Interstate 26 East will close four nights this week so crews can place long girders for a bridge over the French Broad River.
ASHEVILLE – A section of Interstate 26 East will close for four straight nights so construction crews can place girders — steel beams more than 200 feet long — on a new section of bridge over the French Broad River.
A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation will close I-26 from Brevard Road (Exit 33) to Long Shoals Road (Exit 37) tonight, Wednesday night, and Thursday night in order to complete the procedure as part of the I-26 Widening project. On Tuesday night, crews will close I-26 East from Brevard Road to Airport Road (Exit 40).
All traffic will be detoured to Hendersonville Road (U.S. 25) where lights will remain green longer to accommodate additional interstate traffic. I-26 East/I-240 West traffic will exit to Brevard Road then go north to I-40 East to Hendersonville Road (exit 50). All I-40 to I-26 East traffic will be detoured to Hendersonville Road.
During the closures, crews from Fluor/United Joint Venture will first mobilize and prepare a large crane on Monday night. Then crews will set the beams in place on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The contractor will also have a warning system for any potential boaters on the river during overnight hours.
One section of the new bridge, which currently carries I-26 East traffic, is complete. Setting these girders is a major step in completing the second section of what will be one bridge over the river.
Transportation officials advise drivers to plan ahead for the detour, remain alert at all times and obey all posted traffic signs.