From the Citizen-Times
When the slide-prone gorge route was first proposed, leaders from Madison County and the Asheville area had pushed for another route, one that would have sent I-40 through the French Broad River Valley in Madison, close to where U.S. 25/70 runs now.
“Lots of people these days will say highway decisions are all politics — well, hell yes, they are,” said Jody Kuhne, a state engineering geologist with the N.C. Department of Transportation.
“Back at that time, Haywood County had a large paper mill, major railroad access and other industry, and Madison County just didn't have that, except some in Hot Springs. So, sure, they out-politicked Madison. The road went where the action was.”
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