Asheville residents and travelers passing through the area should be aware of a significant closure on Interstate 40 West scheduled for this weekend. The closure is necessary for infrastructure repairs and improvements, affecting a stretch of the interstate in the city.
Crews will close I-40 West from Hendersonville Road (Exit 50) to I-26 East (Exit 46A), according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Weather permitting, the affected section of I-40 West will be closed for most of the weekend into the early hours of Monday morning, from 8 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Monday.
NCDOT says detour routes will notify motorists to use I-240 West. Motorists traveling from Hendersonville Road to I-40 West will be advised to use I-40 East to I-240 West. The Brevard Road onramp to I-40 West will also be closed, with traffic directed to utilize the I-240 West detour route.
The weekend closure will allow contract crews to begin rehabilitating bridges and resurfacing between Hendersonville Road and I-26, as part of a larger interstate rehabilitation project. The project includes roadway resurfacing and bridge overlays to address cracked and delaminated concrete on bridges over Hominy Creek and the French Broad River. The project is expected to be completed by the spring of 2026, with a total cost of $27.9 million. The closure is necessary to efficiently repair the bridges and improve the riding surface of the interstate.
NCDOT traffic engineers have developed a traffic management plan to minimize disruptions to daily traffic on I-40. The plan includes nighttime lane closures for asphalt resurfacing, installation of new guardrail, concrete drainage construction, and pavement markers. The closure was chosen over regular daytime closures to shorten the construction timeline and reduce traffic disruptions. Pedestrian protections will also be installed for users of the French Broad River Greenway under the bridges, minimizing impacts to greenway users.
Asheville residents are urged to plan ahead and use the designated detour routes during the I-40 West closure this weekend. The infrastructure improvements are essential for the safety and longevity of the interstate bridges. For live traffic updates, visit drivenc.gov.
