Newport, TN (WOKI) Norfolk Southern now has a target date in mind for reopening one of their lines in Newport.

The rail company’s AS Line was damaged after heavy flooding from Helene wreaked havoc on parts of East Tennessee.

The AS Line runs from Newport through Asheville to Grovestone, N.C. Norfolk Southern projects the line will reopen on March 31, of next year.

“After Hurricane Helene moved through the Southeast in late September, bringing with it historic flooding and unprecedented damage, hundreds of railroaders from Norfolk Southern jumped into action. Teams reopened all core routes affected by the storm within 72 hours of landfall, clearing over 15,000 trees, deploying 400+ generators, and repairing multiple washouts, often in very challenging conditions and difficult-to-reach regions.” – Norfolk Southern

Officials say reopening the line will help the recovery efforts in Western North Carolina, specifically Asheville, Hendersonville and Waynesville.