I-40 at TN / NC stateline to open on April 27

NEWPORT (WATE) - The re-opening of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee state line next week makes business owners in Cocke County very happy.

In October, a massive rockslide shut down I-40 in North Carolina close to Cocke County. Since then, traffic has been detoured onto Interstate 81, with some drivers able to detour on Highway 20/70.

This left many business owners who depended on traffic from I-40 barely hanging on.

Gary Nichols, owner of Bella's Country Kitchen in Newport, can't wait for I-40 to re-open. His business sits directly on the interstate.

"It's great news. People in Cocke County had endured lack of traffic long enough. We are very excited more business opportunities is on its way," Nichols says.

Next to his restaurant, Time Out Travel Center 18-wheeler business was cut in half after the rockslide.

"It slowed down quite a bit," says Time Out manager Joe Scruggs. "The rockslide, the detour, everyone is going up 81, so it's hurt our business dramatically."

Both business owners say it will take awhile for them to make up the business they lost. "It will probably take nine months or so to get us back on our feet like we need to be," Nichols says.

"It will take a month, maybe two, for the truck side to pick up once they know it's open back up and they staring coming this way," Scruggs says.

Both say the timing couldn't be better. Summer is one of the busiest times for both businesses.

Summer is also busy for another Cocke County business, Rafting in the Smokies. The closure didn't hurt them because it started in their off season.

They were worried it would remain closed this summer, and affect one type of their business.

"Mainly our walk-in business," says manager Chris Carswell. "The majority of our business comes from Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville. That business wouldn't be affected so much, but our walk-in business, we do quite a bit of walk-in business, that it would."

In 2009, 37,000 people came to whitewater raft there. Managers were worried with the interstate closed, those numbers would be lower.

"There is some excitement," Carswell says. "One fear we have is that it will only be one lane each direction. That could affect the amount of time we get to our exit to the Waterville exit to 451 where the put in is."

For now, transportation officials say both eastbound lanes will be open. One westbound lane will be closed for about three weeks for additional work.

"They are welcomed to come at any point they want to come," Carswell says. "We are open for business."

The total cost for cleaning up the rockslide is estimated to be more than $12 million. The area of I-40 is scheduled to open on Tuesday, April 27