Interstate 95 reopened across North Carolina
Published September 24. 2018 06:32AM
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BLADENBORO, North Carolina (AP) — North Carolina’s governor has announced that Interstate 95 has been reopened to all traffic within the state.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced the surprise development Sunday night in a news release.
The major highway runs north-south across the eastern part of the state and runs just east of Fayetteville. Officials had thought portions of the highway would continue to be underwater for days, but Cooper said floodwaters had receded faster than expected.
Parts of the highway had been closed since Sept. 15 due to Hurricane Florence.
Dead fish lie around the edges of Greenfield Lake in Wilmington N.C., Sunday, September 23, 2018. The fish began dying following the landfall of Hurricane Florence but no official explanation has been given by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. (Matt Born/The Star-News via AP)
A road is flooded from Hurricane Florence in the Avondale community in Hampstead, N.C., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (Matt Born /The Star-News via AP)
Flooding from Sutton Lake has washed away part of U.S. 421 in New Hanover County just south of the Pender County line in Wilmington, N.C., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (Matt Born /The Star-News via AP)
Volunteer Johnnie Evans brings a wagon of water to cleanup crews helping with the grisly task of removing storm damaged belongings, spoiled food and soaked furniture at Trent Court Apartments in New Bern, N.C., Sept. 21, 2018. Hurricane Florence brought storm surges which overflowed from the Trent River and forced many residents of Trent Court to evacuate. (Gray Whitley / Sun Journal via AP)
Avery Singleton takes a boat to Pine Grove Baptist Church Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in Brittons Neck, S.C. Residents of Brittons Neck in Marion County are nearing the crest of the flooding from the Little Pee Dee River on Saturday, but many are concerned that the flooding Great Pee Dee will increase damage to their community. (Jason Lee/The Sun News via AP)
In this Friday, Sept. 21, 2018 photo, Kristen and Jason Atoigue Burgaw pilot a boat through floodwaters after visiting their house to retrieve their flood insurance papers and their son’s hamster in Pender County, N.C. The Atoigues sustained a few feet of water in their residence. (Kristen Zeis/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
Jimmy Poston holds a sunfish caught by hand in the flood waters of a front yard on Bay Road Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in Brittons Neck, S.C. Most houses were cut off completely Saturday, with water on the front steps and creeping closer to the porch. Many residents were concerned that the flooding Great Pee Dee River will increase damage to their community. (Jason Lee/The Sun News via AP)
Dozens of homes are surrounded by floodwaters brought to the area by Hurricane Florence in Pender County, N.C., on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018. The floodwaters have swallowed an estimated 25 percent of Pender county. (Kristen Zeis/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
John Davis grabs meals to had out at the NC Baptist Men’s relief site at First Baptist Activity Center in Wilmington N.C., Sunday, September 23, 2018. The organization was distributing more than 16,000 meals on Sunday.(Matt Born/The Star-News via AP)
Auxilia Gerard, left, and Lou Anne Liverman help to fill boxes for individual meals at the NC Baptist Men’s relief site at First Baptist Activity Center in Wilmington N.C., Sunday, September 23, 2018. The organization was distributing more than 16,000 meals on Sunday. (Matt Born/The Star-News via AP)
Jimmy English, left, and Bubba English with Wildlife Removal Service measure a five and a half foot alligator that was found under a house off Shipyard Blvd. in Wilmington N.C., Sunday, September 23, 2018. English said that it’s not unusual to find alligators that have become disoriented after a major storm. He expects to see more when all of the waters recede.(Matt Born/The Star-News via AP)
The Hotel Ballast is reflected in floodwaters from the Cape Fear River along Water St. in downtown Wilmington, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018. The river is expected to crest on Monday night. (Matt Born/The Star-News via AP)
Godfrey Guerzon takes a picture of floodwaters from the Cape Fear River at the foot of Market St in downtown Wilmington, N.C., Sunday, September 23, 2018. The river is expected to crest on Monday night. (Matt Born/The Star-News via AP)
Floodwaters from the Cape Fear River cover Water St. in downtown Wilmington, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018. (Matt Born/The Star-News via AP)