Asheville – Drivers traveling on Interstate 26 East experienced overnight closures earlier this week as part of ongoing construction efforts by the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The closures, which began Monday and were set to continue through Wednesday, required detours that utilized U.S. 25 through Hendersonville.
Each night, the affected section of I-26 was closed starting at 8 p.m. and reopened by 6 a.m. Marked detours directed traffic around the closures, with traffic lights programmed to remain green longer than usual to accommodate the increased volume of overnight vehicles.
Specifically, the closures included I-26 East from U.S. 25 (Exit 44) to Upward Road (Exit 53) on Monday and Tuesday, with a detour routing motorists from U.S. 25 south into Hendersonville, then onto U.S. 176 and Upward Road back to the interstate. On Wednesday, the closure was from Airport Road (Exit 40) to Upward Road (Exit 53), directing traffic from Airport Road north to U.S. 25 south, then again onto U.S. 176 before rejoining I-26.
These nighttime closures are part of the I-26 widening project aimed at improving traffic flow and safety in Buncombe and Henderson counties. Crews utilized the closures for essential operations, including paving, diamond-grinding, and installing overhead signs.
For those looking for real-time travel updates, NCDOT recommends visiting DriveNC.gov or following their social media channels for the latest information.