News

NCDOT warns of new traffic pattern at fair

By Lightning Reports, Published: September 8, 2016

Visitors to the Mountain State Fair will confront the new "diverging diamond" interchange at Airport Road and Interstate 26 and, from that direction, will negotiate a Highway Patrol directed U-turn to reach the parking lot, the N.C. Department of Transportation said.

“I see traffic moving through the intersection much quicker than in the past and we don’t expect to see nearly as many delays,” Division 13 Project Development Engineer Cole Hood said in a news release. “The diverging diamond was constructed because it can handle a larger volume of traffic.”

The previous intersection was a traditional diamond with four different phases to the two traffic lights. Transportation engineers noticed that traffic backed up so much at times that cars were stopped on the interstate, creating dangerous driving conditions.

After considering various options for improving the intersection, the diverging diamond design rose as the most logical option. The intersection allows two directions of traffic to temporarily cross to the left side of the road and moves high volumes of traffic without increasing the number of lanes or signals.

Once drivers heading to the fairgrounds from I-26 will also see slight alterations to the traffic pattern leading to parking.

Motorists heading from the Asheville direction on Airport Road will be directed to use the left lane, drive beyond the fairgrounds, and make a U-turn at the direction of a Highway Patrol officer. Through traffic in this direction will use the right lane.

Visitors heading to the fair from the Mills River area on Airport Road will utilize the right lanes to be directed to parking while through traffic uses the left lane.

For drivers who want to avoid the area, the combination of Long Shoals Road and Brevard Road is an option, as is the combination of I-26 and Hendersonville Road.

As always, transportation officials remind motorists to stay alert, follow all traffic signs, obey instructions of those directing traffic, and exercise a little more patience when heading to the Mountain State Fair.

For real-time travel information, visit the Traveler Services section of NCDOT.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter.