Hurricane Helene

Closures continue on I-40 and I-26 in North Carolina, I-40 in Tennessee

Some key roads in western North Carolina heavily used by truckers have reopened following the devastation created by Hurricane Helene, but among many other closures, Interstate 40 west of Asheville remains shut and the closure carries into Tennessee.

On Tuesday, Joey Hopkins, North Carolina’s secretary of transportation, reviewed several key road reopenings while saying that “recovery will take time, and we appreciate your patience as we continue to assess and repair the roads in North Carolina.”

A database of all road closures as of Tuesday morning listed more than 450 closures throughout the state, the vast majority of them citing “weather event” as the cause of the closure. But one is more important than the rest: Interstate 40,  which to the west of Asheville enters North Carolina at its border with Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains and along the Pigeon River, whose flooding has been one of the key contributors to the devastation and havoc in the area.

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Suspension of GA gas tax begins today, though it may take a day or two to show at the pump

COBB COUNTY, Ga. – Starting today, Georgia drivers will see gas prices dip even more as the state’s gas tax will be temporarily suspended.

Gov. Brian Kemp announced the suspension earlier this week to help Georgians after Hurricane Helene slammed the state. Though the suspension took effect at midnight, it’s possible that it may take a couple of days to start showing at the pump.

Kemp suspended the state tax on gasoline, saying in a statement, “...the following actions are necessary and appropriate to ensure continuation of the necessary storm response and recovery efforts.”