I-40 is closed in Cocke County, Tennessee. To bypass I-40, drivers should take I-81 and I-26. A rockslide and flooding happened on I-40 in East Tennessee near the North Carolina state line.

This photo provided by Tennessee Department of Transportation shows Interstate 40 remains closed near the Tennessee-North Carolina state line due to flooding and rockslide on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Interstate 40 is once again closed due to flooding in Cocke County, leading to detours for those looking to go to North Carolina from Tennessee or vice versa.

I-40 closed in Tennessee on June 18 after a rockslide and flooding overtook the road. Good news, travelers! Interstate 40 is open once again at the Tennessee and North Carolina state line.

NORTH CAROLINA — There is another travel headache for drivers in western North Carolina where a rockslide and flooding forced the closure of Interstate 40 at the Tennessee state line once again.

Interstate 40 was closed after strong thunderstorms caused flooding, landslides near North Carolina and Tennessee state line. One lane open in each direction.

The highway is expected to remain closed for at least two weeks, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation. I-40 is a major thoroughfare through the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

This photo provided by Tennessee Department of Transportation shows Interstate 40 remains closed near the Tennessee-North Carolina state line due to flooding and rockslide on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

The highway is 2,559 miles long. It passes through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina. Of that total, 455 miles of I-40 go through Tennessee.

About 2.5 to 3.5 inches (63 mm to 89 mm) of rain fell in the area over about three hours on June 18, swamping I-40 around Exit 451 in Tennessee, just to the west of the state line with North ...