New Blue Ridge Parkway Bridge Opens Over I-26 in South Asheville Enabling Interstate Expansion

The new Blue Ridge Parkway bridge over Interstate 26 in South Asheville officially opened on October 1, 2025, marking a major milestone in the I-26 widening project in Buncombe County. This permanent bridge was built to replace the old structure, whose piers interfered with the interstate expansion, and its opening now allows crews to remove the old bridge to continue construction. The bridge, constructed from pre-cast concrete sections connected by long internal tendons, features design elements like stone masonry and wooden guardrails to match traditional parkway architecture. Removal of the old bridge will take approximately six to eight weeks and include saw-cutting the deck, dismantling girders, and pushing down the supporting columns, with some operations requiring overnight closures on I-26. Additional work will also be done on the east and west sides of the bridge, including guardrail installation and building a new parking lot for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Despite ongoing construction and occasional road closures, local officials express optimism about completing this project ahead of the popular fall leaf season, emphasizing that Western North Carolina remains open for business.