ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Drivers who travel Interstate 26 in Buncombe County during the overnight hours may want to take an alternate route this week.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has planned a series of overnight closures this week.
The following sections of the interstate will close each night no earlier than 8 p.m. and open again by 6 a.m. the next day. Marked detours will direct drivers onto a route that will have traffic signals adjusted to accommodate the influx of traffic with more green time.
Closures include:
- Monday — I-26 East from Brevard Road (Exit 33) to Long Shoals Road (Exit 37). Detour: Brevard Road (N.C. 191) south to Long Shoals Road (N.C. 146) east to I-26
- Tuesday through Thursday — I-26 East from Brevard Road (Exit 33) to Airport Road (Exit 40). Detour: Brevard Road (N.C. 191) south to Airport Road (N.C. 280) north to I-26
- Wednesday and Thursday — I-26 West from U.S. 64 (Exit 49) to U.S. 25 (Exit 44). Detour: U.S. 64 West to U.S. 25 North to I-26
The N.C. Department of Transportation reminds drivers to be cautious near work zones and plan for the longer detour.
These operations are part of the I-26 widening projects in Buncombe and Henderson counties. Crews will utilize the closures for various operations including diamond-grinding, concrete work on the Blue Ridge Parkway bridge and preparation for a traffic shift in Buncombe County.