Rock Blasting Begins on I-26 Connector, Expect Midday Delays on I-40 ASHEVILLE

ASHEVILLE — Controlled rock blasting began Wednesday morning along the I-26 Asheville Connector corridor, as the N.C. Department of Transportation launched the first in a series of demolition sequences designed to clear the way for one of the region's most significant infrastructure upgrades in decades.Up to eight blasts are planned Monday through Friday between 11 a.m. and noon, weather permitting, near the I-26/I-40 East interchange. The blasting supports rock removal in the project's southern