Morning Crash Near Weaverville Closes Lane on I-26 During Commute

A vehicle crash on eastbound Interstate 26 near Weaverville knocked out one of two travel lanes during the heart of the morning commute on Monday, March 9, forcing drivers to squeeze through a single lane near one of Buncombe County's busier highway entrances.

The right lane of eastbound I-26 closed near Exit 21 at New Stock Road, around mile marker 20.7, following a crash reported at about 8:28 a.m., according to officials cited by 98.1 The River and Asheville's 828 News NOW. Officials described the impact on area traffic as high, with significant commute delays expected while the lane remained blocked.

The closure was estimated to last roughly one hour, with reopening anticipated around 9:28 a.m. Further details about the crash, including whether there were any injuries or how many vehicles were involved, were not immediately available.

Monday's incident was one of several disruptions on I-26 that day. A separate seven-car crash near mile marker 35, between the Brevard Road and Long Shoals Road exits in southern Buncombe County, produced major backups, with DriveNC cameras showing eastbound traffic queued all the way back to the I-40 interchange. That crash, which involved minor injuries and prompted an investigation by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, was a distinct incident from the Exit 21 wreck. Later in the afternoon, a tractor-trailer hauling drywall overturned near mile marker 56 in Henderson County, closing both eastbound lanes and prompting troopers to establish a detour at Exit 59 near Holbert Cove Road.

For the Weaverville crash specifically, no cause had been identified in early reports and no charges were referenced. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol and NCDOT had not yet provided additional details as of the initial reporting.