Construction to Begin on Key Road Connecting Saluda and Tryon Soon

After nearly two years, construction on a crucial connection between Saluda and Tryon in Polk County is finally on the horizon. The closure of U.S. 176 since Hurricane Helene has complicated travel between these towns.

Residents have been relying on Interstate 26 as an alternative route, a detour that has been described as isolating and has negatively impacted local businesses. For more on the community’s challenges, visit this article.

The damaged portion of U.S. 176 spans slightly over a mile, but its challenging location in a steep gorge along the North Pacolet River has posed significant reconstruction hurdles. David Uchiyama, representing the North Carolina Department of Transportation, emphasized the complexities, stating, “The nature of this work requires the highway to remain closed for the duration of construction, which should conclude very late 2029.”

Uchiyama noted that construction is slated to begin this fall, with pre-construction meetings setting the stage for work to commence in four to six weeks.

The reconstruction effort on U.S. 176 bears similarities to the extensive work being done on Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge. Both projects entail removing rock to construct a causeway alongside the river and utilizing soil nails to rebuild embankments destroyed by the hurricane’s floodwaters.

Wesley Grindstaff, NCDOT Division Engineer, described U.S. 176 as “one of the most complex reconstruction projects that resulted from Hurricane Helene.” He noted, “The corridor is highly constrained by the river on one side and rugged terrain on the other.”

Blythe Construction, based in Charlotte, has been awarded a $32 million contract to undertake the repair of U.S. 176. This follows their recent completion of the U.S. 64 project into Bat Cave, valued at $25 million. Further details on this project can be found here.

U.S. 176 remains one of the final repair projects from the damages wrought by Hurricane Helene. The NCDOT reports that over 99% of storm-damaged roads have been reopened.