Latest I-26 Connector Work Brings Night Lane Closures in Asheville
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ASHEVILLE, NC · WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA / BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS EDITION · TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2026
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I-26 Connector Work Brings Night Lane Closures in Asheville

Published October 27, 2026 at 8:06 am | By Diane Mason, Staff Reporter

Orange detour sign and traffic posts

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Late-night drivers on Asheville’s west side should leave a little extra time this week. Crews on the Interstate 26 Connector project have lined up overnight lane closures on the Patton Avenue frontage road and on I-240, along with a day of flagging on Riverside Drive.

The longest stretch of work is on the frontage road along Patton Avenue, the city’s western gateway into downtown. From Tuesday night through Friday morning, the right lane will close every night between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. on the section from Cliff Street to the entrance of the Sam’s Club fuel station while crews pull out curbing and lay new pavement. No overnight work was planned for Monday.

On Thursday night, the right lane of I-240 westbound, which is also I-26 eastbound through that stretch, will shut down between Exit 2 and Exit 3A starting at 9 p.m. and reopen at 6 a.m. Friday. I-240 serves as the urban loop tying downtown to I-26 and I-40, so the closure lands on one of the busiest routes in town.

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Friday brings daytime flagging on Riverside Drive, the main street of the River Arts District along the French Broad River. Crews will be boring underground to run pipe or utility lines without tearing up the whole road. The exact hours and location of that flagging have not been announced.

The connector is a long-running effort to straighten out highway links and traffic flow through Asheville, and the work happens in phases. Every closure this week depends on the weather and could shift. Drivers are asked to slow down and stay alert in work zones.

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Section: More Asheville NC crime news

Filed under: Asheville NC Traffic News

What's Happening
Where are the closures?
The Patton Avenue frontage road, I-240 westbound and Riverside Drive.
When?
Nightly Tuesday through Friday morning, plus Thursday night on I-240 and Friday daytime on Riverside Drive.
Why?
Ongoing I-26 Connector construction.
Diane Mason
HEREAsheville · TRAFFIC

Diane is a staff reporter for HERE Asheville covering local news, community stories, and developments across Buncombe County. Diane is committed to accurate, community-first journalism.

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