UPDATE: As of 9 a.m., Interstate 40 West at Exit 261 is now reopened. Drivers are still encouraged to detour the closure at the I-40/I-85.
Flash flooding from early morning rain developed on parts of Interstate 40 and Interstate 85 in Orange County on Thursday, leading to lane closures and significant traffic delays.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported that I-40 westbound near Hillsborough was closed starting at 6:39 a.m., with the Orange Rural Fire Department later saying it was from flooding on the interstate. NCDOT said westbound lanes were closed between Exit 261 and Exit 259. Additionally, NCDOT reported a crash at the I-40/I-85 juncture shortly after 5 a.m. caused the westbound lanes of I-40 to close and significant delays in the eastbound lanes, which are also impacted by ongoing construction. Later, the department said at 9 a.m. the westbound lanes were impacted by flooding.
An NCDOT traffic camera shows the traffic congestion on I-40 East/I-85 North at 8 a.m. approaching Hillsborough. (Photo via the North Carolina Department of Transportation.)
The combination of incidents led to significant traffic and NCDOT recommending drivers take alternate routes. Detouring traffic is encouraged to take Exit 261 (Old North Carolina 86) or Exit 279B (I-885 North) to then access I-85 South and I-40 West.
“We are responding to multiple calls for flooded roads, cars in the water and trees down,” Orange County Rural Fire Department added on Facebook. “If you have to go out, give yourself extra time.”
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Orange County, Durham County and northern Chatham County at 6:54 a.m., after at least an inch of rain had fallen in much of central North Carolina. The warning is set to last through 11 a.m. on Thursday, and comes after the weather service has issued a flood watch on Wednesday afternoon lasting through Thursday afternoon.
If driving or traveling on a road that has floodwaters, local officials and experts encourage people to not try and navigate through it, encouraging people to “turn around, don’t drown.” Additionally, the Department of Transportation’s DriveNC.gov website can be used to map detours and keep track of ongoing closures and incidents.
Featured photo via the Orange Rural Fire Department.
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