Raleigh, NC -- Governor Josh Stein released the following statement regarding an update on I-40 and U.S. DOT Secretary Duffy’s visit to western North Carolina:

“On Feb 10th, I am pleased to announce that we will reopen two lanes of I-40 by March 1. I am proud of NCDOT’s focus on this challenge and the roadworkers who have worked tirelessly to reopen roads and keep people safe. Reopening these lanes will help reconnect North Carolina and Tennessee and allow us to welcome back visitors to bolster the economy.

“As I welcomed Secretary Duffy to North Carolina on Feb 10th, to show him the devastating impact Hurricane Helene had on our roads, I expressed my appreciation for U.S. DOT’s partnership and emphasized that there are billions of dollars of work still to do to get people safely back on the roads. I look forward to working with Secretary Duffy and our federal partners to ensure we have the resources we need to rebuild our infrastructure as quickly as possible. And I am grateful for his visit to shine a spotlight on western North Carolina. It is clear to me that he intends to help.”