I-40 Reopens in Record Time Thanks to Sean Duffy—Buttigieg Claimed It Would Take Years [WATCH]

Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction in North Carolina, and one of the biggest casualties was a crucial stretch of Interstate 40. The damage was extensive, making travel nearly impossible on one of the state’s most important highways, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

Predictably, the Biden administration’s response to the crisis was sluggish at best. Many North Carolinians were left stranded, some even resorting to sleeping in tents through freezing temperatures.

And who can forget FEMA officials allegedly skipping over homes simply because they had Trump signs in their yards?

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Then came the federal government’s assessment of the I-40 disaster, with none other than Biden’s transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, offering his bleak outlook.

He claimed repairs would take “months or even years” and cost taxpayers billions. In typical fashion, the left’s go-to strategy was slow-walking solutions and throwing money at problems instead of finding real leadership to get things done.

Back in October, WCNC reported on Buttigieg’s grim forecast:

“U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says it could take billions of dollars and months or even years to fully repair a stretch of Interstate 40 in western North Carolina that collapsed during Hurricane Helene.”

Buttigieg wasn’t alone in the doom and gloom. North Carolina’s Democrat governor, Roy Cooper, along with NCDOT Transport Secretary Joey Hopkins, toured the wreckage, seemingly resigned to a long, drawn-out repair process.

The eastbound lanes of I-40 had crumbled into the Pigeon River, and the westbound side was barely holding together.

🚨#BREAKING: The I-40 highway in #WNC which crumbled into the river during Hurricane Helene and has been closed for 5 months…

…has officially reopened!

DOT Secretary Sean Duffy allowed rock to be pulled from the river to rebuild 3X faster and cheaper. pic.twitter.com/sGm9PIwgc2

— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) March 1, 2025

A stretch of the highway in eastern Tennessee had also suffered major damage, forcing officials to close a massive 40-mile section between exit 432 in Tennessee and exit 20 in North Carolina.

Then came a leadership change. Just weeks after Sean Duffy was sworn in as President Trump’s new transportation secretary, the supposedly impossible was achieved: I-40 is open again.

WSBTV confirmed the shocking turnaround:

“The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced the reopening of Interstate 40 on Saturday morning. I-40 was destroyed by Hurricane Helene five months ago. Flash flooding along the Pigeon River damaged large sections of the eastbound lanes near the Tennessee line.”

“This marks a significant step toward reconnecting North Carolina with Tennessee, and it comes as a relief to travelers and businesses alike. Drivers are urged to stay alert and drive safely as much of this area remains an active work zone,” NCDOT stated.

Imagine that. When you put competent leadership in charge, work actually gets done.

No years-long bureaucratic delays, no wasteful spending sprees—just results. Instead of whining about how difficult the job was, Duffy and his team got to work, proving yet again that conservative leadership delivers. The left’s excuses are wearing thin, and the American people are taking note.