A section of Interstate 40 in western North Carolina that collapsed during Hurricane Helene’s historic flooding will reopen to traffic on March 1. Gov.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pledges federal support to fully rebuild the highway through the Pigeon River Gorge between North Carolina and Tennessee.

Interstate 40 is set to reopen March 1, nearly six months after Hurricane Helene washed out parts of the highway in North Carolina and Tennessee with flooding and debris.

Before leaving the governor's office, Roy Cooper stated in media interviews that Republican state legislators passed a bill that "actually took money away from western North Carolina." WFAE's Marshall Terry and WRAL's Paul Specht fact-check Cooper's claim.