Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

Highway 321 Widening: On Track for Completion by December 2008

Story by Ron Fitzwater

Delays, dust and detours are the norm for Highway 321 from Boone to Lenoir. Not long after passing the first orange work zone sign, the 300-foot high project bursts into view. It is not easy at first to see what is being done, but a plan and an end are in sight.

The 6.5-mile project that runs between Nelson’s Chapel Road and Blackberry Road was “started in January 2005 and is anticipated to be completed, and clear for travel, by December 2008,” said Frank Gioscio, resident engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Upon completion the two-lane road will be a four-lane highway, and the trip between Boone and Lenoir faster and easier. The W.C. English company from Lynchburg, Va. is performing the work and the relationship between the company and the state has “been a really great partnering experience for us” said Gioscio.

Currently, as the project enters its last year and a half, it is slightly ahead of schedule because the mild winter interrupted work very little. As work progresses, the major tasks revolve around moving tons of earth and keeping the roadway clear. The company “knows what they are doing, and how to do it; it’s just going to take some time to get it done,” said Gioscio.

At the beginning of the project the DOT recognized the strong chance of rockslides and fill slope failures, and at least one car was struck by falling debris. To address this danger, W.C. English installed a high-strength netting system, from the top of the mountain to the roadside, to catch falling debris and channel it into a ditch before it could enter the roadway. Additionally, loose boulders that are not ready to fall or be moved are anchored in place with large bolts that hold the rocks in place until they can be removed safely. If there are heavy rains though, “rocks and mud will come out in the road and we get calls,” said Gioscio. W.C. English handles liability issues for damage to vehicles hit by falling debris.

As the work continues over the next several months, Gioscio wants travelers to remember that part of the responsibility for safely moving through the project area is theirs. “We need to get the word out for people to slow down while on the 6-mile section of road under construction,” said Gioscio. “With rocks falling on the existing road during blasting, the road gets beat up, and people need to watch where they drive. They also need to slow down, not just for their own safety but also for the safety of the workers on the job. Some people just fly through there.” Motorists who experience problems from rockslides or other debris in the road, should immediately contact the Highway Patrol at 828-262-1152, 828-726-2500 or *HP.