Motorists traveling between Highlands and Dillard, Georgia will be taking an alternate route for the foreseeable future following the closure of NC106 on Saturday.
According to the information provided by the NC Department of Transportation, the road was closed in both directions due to previously unseen damage related to Hurricane Helene.
“A deep pipe failure and a weakened slope below the road will require a closure of N.C. 106 in Macon County,” an NCDOT statement read. “The N.C. Department of Transportation will close the highway to all traffic between the Blue Valley Overlook and the Osage Overlook starting Saturday morning. Residents will have access to their homes in neighborhoods off NC 106. However, this damage cuts the direct route for passenger vehicles between Highlands and Georgia.”
While there was no initial timetable for how long the repairs might take immediately following the announcement, NC Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Macon) noted that he had spoken to NCDOT officials and was told the closure is expected to last approximately 6-8 weeks depending on the weather and scope of the repairs.
“I was told by NCDOT that a large, potentially dangerous and life-threatening void was found to be undermining highway 106. Due to extreme safety concerns on their part they closed the road,” Corbin said. “I was told that the project was ‘huge’ but they thought it could be done in six to eight weeks. I know that’s not great news, but that is better news than being closed for six months like Interstate 40 and Interstate 26.”
The marked detour will direct westbound drivers north on NC 106 to U.S. 64 West to U.S. 441 South. The same routes, in reverse, will apply to eastbound drivers. The damage and ensuring repairs add about 20 minutes to a typical drive from Highlands to Dillard, Ga. Large trucks must use US 441 to Dillsboro, then U.S. 23/74 to Sylva, then NC 107 south to Cashiers, then US64 to Highlands.
The closure essentially cuts off the Scaly Mountain community from Highlands. What would normally be a roughly 15-minute drive from the Scaly Fire Department to Main Street in Highlands is now roughly 50 minutes going through Franklin. To continue to serve clients in the Scaly Mountain community, the Highlands Food Pantry is working on a contingency plan for the next several weeks.
“We are looking at solutions, because we do serve a number of families from Scaly and down that way on NC106, even all the way to Dillard, Ga, because those people work up here in Highlands so they come to us for assistance,” International Friendship Center Executive Director TJ Smith said. “We may set up a temporary food pantry site in Scaly at the community center or fire department, we haven’t hammered out all the details, but we want to make sure everyone who needs our help down there gets it.”
Following Hurricane Helene, which hit the region Sept. 27-28, a partial washout of NC106 was discovered. The road was closed completely for two days and then reopened as a one-lane road with a traffic signal between the Blue Valley and Osage overlooks.
Late last week, NCDOT engineers found a deteriorated pipe more than 40 feet below the road surface during a thorough examination of the road following the storm, which has required another complete closure.
Transportation officials will award a contract in the coming days to repair the pipe, rebuild the roadbed and strengthen the slope below the road.
Transportation officials have identified more than 7,380 damaged sites in western North Carolina. NCDOT has reopened more than 760 roads. But more than 500 remain closed due to the storm.