NCDOT Begins Controlled Rock Blasts on I-26 Connector South Section

Controlled rock-removal blasting got underway Tuesday near the I-26 interchange in West Asheville, where the I-26 Connector project ties into Interstate 40 East close to Sand Hill Road. NCDOT scheduled the first blast for 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 11, marking the start of a blasting phase that engineers estimate will require up to eight detonations before rock clearing is complete.

The blasts are planned Monday through Friday between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., with scheduling subject to weather and site conditions. Motorists traveling through the area should expect slow-rolling roadblocks causing delays of roughly 10 to 15 minutes each time a blast occurs. Residents in nearby neighborhoods may notice the noise, though NCDOT said in its March 10 release that the operation is "carefully planned and monitored to ensure it is conducted safely."

Controlled blasting is a standard construction method for breaking apart large rock formations that would otherwise require slower mechanical removal. Using it here allows Archer-Wright Joint Venture, the contractor NCDOT selected for the South Section in August 2024, to clear the site more quickly and keep the broader project moving.

The South Section of the I-26 Connector runs from the Smokey Park Highway interchange on I-40 to the I-26 interchange. The $105 million contract covers concrete pavement rehabilitation on I-40, splitting the existing off-ramp into separate Exit 44A and Exit 44B lanes, and widening improvements to the interchange between I-40 East and I-26 East. NCDOT has previously stated that South Section construction is expected to continue through 2029.