Work will soon begin on I-26
Widening work will begin on Interstate 26 in Buncombe County this fall, a project that will include replacing the Blue Ridge Parkway bridge over I-26, bridges over the French Broad River and two other bridges.
The planned widening will conflict with the Parkway’s existing piers because of their proximity to the roadway. The project will realign a short portion of the Parkway and build a new bridge spanning I-26 adjacent to the existing bridge on the south side. The Parkway will remain open during the multi-year construction of the new bridge and demolition of the existing one.
The contract for the project was awarded to the Fluor-United Joint Venture of Greenville, South Carolina, which put forward a bid of $263 million. Construction is expected to start by the end of September.
The widening project will stretch from Brevard Road to the Henderson County line near Airport Road, expanding the road from four to eight lanes. Bids for a companion project to widen the road from the county line to Four Seasons Boulevard in Henderson County will be received this fall.
At least two lanes of traffic will remain open in each direction during the day. The project should be completed in the spring of 2024.
