The experts say the economy is doing so well the cost of constructions is rising, and that’s pushing construction costs for roads higher. So...there is good news for those who oppose some of the major roads improvement projects proposed OPfor Henderson County: most of them have been delayed at least a year due to rising costs.
County Commissioners Bill Lapsley recently told commissioners recently that the N.C. 191 widening through Mills River from N.C. 280 to Mountain Road has been delayed a year to 2022-23.
The trio of road projects planned on the south side of Hendersonville – Kanuga Road widening, White Street improvements and South Main Street improvements – has also been delayed. South Main Street has been delayed a year to 2022-23, while Kanuga Road and White Street have been delayed two years to 2023-24.
The U.S. 64 widening through Laurel Park and improvements to North Highland Lake Road in Flat Rock are the only two municipal projects still on schedule. Both are set to begin in 2021-22.
According to the Hendersonville Times-News, the I-26 widening north of the U.S. 64 interchange is still on schedule to begin in 2019-20. Work to revamp the I-26/U.S. 64 interchange itself has been delayed two years to 2025-26. The segment of I-26 south of U.S.64 to the U.S. 25 split has been delayed two years to 2029-30.
All these projects are part of the current State Transportation Improvement Program, which is updated every two years. Lapsley said only two projects have been approved for Henderson County in the new STIP program, one of which is sidewalk improvements to Grove Street in Hendersonville.
