Interstate 26 East - Weaverville to Asheville











Confirming markers for Future I-26/U.S. 70 east and U.S. 19/23 south after the entrance ramp from Riverside Drive (NC 251) in north Asheville.
10/25/15
10/25/15

Future I-26 advances south alongside Riverside Drive (SR 1477) through the Montford Hills area of Asheville to join Interstate 240 west.
10/25/15
10/25/15

Future I-26/U.S. 19-23-70 shift east through a half diamond interchange with Riverside Drive and Hill Street into the exchange with I-240/U.S. 74A at Patton Avenue east.
10/25/15
10/25/15

Traffic separates for single lane ramps to I-26/240 to West Asheville, Patton Avenue to Downtown Asheville and I-240/U.S. 70 east across Beaucatcher Mountain.
10/25/15
10/25/15

The three-level interchange joining I-26/240 will be demolished as part of the I-26 Connector project started in 2022. The French Broad River bridge will be repurposed as a local route along Patton Avenue.
10/25/15
10/25/15

Motorists bound for I-40 east to Hickory and west to Pigeon River Gorge are directed onto separate directions of I-240. U.S. 74 Alternate follows Patton Avenue west from I-26/240 to Sand Hill and east to Carolina Street in Downtown.
10/25/15
10/25/15

I-240 shield posted on the westbound entrance ramp from I-26. The I-26 Connector project will realign I-240 onto an arc northward to a two-wye interchange with Interstate 26 across the French Broad River.
07/16/05
07/16/05

The flyover for I-240/U.S. 70-74A east splits with the exit ramp for Patton Avenue east to the Grove Arcade and Downtown Asheville.
10/25/15
10/25/15

U.S. 70/74A accompany I-240 east 1.17 miles to Carolina Street. The two parallel I-240 through the Beaucatcher Tunnel out of Downtown.
10/25/15
10/25/15






I-26/240 span the French Broad River across the Captain Jeff Brown Bridge between Patton Avenue at Downtown Asheville and Exit 3 B for Westgate Resort Drive.
05/26/21
05/26/21

Exit 3 B connects with an adjacent service road west to Patton Avenue. U.S. 19/23/74A separate from I-26/240 at the ensuing exit to overtake Patton Avenue.
05/26/21
05/26/21






Reassurance marker posted ahead of the modified diamond interchange (Exit 2) with Haywood Road.
12/31/13
12/31/13



I-26-240 turn southwest at a forthcoming wye interchange (Exit 1C on eastbound) with Amboy Road.
12/31/13
12/31/13
Photo Credits:
- Alex Nitzman: 07/16/05, 10/25/15
- Brent Ivy: 05/26/21
- Alex Nitzman, Carter Buchanan: 12/31/13
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Page Updated Friday January 27, 2023.