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DRIVING THE NEWS: Trump Transportation Official Tours Progress on I-40 and Blue Ridge Parkway Reconstruction Following Hurricane Helene

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Contact: FHWA.PressOffice@dot.gov

On September 26, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Federal Highway Administrator Sean McMaster traveled to Western North Carolina to mark remarkable progress one year after Hurricane Helene devastated the region. McMaster joined Governor Josh Stein, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and the U.S. Forest Service to celebrate major repair milestones along I-40, where critical infrastructure has been restored following widespread storm damage and closures. Read more here.

One year after Hurricane Helene, North Carolina is building again.

FHWA Administrator McMaster speaking at a podium with a backdrop of forested mountains, surrounded by five individuals along with US and Texas flags, at an outdoor event. Photo Credit: USDOT

Earlier that week, the USDOT announced $1.15 billion in Emergency Relief (ER) Program funding for NCDOT—the largest single-state allocation in the program’s history. Read more here.

Road construction site in a wooded area. A large black drainage pipe and rubble piles are visible in the foreground. Photo credit: FHWA.Administrator McMaster in a group of individuals all wearing safety vests in conversation at an outdoor event with trees and hills in the background.

DOT and DOI Officials Highlight Successful Federal Partnership on Blue Ridge Parkway Repairs

Administrator McMaster later joined Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor on the Blue Ridge Parkway to highlight FHWA’s successful partnership with the National Park Service. Together, they cut the ribbon on Phase I repairs, restoring a stretch of roadway damaged by Hurricane Helene. Read more here.

Group of individuals at a ribbon-cutting ceremony including park rangers and a person in construction attire, in a natural setting. FHWA Administrator McMaster in the middle holding a large pair of scissors. Photo credit: FHWAFour individuals, including two in National Park Service ranger uniforms and Admin McMaster in a blue jacket, standing by a walking bridge surrounded by green foliage. Photo credit: FHWA.Administrator McMaster speaking at a podium with the National Park Service logo, set against a scenic backdrop of a lake and mountains under a cloudy sky. Photo Credit: FHWA.

The News & Observer
Feds sending NC another $1 billion in emergency aid for Helene road repairs

The Charlotte Observer
USDOT head: Helene hit NC hard. We’re hitting back with largest relief package ever | Opinion

 

9/26/25 Hurricane Helene I-40 Repair Milestones Press Event Coverage:

9/26/25 Blue Ridge Parkway Event Coverage:

Additional Coverage: