CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C. — The destruction in Chimney Rock is hard to put into words. What was once a picturesque mountain village known for its tourist appeal is now a massive rebuild project for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
A two-lane road has become an impassable valley filled with dirt, rocks, and debris, leaving businesses and homes in ruin. Contractors are working to bring the village back to life, rebuilding three miles of Main Street and five bridges devastated by the storm.
NCDOT crews are making progress, and temporary roads are expected to be ready within a month.
“We’re roughly a mile from here with access that did not exist a month ago, and we’re continuing that process,” said Nathan Moneyham, NCDOT Division 13 construction engineer. “As early as next week, we’ll have the same crews working their way from Bat Cave back to Chimney Rock to build access that’s passable for your standard passenger car.”
For many residents, Helene took nearly everything, leaving only hope and the will to start again.
Local, state, and federal agencies are all here, with disaster relief organizations offering essential support to those rebuilding from scratch.
“You can’t give up, you know God’s in control,” said Tracy Reef from Spokes of Hope. “You just have to be patient and, you know, just giving them that hope and praying with them.”
Currently, NCDOT is focused on building temporary roads to allow residents in and out of Chimney Rock. But restoring the major road here will take much longer.
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