Nearly 2 years after Helene, some bridges still await repairs in western North Carolina
By Kimberly King
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EDNEYVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Nearly two years after Helene devastated western North Carolina, some bridges that were destroyed by the storm remain without repairs or reconstruction.
Ray Lyda, an apple farmer in Edneyville, says he has tried to call the North Carolina Department of Transportation for an answer on why the agency hasn’t started to rebuild two Helene-destroyed bridges on public roads in the heart of apple country.
Lyda’s right. The two broken bridges are on Waters Road and Townsend Road.
“When you’re driving tractors with spray machines before daylight and pulling bush hogs and farm equipment, it’s tough,” he said.
Lyda showed News 13 a multi-mile detour his workers must drive in large tractors and machines to get to farm acreage they need to work on the other side of Waters Road.
“Why haven’t you let people know when you’re going to do something? When are you going to start?” he said.
On Thursday, News 13 found out that it will be soon.
“Delays with right-of-way acquisition and the design process pushed back the construction start date, but that’s scheduled to begin this fall,” said Stephanie Johnson, spokesperson for NCDOT. “Once construction begins, the contractor will have four months to finish the Waters Road bridge and six months to finish the Townsend Road bridge.”
Johnson confirmed both bridges were part of an emergency express design-build contract awarded in March 2025 for approximately $5 million.
“The damage to these bridges necessitated full replacements, so the contractor had to design entirely new structures,” she added.
This news was welcome for Lyda, but he still feels there’s been a lack of urgency by the NCDOT for farmers like him, who he said need the bridges for work.
“We used it every day,” said Billy Ellis, a longtime Edneyville farmer. “Hauling apples out, we would go this way. We’ve had to go the opposite direction all year now.”
At the Townsend Road bridge, heavy machinery was parked on both sides of Clear Creek, and rebar and beams appeared to be staged about 50 feet from the Creek bed.
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