Waynesville -- June 4, 2026: Construction along Waynesville’s busiest commercial corridor is stepping into its next major phase, bringing a significant, 90-day disruption for local commuters and regional drivers alike.
A contractor for the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is scheduled to completely close the U.S. 74 West offramp to Russ Avenue (Exit 102) starting next week.
According to state and municipal officials, the total closure will begin at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, June 8, and is scheduled to remain in place through 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30.
Purpose of the Closure
The 90-day shutdown is required to allow crews from Buchanan & Sons to completely overhaul the intersection alignment where the highway offramp meets Russ Avenue (U.S. 276).
Because an estimated 5,000 vehicles utilize this specific offramp every day, state engineers determined a complete closure was necessary to ensure the safety of both drivers and construction crews.
During the closure, operations at the intersection will include:
Extensive deep excavation and grading.
The complete removal of the existing concrete traffic island.
The installation of heavy storm-water drainage piping.
Final paving and traffic signal installation.
Official NCDOT Detour Route
To accommodate the high volume of traffic bypassing Exit 102, NCDOT has established a marked detour routing drivers further west:
Continue West: Drivers traveling on U.S. 74 West will bypass the closed Russ Avenue exit.
Exit 100: Take Exit 100 for Hazelwood Avenue.
Turn Around: Cross under the highway underpass and immediately join U.S. 74 East.
Return to Russ: Travel east back to Exit 102 to access Russ Avenue from the opposite side.
To help mitigate the inevitable bottleneck, NCDOT engineers will adjust the traffic signal timing at the U.S. 74 East offramp to handle the increased flow of detoured highway traffic.
Local Utilities and Business Access
Town of Waynesville officials emphasize that while highway access will be restricted at Exit 102, the town's business corridor is very much open. Municipal utility crews are currently working in tandem with the state project to finish critical infrastructure updates.