Serious crash shuts down I-40 East near Mebane Oaks Road in Alamance County

A serious crash shut down I-40 East near Exit 154 for Mebane Oaks Road in Alamance County before sunrise Thursday, stopping traffic on a key east-west corridor just miles from the Orange County line. The wreck happened between mile markers 153 and 154 on Interstate 85 North and I-40 East, leaving early-morning drivers boxed in as crews worked the scene and motorists tried to reach Mebane.

NCDOT’s first TIMS alert came at 3:24 a.m. All lanes on I-85 North and I-40 East were initially closed. By 5:12 a.m., the far left lane had reopened, but the right lanes were still blocked, keeping the shutdown in place for much of the morning commute. The roadway fully reopened around 6:23 a.m., ending a disruption that hit one of Alamance County’s busiest travel routes.

For drivers headed toward Mebane Oaks Road, the closure cut off a direct link to businesses and neighborhoods clustered around Exit 154. That meant slower commutes for workers, delayed deliveries, and a forced detour for anyone trying to reach the eastern edge of Alamance County from the interstate. NCDOT told motorists to follow on-scene personnel directions while the crash scene remained active.

The state transportation agency says drivers should check DriveNC.gov or call 511 for the latest road conditions, crash information and construction updates. NCDOT also says its Safety Service Patrol, part of the IMAP program, helps clear roadway obstructions, provides emergency traffic control and assists stranded motorists on major highways. More than 100 Safety Service Patrol responders work across North Carolina to help keep wrecks and disabled vehicles from turning into longer backups.

The Thursday morning shutdown also underscored how vulnerable this stretch of interstate has become in recent months. In March, NCDOT scheduled overnight lane closures at mile marker 152 near Trollingwood Hawfields Road for bridge beam work, and drivers in both directions were told to use Exit 152, cross Trollingwood Hawfields Road and return to the interstate. Repeated closures, whether planned or tied to a crash, continue to make this growing corridor one of the most heavily disrupted travel routes in Alamance County.