Anyone who has driven through the Cullasaja Gorge along US 64 in the direction of Franklin can attest that the roadway is narrowing.
Of course, the pavement hasn’t changed width, but thanks to vegetation growing up along both sides of the road and encroaching on the lanes of travel it appears that the busy thoroughfare is more narrow than years past.
In several places, the already tight turns where a rock face guards one shoulder of the road, and a guardrail the opposite side, are now both overgrown with leafy vegetation. Instances of vehicles scraping the brush are occurring at a regular rate, especially during the morning and after-work rush to get up or down the mountain when cars are traveling both east and west and thus can’t ride the center line.
The question isn’t – Will the vegetation continue to grow into the travel lanes?
The question is – Who is responsible for clearing the travel lanes along US 64 from overgrowing vegetation?
The answer is the North Carolina Department of Transportation Vegetation Management Section.
As has been covered by Highlands Mayor Patrick Taylor’s “Mayor on Duty” column several times in recent months, the NCDOT is in a financial pickle. The agency overspent its budget by roughly $700 million during the 2019-20 fiscal year. Of course most of the overages were caused by major metropolitan road projects that came in over budget, and not clearing privet from along roadsides in rural counties. But $700 million over budget is $700 million over budget no matter how you slice it, or where the money went.
Long story made short, it may be Old Man Winter that ends up clearing the vegetation along US 64 before the NCDOT does. A few frosty nights would do wonders for killing off the greenery.
The Town of Highlands has dedicated funds for repaving and repairing roadways in town limits over the next fiscal year. Directing dollars toward road projects seems like a wise decision given the unlikeliness of the state funding any projects in small towns with limited motorists.
As for the roads outside town jurisdiction, try to avoid the branches until the first freeze.