ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Swannanoa River Road (N.C. 81), a key Asheville corridor, is set to reopen Friday afternoon following six months of cleanup, restoration and construction.
The stretch between Biltmore Avenue and Bleachery Boulevard sustained severe damage when Tropical Storm Helene caused the Swannanoa River to flood, destroying not just the roadway but also critical infrastructure. The North Carolina Department of Transportation in partnership with the city of Asheville, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buncombe County, utility providers and contractors, worked to restore the corridor.
The reopening reconnects neighborhoods, including Oakley, to other parts of the city and provides an alternative to Fairview Road, Interstate 40 and I-240…