2025 rural surface transportation grant - ground to sky - construct a new interchange and connector road with sidewalk on i-26 south of asheville

The Federal Highway Administration awarded the North Carolina Department of Transportation $60.238 million on September 23, 2025, under the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (CFDA 20.938) to construct a new interstate interchange and connector road in Henderson County, North Carolina.

The project comprises two components. Project HE-0001A will construct a new half diverging-diamond interchange on Interstate 26 at milemarker 35, south of Asheville, to become future Exit 36. Project HE-0001B will construct an access road designated East Frederick Law Olmstead Way to connect the new I-26 interchange eastward to the Pratt and Whitney Manufacturing Facility currently located at the end of State Road 3685 (East Frederick Law Olmstead Road). The access road will include a sidewalk along one side. Both the new road and interchange will connect to NC 191 via East Frederick Law Olmstead Road. The new interchange will be constructed primarily within the existing right-of-way of I-26, which is being widened from two lanes to four lanes in each direction as part of a separate federal project. HE-0001A is being completed as a supplemental contract agreement under that widening project.

Performance is located in North Carolina. The period of performance runs through November 30, 2030.

Project description

This grant includes stip projects he-0001A and he-0001B. He-0001B will construct an access road (east frederick law olmstead way) to connect the new i-26 interchange at exit 36 eastward to the pratt and whitney manufacturing facility currently located at the end of SR 3685 (east frederick law olmstead road). The access road will have a sidewalk along one side. He-0001A will construct a new interchange on i-26 at milemarker 35 which is located south of asheville and will become future exit 36. The interchange will be constructed as a half diverging-diamond interchange leading from i-26 to east frederick law olmstead way. The new road and interchange will connect to NC 191 via east frederick law olmstead road. The new interchange will be constructed primarily within the existing right-of-way of i-26, which is currently being widened from two lanes in each direction to four lanes in each direction as part of stip project i-4700 (federal project no. 0261199). Note: he-0001A is being completed as a supplemental contract agreement under i-4700.