Carolina Public Press report: I-26 connector on hold indefinitely

The proposed Interstate 26 connector in Asheville is currently on hold for at least the next 10 years, barring further review by the N.C. Department of Transportation, a spokesman told the Carolina Public Press on Monday, March 28.

The news comes as the agency plans to hold a public hearing Tuesday in Morganton for projects in District 13 that will use federal funds between now and 2016, which are included in the proposed final version of the State Transportation Improvement Plan. District 13 includes Buncombe, Burke, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey counties.

Van Argabright, State Transportation Improvement Plan manager, said Monday that the agency began a process to reprioritize state transportation projects about two years ago. By combining technical information such as accident and traffic data with public input and information from the Rural Planning Organizations and Metropolitan Planning Organizations, state engineers came up with a new priority rankings for state transportation needs.

Higher-ranking projects received funding commitments first. The I-26 connector project was one of the lowest-ranked loop projects in the state, and is now currently unfunded until at least 2020.

For the full story, go to carolinapublicpress.org.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Carolina Public Press report: I-26 connector on hold indefinitely

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.