North Carolina Advances $1.8B Connector, Bridge Projects
Construction is beginning on a $4.1 million temporary bridge connecting Azalea Road and Gashes Creek Road in east Asheville, restoring a route damaged by Tropical Storm Helene and improving access to the neighborhood, the WNC Nature Center and nearby soccer fields. The project includes riverbank stabilization and road connections, with completion expected by summer 2027; drivers should anticipate occasional lane closures, though closures are barred during weekday rush hours and certain busy periods. Separately, work is starting on the Wrightsville Beach bridge replacement project, with utility relocation expected to close the westbound shoulder of West Salisbury Street near the bridge and Pelican Drive beginning Oct. 27. Asheville’s much larger I-26 Connector project, which will widen and realign interstate sections and upgrade interchanges, is also under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2031.