ASHEVILLE – The North Carolina Department of Transportation has started right of way acquisition for the “North Section” of the Interstate 26 Connector project, the most expensive section of the most expensive project for which the department has ever awarded a contract. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, according to a Dec. 22 NCDOT news release.
The milestone comes after years of delays and a recent burst of progress as the department’s efforts to build a median-divided freeway only accessible by interchanges with multiple river crossings and across approximately seven miles of Asheville’s highways. The project includes six sections: AA, AB, AC, B, C and D.
The North Section includes section B, which spans from Haywood Road, up Interstate 240 East and across the French Broad River. Also included is section D, which includes improvements for Riverside Drive…