ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Six months after crews broke ground on Asheville’s long-awaited I-26 Connector, the first signs of new bridges are beginning to rise from the construction zone.

And according to the N.C. Department of Transportation, the project remains on schedule for completion in late 2031.

Since the April groundbreaking, crews have shifted traffic to make room for construction, started building retaining walls and begun work on the foundations that will support the new interstate bridges.

NCDOT says crews have completed about 15 percent of the initial drilled shafts, which are deep foundations used to support the bridges.

Drivers passing through the area can already see some of that work taking shape, including bridge columns rising from the ground and a temporary rock causeway extending into the French Broad River.

The causeway gives construction crews access to areas of the river where new bridges will be built.

“I think we’ve seen a lot of good progress since April,” said Nathan Moneyham, NCDOT Division 13 construction engineer.

Moneyham said much of the work so far has focused on preparing the areas where the new bridges will be built.

“It’s encouraging to see this project take shape after more than 30 years of planning and preparation,” Moneyham said in an NCDOT news release. “Seeing bridge foundations come out of the ground and new structures take shape is a significant milestone.”

What’s next for construction?

Bridge construction will remain a major focus over the next 18 months as crews work toward the project’s first big milestone: moving I-26 traffic onto the new bridges and off Patton Avenue and the Bowen Bridges.

The new bridges will eventually allow interstate drivers to bypass the existing route across the Bowen Bridges, separating through traffic from local traffic.

For now, drivers should expect construction activity and occasional delays to continue.

Moneyham said many of the initial traffic shifts and major changes needed to open work areas have already taken place. But nighttime lane closures will still be necessary as construction progresses.

“We will still have nightly lane closures that go into place for different phases of this construction,” Moneyham said.

He urged drivers to remain cautious when passing through the construction area, regardless of the time of day.

The I-26 Connector has been in the planning stages for more than three decades. Construction on the North section officially began in April 2026, with Archer-Wright Joint Venture serving as the contractor.

NCDOT says the North section remains on track for completion in late 2031.