses — or dates — qualify. And, a lot of times, it lets the 'host' decide whether to give you money back, not the 'company' itself. So know that going in. WATCH: Couple learns they still owe mortgage insurance after thinking it was paid off
