BAT CAVE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A key mountain corridor damaged by Tropical Storm Helene will reopen to through traffic this weekend, ahead of schedule, state transportation officials said.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced it will remove barricades and reopen U.S. 64 into Bat Cave on Saturday in a temporary traffic pattern as crews complete final reconstruction work.
The highway had been limited to local traffic while contractors repaired extensive storm damage that, in some areas, reduced the roadway to less than a single lane. Work included grading, installing drainage, stabilizing slopes and building retaining walls.
“We are excited to open this critical route into Bat Cave, Chimney Rock and the surrounding communities that were devastated by Hurricane Helene,” Division 14 Engineer Wesley Grindstaff said. “Our crews, and all of our contractors, have done a tremendous job from the initial emergency assessments to recent resurfacing.”
According to NCDOT, crews removed about 20,000 cubic yards of debris, excavated roughly 4,000 cubic yards of soil and placed 57,000 tons of rock to rebuild the corridor.
Drivers should expect temporary traffic signals controlling travel while crews complete work on the eastbound lane. Officials anticipate the roadway will be fully open by Memorial Day.
The project is expected to cost about $25 million, roughly $7 million under initial estimates.
Transportation officials said this section of U.S. 64 will be the first major corridor damaged by Helene to reopen with final repairs, as work continues across western North Carolina.
“It’s a pleasure to invite folks on our roads back to Bat Cave, Chimney Rock and Lake Lure,” Grindstaff said. “The hurricane left its mark on us, but it also revealed how well we can all come together in incredible ways for each other after a disaster.”
NCDOT urged motorists to slow down and use caution in the area as construction continues over the coming months.