I-26 East near Asheville to close 1 night for Blue Ridge Parkway work, new concrete

Will Hofmann, Asheville Citizen Times
·2 min read
3
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says that there will be an overnight closure of Interstate 26 East Tuesday to conduct a traffic shift to new concrete, the North Carolina Department of Transportation announced Monday.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says that there will be an overnight closure of Interstate 26 East Tuesday to conduct a traffic shift to new concrete, the North Carolina Department of Transportation announced Monday.

ASHEVILLE - A four-mile section of Interstate 26 East will close Aug. 15 into the morning of Aug. 16 for road crews to perform a traffic shift to new concrete, the North Carolina Department of Transportation said Aug. 14 in a news release.

The area of construction will run from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Airport Road, where the closure will start “no earlier than” 8 p.m. Aug. 15 and will reopen the morning of Aug. 16.

The closure will include a traffic diversion with marked lights to guide drivers. Using the diversion, drivers will head south on Hendersonville Road to Airport Road where drivers will have the option to return to I-26 at Exit 40 or continue south to Exit 44.

If necessary, NCDOT will use the night of Aug. 16 as a backup date for the closure.

The traffic shift is a part of the I-26 widening project, which involves widening both sides of I-26 to three lanes. The project is expected to be finished by 2024, according to the NCDOT website.

“It’s nice to conclude one major phase of construction and allow another phase of this project to begin,” NCDOT Engineer Nathan Moneyham said in the release. “Drivers should remain alert to the change the first time they drive through.”

I-26 Connector project: I-26 Connector project hits key point; activists want safer bike/walking paths

A view of I-26 from the new Blue Ridge Parkway bridge section November 21, 2022.
A view of I-26 from the new Blue Ridge Parkway bridge section November 21, 2022.

Tuesday’s closure will allow crews to remove existing eastbound lanes and eventually build new lanes heading toward Hendersonville. The closure also aims to create a safe area for operations to begin construction on the western side of the new Blue Ridge Parkway bridge.

Transportation officials remind drivers to avoid distractions, maintain a safe speed and obey all posted traffic signs.

Blue Ridge Parkway: Answer Woman: Why is the Blue Ridge Parkway closed when it's warm and sunny in Asheville?

Will Hofmann is the Citizen Times Growth and Development Reporter. Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: I-26 East to close 1 night for Blue Ridge Parkway work

Recommended Stories