N.C. Crews Working Around-the-Clock to Clear I-40 Rockslide

Work crews struggling around the clock to clear a rockslide on Interstate 40 in western North Carolina to speed the clearance of boulders from the road, the Associated Press reported.

The rockslide closed down a section of I-40 near the Tennessee line in late October and it has been closed since.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation said crews were beginning 24-hour operations to drill holes for about 600 rock bolts, used to stabilize the precarious mountainside boulders, AP reported.

Officials originally estimated the highway would reopen in January. They now say it could reopen in March but say snow and ice could slow workers down, making conditions hazardous on steep and rocky terrain.

The rockslide sent boulders as large as mobile homes tumbling onto the road, AP reported.