RALEIGH – The brief return of calm weather has allowed the rockslide helicopter to take the sky again.

The Sikorsky S-58T was a workhorse this weekend and Monday, enabling crews to install and grout 12 rock bolts as part of their effort to stabilize the mountainside at the site of the I-40 rockslide. The helicopter, which is able to lift up to 4,500 pounds, transported drill rigs 400 feet up the slope. It also ferried grout and other supplies 800 feet to the top of the site.

The day and night shifts that work around the clock have now drilled 230 holes and have installed and grouted rock bolts in 125 of those holes. They have completed tests on 15 of those rock bolts, all of which have passed. Crews will install and test 590 rock bolts before the roadway can be reopened.

This progress may be delayed once again with the return of harsh winter weather. The National Weather Service forecast calls for snow to begin falling early Tuesday morning and to continue throughout the day. The contractor has been granted 19 days for bad weather to date.

In other news, workers have cleared about 70 percent of the trees at the site of the rockslide that occurred near Exit 7 on Jan. 23. Crews also began “scaling” the site – which is roughly 100 feet high and 100 feet wide - removing boulders, rocks and debris from the mountain slope. The contract calls for workers to stabilize the mountainside by March 12.

This section of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee border has been closed in both directions since the rockslide occurred Oct. 25.

NCDOT estimates that it will reopen I-40 by late April when work at the October rockslide site should be completed. About one mile of the westbound lane closest to the mountain will be closed until this summer to allow crews to complete the work – including the installation of rock bolts and anchor mesh – at five additional sites.

Travelers still can reach Western North Carolina via I-40 from the east and I-26 to the north and south. Exits 20 and 27 on I-40 provide access to popular destinations west of Asheville. In Tennessee, exits 432 through 451 provide access to popular destinations in southeastern Tennessee.

The detour route is 53 miles longer and is an additional 45 minutes to an hour driving time. Motorists traveling on I-40 West should take Exit 53B (I-240 West) in Asheville and follow I-240 West to Exit 4A (I-26 West). Follow I-26 West (a North Carolina Scenic Highway) to I-81 South in Tennessee. Take I-81 South and follow it back to I-40 at mile marker 421. Eastbound motorists should use the reverse directions.

NCDOT reminds motorists to stay alert, follow instructions on the message boards on the highways, obey the posted speed limit, leave early and travel at non-peak times when possible. Plan ahead before driving by visiting the NCDOT Traveler Information Management System Web site at http://www.ncdot.gov/traffictravel/ or calling 511, the state’s free travel information line, for current travel conditions.

NCDOT also provides alerts about traffic congestion and construction work on Twitter. To access them, go to http://www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter/. For daily rockslide updates, please visit the NCDOT Web site at http://www.ncdot.gov and click on the I-40 rockslide daily news and information section or follow work on the rockslide project on Twitter at http://twitter.com/i40_rockslide.