Less than a month after closure, U.S. 64/Highlands Road going through the Cullasaja Gorge could be open to the public early next week.
“All temporary shoring has been installed and all shotcrete operations have been completed setting up two days of micro-pile installation followed by two days of wall construction and two days to tie in the ends,” N.C. Department of Transportation spokesperson David Uchiyama said on Jan. 29. “That leads us to an a.m. opening on Monday if all goes well, and Tuesday at the latest.”
A washout under 80 feet of Highlands Road during heavy rains on Jan. 9 led to NCDOT closing the road from Buck Creek Road to Brush Creek Road. This closure led to drivers either taking the Buck Creek Road detour or going south to Dillard Road (N.C. 106) from Georgia Road just south of the state line through Scaly Mountain.
The estimated cost of the repairs is $275,000.