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NC Department of Transportation crews began rebuilding a bank under US 64 near Bridal Veil Falls on Monday. That project is being completed simultaneously to the Main Street repaving project.
Roadwork continued on Main Street in Highlands this week as a second major project got started on US 64 near Bridal Veil Falls.
NC Department of Transportation crews finished paving Main Street from the intersection of NC 106 through the intersection of 5th Street on Tuesday. Mother Nature delayed further work on the project with heavy rains on Wednesday and expected temperatures only in the low 40’s for Thursday.
“We have been in contact with the NCDOT officials and they worked hard to get the Main Street paving done by the end of day (Tuesday),” Highlands Town Manager Josh Ward said. “With the weather the way it is, and with Friday being a state holiday for Good Friday, the project won’t resume until Monday, April 5.”
Ward noted that the NCDOT will turn its attention to 4th Street on Monday, April 5 and begin milling and repaving operations for the area from Main Street to the newly-reconfigured intersection of Satulah Road.
“That new intersection is much more functional than the previous layout and its going to really look nice once we are able to put some landscaping in where we took the extra pavement out,” Ward said. “Once that stretch of 4th Street is completed, then the entire area can be restriped with permanent parking lines.”
From there the NCDOT crews will begin the long process of milling repaving 4th Street (US 64) from Main Street to Buck Creek Road.
“By the end of next week, if the weather cooperates, we should have the paving crews out of what is considered Highlands’ downtown area,” NCDOT spokesman David Uchiyama said. “There is still much more of the project to complete on US 64 and NC 28, but the entire project is on schedule to be completed by May 21.”
Work began on a second project on US 64 West adjacent to Bridal Veil Falls on Monday. NCDOT crews at that location are working to stabilize a bank that has eroded away under the road surface. Large rocks are being carefully placed using heavy equipment in order to hopefully prevent a future bank failure.
“The work at Bridal Veil Falls is very technical, and of course weather dependent, but thus far it is progressing well,” Uchiyama said. “We are on schedule to have that project completed by April 16.”
US 64 is closed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day while the work is being completed. From 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. the road is down to one lane with a signal light installed to direct traffic. Drivers are encouraged to use either NC 106 or Buck Creek Road as alternate routes during the project.