From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The NCDOT announced on July 17 that it officially opened all I-26 westbound lanes in their final four-lane configuration between U.S. 64 (Exit 49) in Henderson County and Brevard Road (Exit 33) in Buncombe County. 

The area opened as of July 17 also incluides the common congestion point on the hill near the Blue Ridge Parkway bridge.

Despite this milestone, travelers are advised by NCDOT to expect ongoing overnight closures and construction as crews complete the widening project and build the new I-26 Connector.

“For the longest time, there’s been a slowdown right there at Long Shoals and the Parkway with a lot of the truck traffic having a tough time getting up the hill,” NCDOT contract Resident Engineer Luke Middleton was quoted as saying in a July 17 story by Asheville television station WLOS (News 13).

The station added, “Drivers there had been dealing with delayed deadlines, detours, desperate to see a light at the end of the tunnel. But Middleton said the wait is finally over.”

Now, “Traffic will be a lot more free flowing, not nearly as much congestion,” Middleton told News 13.

Following are local details and resources to keep in mind for one’s commute:

• I-26 widening project: The final phases of this 17-mile widening effort are on track for a fall 2026 completion. Be prepared for nighttime lane closures and reduced speeds.

• I-26 Connector project: Construction is actively underway on the billion-dollar project to link I-26 to U.S. 19/23/70, aiming to divert interstate traffic away from local Asheville streets.

• Blue Ridge Parkway bridge: NCDOT is installing a new bridge over the interstate at mile marker 36. One can track the progress of both projects on the official NCDOT I-26 Widening page.

• Real-time traffic updates: Check the NCDOT DriveNC map for live detour information, closures and active work zones.

• Connector updates: For specifics on the Asheville connector project, contact the toll-free hotline at (855) 925-2801.