I/40 (gorge area) is now open

tr · Apr 25, 2010

i/40 is now open, has restrictions on wide trucks, see link for more info.
NCDOT: Travel Information

aileron · Apr 26, 2010

tr said:
i/40 is now open, has restrictions on wide trucks, see link for more info.
NCDOT: Travel Information

Yesterday around 3 pm it was still closed, so I had to detour. If they would have opened it a few hours earlier .... Glad to see it open again. The detour was a pain.

Slo-Ride · Apr 26, 2010

aileron said:
Yesterday around 3 pm it was still closed, so I had to detour. If they would have opened it a few hours earlier .... Glad to see it open again. The detour was a pain.

A pain Yes,, but it also added loaded miles to payday

aileron · Apr 26, 2010

Slo-Ride said:
A pain Yes,, but it also added loaded miles to payday

Correct, but it would have been nice to get the added loaded miles pay and then go the short route. haha

Slo-Ride · Apr 26, 2010

I never found a short cut for those runs..
I like the ride thru that area when traffic is good.

tr · Apr 26, 2010

SLO Ride.. As I recall, Go North out of Ashville on I/26 to Mars Hill, then take HW 213 up to HW 25, follow 25 into Newport then get back on I/40. Would not recommend anything larger than a van. I had a weekend delivery with all kind of time, there was an accident in the Gorge and it was shut down so I took this route several years ago. Was in the Summer (would not do it in the winter I don’t think), lot of trout streams along the route, couple of campsites etc. Scenic travel.

Ashville to Mars Hill, via I/26 is about 20 miles
Mars Hill to Newport TN, back roads about 49 miles,
Total....Ashville to Newport via this route is about 69 miles,

Ashville to Newport is about 65 miles via the gorge, I/40