Blasting operations will continue this week for the widening of North Carolina 105. Crews are currently working on replacing the 69-year-old bridge over the Watauga River. This is a delicate task because the river is important for trout fishing and is home to the elusive Hellbender salamander.
Brendan Spencer, a senior engineer at the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Boone office, emphasized how crucial N.C. 105 is. It handles over 20,000 vehicles daily, connecting Boone with tourist spots like Valle Crucis, Grandfather Mountain, and Sugar Mountain. Traffic is expected to double to 40,000 vehicles per day in the next decade.
“The road system we have in place in this area, it’s hardly sufficient for the traffic we have now,” Spencer said. “And it will certainly not be sufficient for that increase.”
The project is facing some significant hurdles. Originally estimated to cost around $20 million, the bridge replacement costs have now shot up to the high 20s due to unexpected geological conditions. What was thought to be solid rock turned out to be dirt and boulders, requiring extensive heavy netting to prevent debris from falling.
These issues have also delayed the project’s completion to 2026, putting it both behind schedule and over budget.
