Hurricane Helene Damages Bridges, Shuts Down West North Carolina (Photos)

Ben Thorpe Headshot
Updated Oct 2, 2024
road damage in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene
Western North Carolina saw significant road damage after Hurricane Helene.
North Carolina DOT

Editor's Note: This story was updated October 2, 2024, with the addition of videos from NCDOT and TDOT.

State departments of transportation scrambled over the weekend to clear up damage from Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida on September 27 as a Category 4 storm.

A September 30 report from The Weather Channel put the death toll at 102, with 2 million homes still without power.

Total damage is estimated at $15 billion to over $100 billion, according to a September 30 Reuters report. Thirty people alone were killed in Buncombe County in western North Carolina.

On September 28, the Federal Emergency Management Administration granted emergency declarations for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee to assist with preparation and response efforts.

Western North Carolina Roads Still Closed


As of the morning of September 30, North Carolina DOT reported that hundreds of roads in the state had problems related to the hurricane, with I-40 remaining impassable in multiple locations and I-26 closed at the Tennessee state line.

Several events noted over the weekend by NCDOT included a mudslide on I-40 near Old Fort in McDowell County; floodgates opened at Oxford Dam over Lake Hickory; and water encroaching on the NC 16 bridge at the Alexander/Catawba county line.

On September 29, NCDOT posted to Facebook that residents should consider every road in the western portion of the state closed.

washed out portion of I-40A screenshot from an NCDOT video showing the I-40 washout near the Tennessee state line.NCDOT

completely flooded road in North CarolinaA flooded portion of US 70 near Silver Creek, North Carolina.NCDOT

Thousands of Trees Down in South Carolina

South Carolina DOT crews were out all weekend cleaning debris, with SCDOT saying the primary hazards for drivers were downed trees and power lines, debris in the roadway and traffic signal outages.

Sunday morning, SCDOT posted to Facebook that it was working to clear “the thousands of trees that fell across the western part of South Carolina from the roads.”

The DOT closed two bridges temporarily over the weekend due to rising water levels: the Great Falls Highway bridge over Catawba River near Great Falls and the bridge over Gills Creek in Richland County.

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crews work to clear trees from South Carolina roadsSouth Carolina still has many roads closed in the impacted areas.South Carolina DOT

SCDOT crew works to clear trees off a roadSCDOT crews worked to clear the thousands of trees that fell across the western part of South Carolina.South Carolina DOT

Florida DOT Inspects Bridges

Florida DOT said September 30 that 129 bridges inspectors have completed inspections on all accessible state-owned and locally owned bridges, clearing 1,400 bridges across impacted areas.

Florida DOT stated it had cleared over 12,200 miles of roadways in less than 36 hours.

Access to several roads has been restored, including the southern portion of S.R. 789 in Longboat Key, the Howard Frankland Bridge, Gandy, Skyway, and Courtney Campbell Causeway.

FDOT employee assesses a bridgeFDOT Bridge Inspectors have reviewed and cleared 1,400 bridges across impacted areas, determining them safe for travel.Florida DOT

road damaged in tampa bay surgeHurricane Helene produced one of the largest storm surge events in Tampa Bay history, according to Florida DOT.FDOT

Tennessee Reports Compromised Bridges

As of September 30, Tennessee DOT reported five bridges destroyed and a dozen other road closures and problems. On September 29, the DOT reported it has inspected over 100 bridges in the last 36 hours, with hundreds more to go.

the cresting nolichucky dam in tennesseeThe Nolichucky River in Tennessee crested its dam over the weekend, though the dam remains intact.Tennessee DOT

tourist exit sign downed on Tennessee roadHurricane Helene caused historic damage to Tennessee bridges and roadways.Tennessee DOT