SYLVA — Immediate improvements are coming to Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge as part of a long-term rehabilitation project.
A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation will begin milling out old asphalt and paving sections in the westbound direction Mondays through Thursday starting next week in Haywood County.
Harrison Construction will be operating with one lane closed starting at mile marker 15 on Monday and work west in two-mile sections toward the Tennessee state line. Drivers should expect delays during hours with high traffic volumes. All lanes will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through the summer, in addition to holidays.
This $33.8 million contract to rehabilitate the interstate includes removing old asphalt, repairing pavement failures, adding a new layer of asphalt, and painting long-lasting markings for the entire 15-mile stretch. The two-year contract also includes replacing guardrail and the median barrier wall from the state line to the tunnels at mile marker 4.