ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The North Carolina Department of Transportation has installed a network of monitoring devices along a landslide-prone stretch of Interstate 40 in the mountains to detect real-time earth movement, officials said Monday.
The monitors are part of a 24/7 slope monitoring system deployed throughout a reconstruction zone in the Pigeon River Gorge near the Tennessee state line. Officials say the system is designed to enhance safety for construction crews and the traveling public by providing immediate alerts to any ground instability.
The monitors give crews feedback on any kind of slope movement, an NCDOT spokesperson said.
“Essentially, it provides 24/7 monitoring, and if any movement is detected, then our project team will go out on site and field verify that to make sure that we didn’t get a false reading,” the NCDOT spokesperson said. “In short, it’s another tool in our safety belt.”
The I-40 corridor, which cuts through steep and rugged terrain in Western North Carolina, is historically prone to landslides and flooding, particularly following heavy rainfall. The monitoring system is part of a broader stabilization effort prompted by damage from Tropical Storm Helene in September and flooding and landslides last month.
Drivers navigating the corridor have noticed the ongoing work.
“I drove through the area yesterday, and I have to say, the DOT is doing an awesome job,” Wanda Evans wrote in a comment to the NCDOT’s Facebook post.
Others questioned the long-term strategy.
“As much taxpayer money has been spent year after year after year rebuilding this road after a landslide, we could’ve spent our money tunneling through the mountains along a new alignment away from that gorge,” David Batchelder wrote.
Some residents suggested alternatives such as rerouting the highway or constructing a viaduct bridge, but others defended the effort.
“It’s a good road built through a mountainous region,” Timothy Begle wrote. “I enjoy the ride and like how they do their best in an area that’s not flat, an area where flat is nowhere to be found.”
The new monitoring system comes as I-40 reopened near the Tennessee–North Carolina border following emergency repairs from a June 18 rockslide, triggered by flash flooding that dropped 1 to 2 inches of rain in less than an hour.
The interstate reopened to limited traffic on June 27, with one lane in each direction and a reduced speed limit of 35 mph, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Oversized vehicles remain restricted. That traffic pattern is related to long-term repairs from damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024, not the most recent slide.
Crews from NCDOT and TDOT have implemented safety measures throughout the corridor since March 2025, including installing soil nails and building retaining walls to stabilize the slopes. Transportation officials are urging caution as work continues and weather conditions remain unpredictable.