That is great news for travelers headed to Appalachian Ski Mountain and the other High Country ski resorts for this weekend!
U.S. 321 CLOSURE UPDATE FOR DEC. 15
Road scheduled to reopen by late afternoon Wednesday
RALEIGH – Crews on Tuesday completed work to remove boulders along U.S. 321 near Lenoir. Paving of the section is scheduled to take place Wednesday morning, weather permitting, and the highway should reopen by late afternoon.
Cleanup of the rock has gone smoothly, according to officials with NCDOT and project contractor W.C. English. Crews have worked around the clock to break down and remove the rocks, which were brought down during a large blast last Friday. The blast was conducted in order to remove boulders that were loosened earlier this month during routine blasting work to widen the 6.6 mile section of U.S. 321 from Blowing Rock to Lenoir.
After inspecting the area Dec. 7, engineers determined that several boulders needed to be removed from the slope to ensure its safety.
NCDOT will announce the anticipated re-opening time as soon as it is known, and message boards will be used to alert drivers.
NCDOT has requested that W.C. English postpone routine blasting work in the area until Jan. 5 to allow U.S. 321 to remain open at all times. This will ensure easier access for travelers heading to ski areas and other popular destinations in the High Country. Until the road is re-opened, motorists can still reach area attractions by using the suggested detour route.
For the remainder of the closure, traffic heading north from Lenoir towards Blowing Rock should follow N.C. 18 into Wilkes County until it intersects with U.S. 421 North, a distance of about 25 miles. Take U.S. 421 North to Boone and turn left onto the N.C. 105 Extension after 30 miles. Then turn left onto U.S. 321 South to Blowing Rock.
To head south on U.S. 321 from Blowing Rock, follow the route back to Lenoir from Boone.
The N.C. Department of Transportation reminds motorists to watch signs for construction information, stay alert and obey the posted speed limit. Plan ahead before driving by visiting the NCDOT Traveler Information Management Web site at www.ncdot.gov/traffictravel or call 511, the state’s free travel information line for current travel conditions.