ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Half a year after the April groundbreaking, the I-26 Connector in Asheville is starting to look like a bridge project, with columns now visible. The North Carolina Department of Transportation says the job is still tracking toward a finish date in late 2031.
State transportation officials said the contractor, Archer-Wright Joint Venture, has moved traffic to open several work zones, begun building retaining walls and pushed ahead on foundations for the new interstate bridges. Roughly 15% of the initial drilled piers are done.
Those deep foundations will hold up the bridges that eventually carry I-26 drivers. A temporary rock causeway now reaches into the French Broad River so crews can get equipment to the spots where spans will stand.
The first big goal is getting interstate drivers up onto the new spans so they no longer funnel across the Bowen Bridges and Patton Avenue. Bridge building is expected to dominate the next 18 months, and more work on the river causeway should become visible over the winter.
The NCDOT Division 13 construction engineer said most of the early traffic shifts are already in place, but nightly lane closures will continue as each phase begins. Drivers should expect periodic delays and use caution in the work zone at any hour.
The connector was in planning for more than three decades before construction on the North section began in April 2026. When finished, it is meant to separate through traffic from local streets in the city.
For commuters, the cones, shifted lanes and overnight work around the river crossing are likely to stay part of the daily drive for several more years. Officials have asked drivers to slow down in the work area and watch for crews and equipment beside the travel lanes, especially after dark.
Section: More Asheville NC crime news
Filed under: Asheville NC Traffic News
