Northbound traffic on U.S. 321 in Blowing Rock will be shifted near the Cliff Dwellers Inn and the intersection with U.S. 221/U.S. 321 Business Monday, Oct. 22, weather permitting, as part of the U.S. 321 widening project.

This traffic shift from the right lane to the left-turn lane for U.S. 221/U.S. 321 Business will provide room for the N.C. Department of Transportation construction crews to work on the rock outcropping along the highway, as well as provide a through-lane for traffic to flow toward Boone. Traffic will shift back onto the northbound lanes on the northern side of the intersection.
The traffic pattern change will involve the installation of portable concrete barriers, pavement marking changes, and additional signage. A lane closure may be necessary in order to complete the traffic shift by Monday afternoon.

The N.C. Department of Transportation reminds everyone to avoid the work zone area when blasting and clearing work is taking place. Precautions are put in place to prevent any rocks from leaving the blasting holes. When lane closures are in effect, remember to watch for flaggers standing near the roadway and be prepared to stop.

A project hotline assists residents or travelers in the Blowing Rock area with specific questions about the road widening project. Call (828) 964-3260 to speak to an NCDOT representative during regular weekday business hours (8 a.m. until 5 p.m.).

For information or updates on the U.S. 321 road widening project, visit the project website (http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/BlowingRock321/). Follow project progress on the website or via Twitter (see @NCDOT_EastMTN and #US321).

For real-time travel information on this project at any time, call 511, visit http://www.ncdot.gov/travel or follow NCDOT on Twitter at http://www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter. Another option is NCDOT Mobile, a phone-friendly version of the NCDOT website. To access it, type “m.ncdot.gov” into the browser of your smartphone. Then, bookmark it to save for future reference. NCDOT Mobile is compatible with the iPhone, Android and some newer Blackberry phones.