ASHEVILLE – A major traffic shift tonight represents a major milestone on the Interstate 26 widening project.
A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation will utilize an overnight closure tonight to shift traffic on Interstate 26 West between Airport Road and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Drivers heading into Asheville from Henderson County and origins further east will drive on 4.5 miles of new pavement starting Friday morning.
“The opening of the new alignment denotes a significant milestone in the I-26 Widening project,” NCDOT Division 13 Construction Engineer Nathan Moneyham said. “Our team has maneuvered to reach a point where crews can begin working on the next major phase of construction which includes building more of the Blue Ridge Parkway bridge.”
The overnight closure, starting no earlier than 8 p.m., requires westbound lanes to close from U.S. 25 Business (Exit 44) to Brevard Road (Exit 33). A marked detour will direct traffic to U.S. 25 Business (Hendersonville Road) all the way to I-40 West. The Integrated Corridor Management System will keep traffic lights green longer along this route to accommodate additional overnight traffic.
When the lanes open tomorrow morning — the operation must be complete by 6 a.m. or the contractor will suffer fines every 15 minutes — all westbound vehicles will drive on the easternmost section of new pavement starting at Airport Road. The new pavement continues over the Glenn Bridge Road bridge, through the Long Shoals Road interchange and under the Blue Ridge Parkway before returning drivers to the existing traffic pattern.
Even though the pavement is new, the final striping and grinding will occur later in the project resulting in a rough ride for some vehicles. However, the new section features wider shoulders, new guardrail and drainage facilities.
In the coming weeks, eastbound traffic in this section will shift to new concrete from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Airport Road. Also in the coming weeks westbound traffic from U.S. 25 Business (Exit 44) in Henderson County to Airport Road will shift to new pavement on the eastern edge of the project and the westbound rest area will reopen.
Transportation officials advise all drivers on I-26 to remain alert, obey all posted signs and slow down in the work zone.