Musings from the Mountains

I don’t have the full report yet for May Residential home sales here in Haywood County, but it looks like sales were about the same as May 2025, maybe just a tad higher.  It seems our sales continue to match or exceed sales from corresponding months in 2025.  I will have a full report on the June 15th blog.

Just a few comments on local traffic improvements:  The DOT is still working on the new traffic circle, which replaces the traffic lights at the intersection of Hwy 19 (Soco Road) and Hwy 276N (Jonathan Creek Road).   There are still lots of orange barrels and traffic cones there, but traffic seems to be getting used to the changes.  There have been a few fender benders, so approach this area with caution until the DOT completes the project.  The project will eventually revamp Hwy 276N between Soco Road and I-40 at exit 20.  This is about a 6-mile stretch of highway.

All the new bridges and widening of Russ Avenue in Waynesville are coming along also.  Please use caution as you travel to downtown Waynesville as there are still a few lane changes.

Last, but not least, the changes at the intersection of Hwy 19-23 near Lake Junaluska are still in progress.  This change was to replace 2 bridges on the bypass and make this intersection safer for traffic from Maggie Valley and Lake Junaluska to merge onto Hwy 19-23 (The Smoky Mountain Expressway) when headed toward Clyde and Canton.

Yesterday I was on I-26 headed from Asheville to Hendersonville.  I am proud to report that much of the construction is now complete with 4 lanes heading East, and 4 lanes heading West.  This has been an ongoing project for years, it seems.

The DOT has been very busy in Western NC.  It will be nice to have all these projects completed.