CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C. — We're now a month out from when Helene ravaged western North Carolina as a hurricane. Many communities are still picking up the pieces and trying to rebuild. On Friday, officials with the North Carolina Department of Transportation showed WCNC Charlotte its own efforts in the process in the village of Chimney Rock.
NCDOT crews are finally accessing hard-hit areas, which include homes and businesses. It's a daunting task considering that roads were literally swept away by the flooded Broad River. Guardrails once marked where a road used to stretch to. Now, NCDOT says the focus is on getting homes access to temporary roads, then connecting roads to other communities like Bat Cave.
Nathan Moneyham with NCDOT said the Broad River is typically about 50 to 70 feet wide. But when Helene came through, the river flooded to about 200 feet wide and about 80 feet high in some areas.
"As you drive into Chimney Rock and on the river side, there are several structures that were completely decimated," Moneyham pointed out.
Crews are now clearing out mud, debris, and rocks where houses and roads once stood. Among those pitching in are volunteers like Tom Bunnelle with Spokes of Hope. Bunnelle came down to western North Carolina from Michigan to clear debris and gut buildings seriously damaged by Helene.
"I think this is day three or four -- you kinda lose track of time," he said. "You see the progress made but it feels like a drop in the bucket. But that's how you recover."
NCDOT contractors have pushed the river back in some areas, allowing crews and volunteers to keep working and build temporary roads. Moneyham says the agency's focus remains clear.
"We're really building back from the ground up to restore access to the homes that remain," he said.
Officials note designing and figuring out contracts for permanent roads will take several months. They will also look at ways to make roads more resilient for the future.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.