ASHEVILLE – Overnight closures will return to a section of Interstate 26 in Buncombe and Henderson counties on Thursday and Friday nights.
A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation plans to close I-26 West from U.S. 25 Business (Exit 44) to Long Shoals Road (Exit 37) at 8 p.m. tonight, and I-26 East from Long Shoals Road (Exit 37) to U.S. 25 Business (Exit 44) at 9 p.m. on Friday.
On both nights, traffic will be detoured to Hendersonville Road (U.S. 25) and Long Shoals Road (N.C. 146). Local traffic may utilize other roads in the area. There will be no access from Airport Road to I-26 West on Thursday or I-26 East on Friday.
Traffic on Hendersonville Road and Long Shoals Road will be incorporated into a signal-timing program, the Integrated Corridor Management system, which provides longer green lights on the detour routes.
During the closure, crews will be setting girders for a new bridge on Fanning Bridge Road over I-26 in Henderson County, along with repairing concrete slabs and installing a pipe crossing in Buncombe County. These operations are small parts of the project to widen I-26 from Brevard Road in Asheville to U.S. 64 in Hendersonville.
Transportation officials advise drivers to obey all posted traffic signs and remain alert in work zones.