321 'tween BR & Lenoir (Charlotte, Boone: construction, closing, dangerous)

[hymnsinger]

Woo hoo!! Good news everybody (in the Boone/Lenoir area)!! They have cut through the S curves south of Blackberry Rd!!! Well, most of it anyway. Maymead is paving the remainder as I type. They did the cut through last Monday night. (BTW, visitors be aware that they are closing the highway between Blowing Rock and Lenoir on Monday nights from 8PM to 5AM) Since I drive that route EVERYday, I am ecstatic!! It's really cool to see them making some tangible progress. We also have shiny new 55 MPH signs and curve warnings up for the first time. They are continuing to work on the bottom section almost every night. We'll have four lanes before you know it!

Blessings,
Pastor Tracey

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by hymnsinger

Woo hoo!! Good news everybody (in the Boone/Lenoir area)!! They have cut through the S curves south of Blackberry Rd!!! Well, most of it anyway. Maymead is paving the remainder as I type. They did the cut through last Monday night. (BTW, visitors be aware that they are closing the highway between Blowing Rock and Lenoir on Monday nights from 8PM to 5AM) Since I drive that route EVERYday, I am ecstatic!! It's really cool to see them making some tangible progress. We also have shiny new 55 MPH signs and curve warnings up for the first time. They are continuing to work on the bottom section almost every night. We'll have four lanes before you know it!

Blessings,
Pastor Tracey

Tracey, this is awesome news, and just in time for leaf peeping

[jdljr]

Tracey, thanks for the update!!

[mm_mary73]

Sorry, I'm going to miss those curves!

[NCDave]

I'm driving from Charlotte to Tweetsie tomorrow. Are construction delays and construction traffic a problem? Should I take I-77 to 421 instead?

[hymnsinger]

No, Friday traffic should be fine. The 8 mile mountain rise can take from 20 to 40 minutes depending on what truck you're stuck behind. There will be no major delays. Be patient and you'll be up in no time!

[NCDave]

Thanks. We made it to Tweetsie and back. Just one short construction backup where they're cutting back the rocks.

What I didn't anticipate was the fog. It was pea soup going up in the morning and almost as bad coming back down. It was a little hairy driving up an unfamiliar, curvy road that I couldn't see.

[hymnsinger]

Originally Posted by NCDave

Thanks. We made it to Tweetsie and back. Just one short construction backup where they're cutting back the rocks.

What I didn't anticipate was the fog. It was pea soup going up in the morning and almost as bad coming back down. It was a little hairy driving up an unfamiliar, curvy road that I couldn't see.

Sorry I wasn't able, and didn't think, to warn you! I've been in bed for a couple of days with a back injury, but welcome to my world!! Fog is VERY common in fall and spring. I have had to come to a complete stop on curves at the top because I couldn't see the stripes on the road or the guard rail! The road should be closed in those conditions, even if it means MY inconvenience! At least I know the "back way" down the mountain! Not that it's any safer, lol.

I'm glad you made it up and down safely . . . I do it every day!

Tracey

[hymnsinger]

Hey everybody!!! We now have a northbound PASSING lane on 321 (between Lenoir and BlowingRock)!!! No more getting stuck behind slow vehicles going to work in the morning!! The highway is also four lanes wide in front of the tourist traps, er, sorry . . . trading posts near the top! This work was done Monday a week ago, and what a difference! The road won't be 4 lanes top to bottom until at least spring, 'cause they can't lay the last layer of asphalt until it warms up again.

Also the very bottom is still extremely dangerous, with "rotten" stone at risk for falling on the roadway at all times. This is not granite but looks at first glance to be a type of quartzite with lots of sand. The road is VERY rough and narrow for that 1/4 mile with regular halts for heavy equipment and dump trucks to cross and dump their loads. The chances for a major slide at that point are better than good, and every time I squeak by, I breath a big sigh of relief.

If you come to the Boone area that way, be slow and careful on that bottom portion. (even if I am impatient behind you! ) Don't forget to burn your headlights in fog and/or rain, especially on the mountain highways.

I'll post updates as they happen!
Good Traveling!