PISGAH FOREST – Travel will be a little easier to and from popular Transylvania County destinations like Sliding Rock, Looking Glass Falls and the Cradle of Forestry in the near future.
N.C. Department of Transportation recently awarded a $20.3 million contract to Mountain Creek Contractors of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., to build a two-lane roundabout at the intersection of U.S 64/N.C. 280 and U.S. 276/U.S. 64 in Transylvania County.
Clearing operations may begin as soon as this week, and construction operations may begin as early as April 15, per the contract. Utility line relocations are currently underway in the area.
NCDOT officials and the contractor have developed a plan to limit impacts to traffic. At least one lane of travel in all directions will remain open at all times. In addition, crews are restricted from closing or narrowing lanes from 7-8:30 a.m. and 2:30-4:30 p.m. when school is in session. They are also restricted from closures on major holidays.
This roundabout — similar to a new roundabout south of this location on U.S. 64/U.S. 276 closer to Brevard — will increase safety and reduce congestion in the area. A five-year crash study revealed a total of 95 crashes in the study area, with rear-end and angle crashes accounting for 66 percent of all crashes.
Roundabouts improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. They also help reduce congestion and backups associated with typical intersections and traditional traffic signals. Additional information on roundabouts can be found on the NCDOT website.