Laurel Creek Gorge Bridge

The Laurel Creek Gorge Bridge is a continuous steel plate girder bridge that spans Laurel Creek on Interstate 26/U.S. Route 19/U.S. Route 23 between Asheville, North Carolina and Johnson City, Tennessee. It is the second tallest bridge in North Carolina—after the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge—with a deck height of 220 ft (67 m).[2] Construction of the bridge was finished in 2002.[1] Due to its proximity to the higher mountains and its elevation of over 3000', the highway in this area is subject to heavy snow and icing. The bridge design incorporates a special system which sprays de-icing liquid onto the bridge deck whenever icing is detected.[2]

Laurel Creek Gorge Bridge
Coordinates35°55′01″N 82°33′28″W / 35.91704°N 82.55788°W / 35.91704; -82.55788
Carries6 general purpose lanes of I-26 / US 19 / US 23
CrossesLaurel Creek
LocaleMars Hill, North Carolina
Maintained byNorth Carolina Department of Transportation
Characteristics
Designcontinuous steel plate girder bridge[1]
Total length1,000 ft (300 m)[1]
Height220 ft (67 m)[2]
History
Opening2002[1]
Location
Map

The section of I-26 from U.S. Route 19 to the border with Tennessee was designated a scenic highway by the North Carolina Board of Transportation.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "AASHTO > Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures > North Carolina". American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. n.d. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d "I-26 Fact Sheet: The Interstate Highway System" (PDF). ncdot.org. North Carolina Department of Transportation. n.d. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 16, 2007. Retrieved April 7, 2017.