A new rockslide occurred on the closed section of Interstate 40 sometime late Friday night or early this morning causing rocks and loose material to cover an additional small section of the westbound lanes.

This section of highway has been closed since the Oct. 25 rockslide. No interstate traffic was traveling on this section of highway when the new rockslide occurred.

The new rockslide occurred at mile marker 6.5 about four miles east of the Oct. 25th rockslide site. It brought down an estimated 500 cubic yards of rock – the equivalent of about 50 dump truck loads – onto the highway. The largest rock was the size of an SUV and the material on the highway covers an area 40 feet long and 50 feet wide.

A construction supervisor for Phillips & Jordan Inc., the contractor working on the project to reopen the highway, discovered the new rockslide at about 1 a.m.

NCDOT engineers and geotech experts are reviewing the new site to prepare a clean-up plan. Initial assessment indicates there may be additional loose rock on the mountainside that will need to be removed. Because rocks from this new slide cover part of I-40, it is unclear if there is damage to the roadway. A few rocks did hit the concrete median between the westbound and eastbound lanes.

Once a contractor has been hired for the work, estimates are that it will take about two to three weeks to clean up the rockslide. Work could begin by the end of next week.

NCDOT still estimates that the interstate could be fully reopened sometime in March depending on weather conditions between now and then. The time needed to clean up the second rockslide should not change that timetable.

NCDOT crews worked today putting rubber mats on the concrete barriers to protect them once the removal of the loose rock starts.

They also set up a plan for managing the construction traffic in the corridor. For about four miles, from mile marker 3 to mile marker 7, construction traffic will follow a two-way pattern in the eastbound lanes to get around the new rockslide area.

Travelers still can reach Western North Carolina via I-40 from the east and I-26 to the north and south. Exits 20 and 27 on I-40 provide access to popular destinations west of Asheville. In Tennessee, exits 432 through 451 provide access to popular destinations in southeastern Tennessee.

The detour route is 53 miles longer and is an additional 45 minutes to an hour driving time. Motorists traveling on I-40 West should take Exit 53B (I-240 West) in Asheville and follow I-240 West to Exit 4A (I-26 West). Follow I-26 West (a North Carolina Scenic Highway) to I-81 South in Tennessee. Take I-81 South and follow it back to I-40 at mile marker 421. Eastbound motorists should use the reverse directions.

NCDOT reminds motorists to stay alert, follow instructions on the message boards on the highways, obey the posted speed limit, leave early and travel at non-peak times when possible. Plan ahead before driving by visiting the NCDOT Traveler Information Management System Web site at www.ncdot.gov/traffictravel/ or calling 511, the state’s free travel information line, for current travel conditions.

NCDOT also provides alerts about traffic congestion and construction work on Twitter. To access them, go to www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter/. For daily rockslide updates, please visit the NCDOT Web site at www.ncdot.gov and click on the I-40 rockslide daily news and information section or follow work on the rockslide project on Twitter at http://twitter.com/i40_rockslide.