Section of I-95 in Johnston County could reopen Tuesday following heavy rains

KENLY, N.C. (WNCN) – A section of Interstate-95 in Johnston County closed since last week’s heavy rains could reopen as soon as Tuesday, NCDOT said.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation said the interstate near exit 105 buckled (Bagley Road) buckled about a foot and a half due to the heavy rains.

Crews eventually opened one lane to traffic but the left lane remained shut off.

After the rain stopped, the highway settled back down. 

Initially, engineers thought that portion of the highway would need to be torn up and replaced. 

After taking core samples and investigating further, they now believe sudden, heavy rainfall “just overwhelmed the storm drainage system that exists in the concrete median of this highway. There was so much pressure from the stormwater that it found a weak outlet underground,” NCDOT spokesman Andrew Barksdale said.

NCDOT said it made some changes to the drainage system over the weekend as well as on Monday, and believe that will cure the problem.

Once the left lane is re-opened, NCDOT said it will continue to monitor that portion of the highway.

Eventually,  that section of the highway will be repaved sometime in 2021.