Rockside closes I-40 (Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Asheville: lawyers, organic, live in)

[oneluckymug]

My folks are headed out to Asheville today from Illinois and will be going through Knoxville....I have never been past marshall on 25/70......would it be quicker to have them go up to johnson city and down or head through hot springs...it looks about the same on the map but can't trust those things through the mountains

[Loves mountains]

Originally Posted by oneluckymug

My folks are headed out to Asheville today from Illinois and will be going through Knoxville....I have never been past marshall on 25/70......would it be quicker to have them go up to johnson city and down or head through hot springs...it looks about the same on the map but can't trust those things through the mountains

We always fly into Knoxville when we visit Madison County and 25/70 is a breeze - yes it's windy and I wouldn't want to drive it in snow - but otherwise it takes about and hour and 45 minutes to get from Knoxville to Marshall. I'm really glad they didn't put a super highway through Marshall, I-26 is big enough!

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by BadTiger64

Asheville Native is right it was a political decision to go thru Haywood and down the Pigeon River Gorge. (You'll have to help me Asheville Native) At the time Haywood had a congressman by the name of Roy ????? and he wanted it to go thru Haywood rather than Madison so his county would get the benifits of commerce thru Haywood. As the road was being built it was a known fact that this would occur and rock slides do occur on a regular basis. Sorry I can't remember the last name of the congressman but maybe Asheville Native can help???

BadTiger

Roy A. Taylor
NC general assembly from 1947 to 1949 and 1951-1953
Eight consecutive term to Congress from 1960 - 1977

[SunnyKayak]

Originally Posted by NCN

I had never heard this before.

You can probably find info on the net. This happened within five to ten years ago

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Originally Posted by oneluckymug

My folks are headed out to Asheville today from Illinois and will be going through Knoxville....I have never been past marshall on 25/70......would it be quicker to have them go up to johnson city and down or head through hot springs...it looks about the same on the map but can't trust those things through the mountains

I would have them (and everyone else) stick to I-26. It's all freeway, so traffic will flow smoothly (with the exception of the Smoky Park bridges debacle). Everyone trying to take short-cuts will just clog up the two-lane roads for the locals.

It's a headache when I-26 is closed due to a wreck at Howard's Gap going down the mountain on what people call the "Saluda Grade" (misnomer, since the Saluda Grade is the railroad grade). The 33,000 cars are forced onto two-lane, winding U.S. 176, and it's awful. So to make things easy for everyone, stick to the posted detour. Everyone will arrive at their destination without being as stressed out.

[NCN]

Originally Posted by Asheville Native

It is common knowledge for anyone that was paying attention when the route for I40 was being decided.

I am not a structural engineer, or a geologists, nor have I done the necessary studies, BUT if I had to choose the route I would have sought and followed the advise of engineers and geologists, and not the 'good ol boys' as they parlayed their favors for political contributions and almost certainly kickbacks.

I wasn't paying attention because I was just happy that someone was finally building a road that made the mountains accessible. I still think I-40 through the mountains is a wonderful road and three months for a clean up is really not bad considering the inconvenience of the alternative. My dad worked with what was SH&PWC that has been changed to the DOT. Things are sometimes more complicated than just politics. You really did not answer my question. However another poster did. It is easy to find fault, but unless you can state a better route without the problems, you don't have a leg to stand on. As far as Hot Springs is concerned, would we really want to mess up such a wonderful vacation spot.

I just know when I come into North Carolina on I-40 and pass over the state line, my blood pressure goes down about 10 points. I love I-40.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by SunnyKayak

You can probably find info on the net. This happened within five to ten years ago

The decision that I40 would go through Haywood county was made 50 - 60 years ago.

[SunnyKayak]

Originally Posted by Asheville Native

The decision that I40 would go through Haywood county was made 50 - 60 years ago.

Im referring to the last rock slide

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by SunnyKayak

Im referring to the last rock slide

The post you quoted was asking about how the route was chosen

Rock slides are annual, if more frequent. Rain causes landslides, freezing weather causes landslides, gravity causes landslides.

There was big one in 97, then 2004 the landslide was below the road causing part of the road to fall into the river, in 85 a landslide collapsed the end of one of the tunnels.

Total time for clean up of major and minor landslides either closing the road completely or reducing the interstate to a single lane for miles and miles if added up would likely approach 10 years.

The best designed road that corruption can buy.

[organick]

all I know is it is making traffic in and around 240/26 awful. It makes me dread the time when they start the 26 construction no matter what option ends up happening because it is going to make traffic horrible for years.