Travelers passing through Western North Carolina should take note of the ongoing construction on a segment of Interstate 40 in Haywood County.
The construction primarily focuses on expediting the building of bridges at two specific points within the Pigeon River Gorge.
The officials at the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) have devised a traffic management strategy to uphold one lane of travel in each direction between U.S. 276 (Exit 20) and mile marker 18. By adhering to this arrangement for a duration of six months, the contracted team can reduce the overall construction time required to replace the bridges on I-40 over White Oak Road. According to NCDOT, this traffic configuration is expected to persist until May 2024.
Drivers heading to or from Tennessee have the option to either merge into a single lane and continue along this section or utilize I-26 and I-81 to bypass the construction zone during weekends and periods of heavy traffic. Opting for the route between Asheville and Dandridge, Tenn., via Kingsport adds approximately 45 minutes of driving time compared to the traditional route through the gorge. Travelers are advised to plan ahead for potential delays and consult www.DriveNC.gov for real-time traffic updates before traversing the Pigeon River Gorge.
