Repairs to roads damaged by Hurricane Matthew could take months
>>> THE WORK TO REPAIR ROADS
THAT HURRICANE MATTHEW WASHED
OUT IS JUST BEGINNING.
THE DOT DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HOW
BIG THE PROBLEMS ARE.
>> WRAL'S BRIAN SHRADER SHOWS
US HOW LONG YOU ARE GOING TO
FACE THE DETOURS.
RAILROAD MATTHEW TOOK OUT A BIG
CHUNK OF I-40 IN JOHNSTON
COUNTY.
AS THE RUB ROWS THURSDAY, THE
HEAVY EQUIPMENT RUMBLED AND
CREWS REPAIRED THE WASHED-OUT
INTERSTATE.
THE DOT ENGINEER TIM LITTLE
SAYS THIS IS JUST THE
BEGINNING.
>> WE ARE FINDING AREAS THAT
ARE WASHED OUT ALONG THOSE
AREAS THAT ARE FLOODED.
SOME ARE MINE IRE THAT CAN BE
REPAIRED VERY QUICKLY.
SOME ARE MAJOR REPAIRS.
>> Reporter: DOT ENGINEERS IN
EASTERN COUNTIES ARE COUNTING
UP THE DAMAGE MATTHEW DID.
>> WE ARE WAITING FOR THE
WATERS TO RECEDE.
WE HAVE AN IDEA IN SOME PARTS
OF THE COUNTY.
>> Reporter: INTERSTATES GET
TOP PRIORITY FOR REPAIRS BUT
SEVERAL DOZEN ROADS ARE WASHED
OUT IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN
NORTH CAROLINA.
LITTLE TELLS ME THE REPAIRS
WILL TAKE MONTHS.
>> SO THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEK,
WE'LL BE REPAIRING AND STILL
ASSESSING DAMAGE.
>> Reporter: DRIVERS NEED TO
PREPARE FOR LONG-TERM DETOURS
AND NEVER DRIVE AROUND THE
BARRICADE.
THE ROAD MIGHT LOOK DRY BUT IT
COULD COLLAPSE.
>> THE DOT HOPES TO HAVE THIS
SECTION OF I-40 REOPENED
SOMETIME FRIDAY.
FOR MANY DRIVERS IN CENTRAL AND
EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, THE
FRUSTRATION AND MISERY COULD
LAST WELL INTO THE HOLIDAYS.
BRIAN SHRADER, WRAL WITH NEWS,
SOUTHERN JOHNSTON COUNTY.
>>> LITTLE TELLSBURY APPEAR THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL
REIMBURSE THE STATE IF MANY OF