DOT plans changes to U.S. 19-23 interchange in Woodland Hills

Mark Barrett | The Citizen-Times

WOODFIN – State government wants to rebuild the U.S. 19-23/New Stock Road interchange to reduce traffic congestion and related safety issues.

Preliminary plans show significant changes to Weaverville Highway, which parallels U.S. 19-23 to the east, and ramps between U.S. 19-23 and New Stock Road in the Woodland Hills area.

Traffic exiting northbound U.S. 19-23 sometimes backs up onto the four-lane highway, said Steve Cannon, project development engineer for the N.C. Department of Transportation's Division 13.

Cars that are standing still or barely moving on controlled-access highways are a safety concern for engineers because drivers are not expecting them. Rear-end collisions involving a fast moving vehicle sometimes result.

DOT has set a meeting for 4-7 p.m. Tuesday to hear the public's reaction to two alternative plans.

Construction is scheduled to begin in July 2020 at an estimated cost of $1.3 million.

What would the proposed changes accomplish?

Both DOT proposals would reroute Weaverville Highway to create a four-way intersection just east of U.S. 19-23. The off ramp from northbound U.S. 19-23, New Stock Road and Weaverville Highway would all meet there. Through traffic staying on Weaverville Highway would have to make a right turn at the intersection.

Cannon said the proposed changes would speed traffic leaving U.S. 19-23 and reduce the chances of backups. More vehicles are making that movement than are passing through the intersection on Weaverville Highway without turning, he said.

State traffic counts made two years ago say there were an average of 8,700 vehicles a day on Weaverville Highway south of the intersection with New Stock Road and 15,000 a day north of the intersection. They don't show big changes in the amount of traffic on Weaverville Highway but significant growth in the number of vehicles on U.S. 19-23.

Numerous alternatives

One alternative shows a traffic light at the intersection of Blueberry Hill Road and Weaverville Highway and a roundabout at the Weaverville Highway/Highland Road intersection.

The other calls for construction of a median preventing turns in front of the Ingles supermarket on Weaverville Highway.

Under both alternatives, the route of U.S. 19-23, scheduled to one day be part of Interstate 26, would not change and practically all of the construction would be on ramps and other nearby roads.

Want to go?

A public meeting on proposals to change the U.S. 19-23/New Stock Road interchange will be held 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at the Woodfin Community Center, 11 Community Road in Woodfin. People may come at any time. There will be no formal presentation.

Contact Michael Clark at 828-251-6171 for more information. People can see maps of the proposals and make comments through Sept. 13 at https://ncdot.publicinput.com/US-19-New-Stock-Road.

Catch up on any news you may have missed: