Last Updated on July 12, 2016 6:19 pm
Work is set to begin on a new intersection on 321/Blowing Rock Road in Boone next week. The proposed intersection will serve as access to Postal Street, along with access to the new Publix Grocery (in the former Kmart location), the US Postal Service, Cracker Barrel and other existing business, according to information obtained from NCDOT.
Included in the obtained documents is a July 5, 2016 memo from NCDOT District Engineer Doug Eller to Daniel Renfro of Matthews Development, LLC outlining some of the conditions of the proposed project. The proposed intersection entrance will be 36 foot wide with a 24.5 foot radii. Work within the NCDOT right of way was not able to begin until a Performance & Indemnity Bond in the amount of $150,000 was received and approved by the Boone District Office. A one year warranty shall be required on all work performed within NCDOT right of way, beginning on the completion day of the project. The bond shall be released only upon a final satisfactory inspection by NCDOT at the end of the warranty period.
David Uchiyama, with NCDOT, tells WataugaOnline.com that work is schedule to start on Monday July 18 and expected completion is the end of September.
    The permit application for the project was submitted on October 20, 2015.
On the final day of March demolition began of the former Kmart building, closing a popular motorist shortcut between Blowing Rock Road and Greenway Road. In September 2015 Publix was reported to be the new occupant in that location, it is slated to open in 2017. The current Cracker Barrell entrance will be redesigned to work into the new intersection, as seen in the plans below.
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