Overnight closure planned for part of I-26 in Asheville for Blue Ridge Parkway bridge work

Ryan Oehrli, Asheville Citizen Times
·2 min read
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says that there will be an overnight closure of Interstate 26 West to “allow contract crews to reach a milestone in the construction of a new bridge for the Blue Ridge Parkway over the interstate.”
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says that there will be an overnight closure of Interstate 26 West to “allow contract crews to reach a milestone in the construction of a new bridge for the Blue Ridge Parkway over the interstate.”

ASHEVILLE - The North Carolina Department of Transportation says that there will be an overnight closure of Interstate 26 West to “allow contract crews to reach a milestone in the construction of a new bridge for the Blue Ridge Parkway over the interstate.”

“A section of I-26 West between Long Shoals Road (Exit 37) and Brevard Road (Exit 31) is set to close no earlier than 8 p.m.” on March 23, according to a news release from NCDOT. The lanes will reopen by 6 a.m. the next morning, according to the release.

“The marked detour —with longer green lights to accommodate the extra traffic — diverts drivers to Long Shoals Road (N.C. 146) to Hendersonville Road (U.S. 25) to I-40 to Brevard Road and I-26/I-240 East,” it says.

Crews will “lift and place segments of the new bridge during the closure along with the pushing and stressing of tendons that run through the entirety of the bridge deck. These are the last two segments of the eastern half of the new bridge,” it says.

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The North Carolina Department of Transportation says that there will be an overnight closure of Interstate 26 West to “allow contract crews to reach a milestone in the construction of a new bridge for the Blue Ridge Parkway over the interstate.”
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says that there will be an overnight closure of Interstate 26 West to “allow contract crews to reach a milestone in the construction of a new bridge for the Blue Ridge Parkway over the interstate.”

“The next major operation in this section of the I-26 widening project involves shifting all traffic to newly built lanes between Long Shoals Road and a location north of the Blue Ridge Parkway,” it says. “This traffic shift is slated for later this spring.”

NCDOT says the I-26 widening project will reduce congestion and improve travel times upon completion in the spring of 2025.

Transportation officials are asking drivers to remain alert, travel with care and obey all posted signs approaching and within the construction zone.

Ryan Oehrli covers public safety, breaking news, courts and other beats for the Citizen-Times. Comments? Questions? Tips? Send them to coehrli@citizentimes.com or 252-944-6816. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Overnight Asheville closure planned for part of I-26 West