Road to remain closed through January
Eighty feet of embankment damage to U.S. 64 in the Cullasaja Gorge has ripple effects through Macon County as a major artery from Franklin to Highlands is closed for the rest of the month.
The washout under a section of U.S. 64/Highlands Road near Cullasaja Falls occurred midday on Tuesday, Jan. 9 following heavy rains the night before and that morning. The N.C. Department of Transportation closed the Highlands Road between Buck Creek and Brush Creek.
“Barring weather or unforeseen delays, the Cullasaja Gorge should reopen by the end of the month,” NCDOT stated. During the closure, drivers can use the Buck Creek detour or travel to Highlands from Dillard Road (NC 106).
NCDOT engineers met Jan. 10 with officials from GeoStabilization Inc, which will design and construct repairs, which were set to begin Monday. According to DOT, the initial design involves installing micro-piles, building a wall atop the piles and finishing with shoulder construction. The estimated cost of the repairs is $275,000.
While making the repairs, maintenance crews will conduct other work that cannot be done while the road is open, including the replacement of several old drainage pipes with new and larger pipes, clearing ditches, trimming overhanging limbs and long-arm mowing overgrown vegetation.
Emergency coverage
Cullasaja Fire and Rescue Chief Bobby Henry said for the interim, Highlands Fire and Rescue will cover down to the Brush Creek and Gold Mine areas as primary responders, as they can reach those areas quicker. Macon County Emergency Management Director Warren Cabe confirmed the same boundary changes will be for the Macon EMS ambulance stationed in Highlands.
Henry said the change affects one business, Jackson Hole Gem Mine, and around 60 residents.
“Everyone’s still covered,” Henry said, saying they’ll still respond to calls in those areas as mutual aid.
“Because Cullasaja can’t get to those few properties near the Jackson Hole Gem Mine (which are in the Cullasaja Gorge fire district), we have extended coverage past Gold Mine Road down to that area,” Highlands Fire Chief Ryan Gearhart said. “We are fine with doing that while the road is repaired. With the gorge road being closed, there is very little traffic down in that area for the time being.”
One of the bigger impacts will be on Franklin-area residents who work in Highlands. Sarah Holbrooks, principal of Highlands School, said she and five to eight teachers typically travel up Highlands Road to get to work.
“It adds about 10 minutes to my commute in mornings and afternoons, each,” Holbrooks said.
Holbrooks said she was surprised that NCDOT said it would only take two weeks to repair, figuring it would take longer.
“I haven’t heard any complaints or negativity, people are adjusting their routes and went on working educating children,” Holbrooks said. “I’m thankful for those individuals working down there in the quickest manner.”
The road closure does not affect school bus routes, according to Todd Gibbs, Macon County Schools Auxiliary Services director. Gibbs said the Franklin district ends at Buck Creek, and the Highlands district ends at Gold Mine Road, so no school busses go through that stretch of Highlands Road.
Capt. Jonathan Phillips said the road closure has not affected the Sheriff’s Office patrol division.
“The deputies that are assigned to the Highlands/Scaly zone are using Buck Creek Road or 106 to get to their zone,” Phillips said.
Macon County Transit Director Darlene Asher said it doesn’t affect their routes and pickups, as the drivers typically take NC 106, because passengers get car sick going up the winding Highlands Road.
County Solid Waste Director Chris Stahl said the road closure impacts employees going up and down the mountain with added drive time and could affect J&B’s Disposal’s (Macon County’s solid waste contractor) commercial dumpsters in Highlands. However, Stahl said the county’s trucks always use Dillard Road.
“There’s no change, except to deal with the extra traffic travelling that route now,” Stahl said. “So far, no major disruptions.”