Beaucatcher Tunnel

{{Short description|Tunnel in Asheville, North Carolina, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{infobox tunnel

|name = Beaucatcher Tunnel

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|lanes = 2

| route={{jct|state=NC|US|70|US|74A}}

| location = Asheville, North Carolina

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|length = {{convert|750|ft|m}}

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|opened = 1929

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|coordinates = {{coord|35|35|54.3|N|82|32|18.5|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

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Beaucatcher Tunnel carries U.S. Route 70 (US 70) and US 74A through Beaucatcher Mountain in Asheville, North Carolina. Work on the {{convert|750|ft|m|adj=on}} tunnel was started in 1927 and completed in 1929. The tunnel has two lanes and sidewalks separated from the traffic lanes by concrete barriers. It was renovated in 2014 with new stone portals.{{cite web |title=Beaucatcher Tunnel |url=http://www.ascenc.org/statewide-projects/2014/3/10/beaucatcher-tunnel |website=ASCE North Carolina Section |publisher=American Society of Civil Engineers |accessdate=1 August 2016 |date=March 10, 2014}}{{cite web |title=Beaucatcher Tunnel |url=https://bridgehunter.com/nc/buncombe/beaucatcher-tunnel/ |website=Bridgehunter.com |accessdate=1 August 2016}}{{cite gnis |id=2035910 |name=Beaucatcher Tunnel |accessdate=August 1, 2016}}

The Asheville Times reported the cost of the joint city-county project as nearly $400,000, with several delays and even cave-ins during construction.{{cite news|url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2024/05/03/answer-woman-whats-the-story-behind-ashevilles-beaucatcher-tunnel/73519144007/|title=Answer Woman: What's the story behind Asheville's Beaucatcher Tunnel?|last=Honofsky|first=Sarah|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|date=May 3, 2024}} Many called the tunnel "folly and a reckless waste", and Democrats who had supported it were voted out in 1928. One reason for the opposition was that there was essentially nothing on the tunnel's east side. Two decades later, increased development east of the tunnel made it worthwhile. However, traffic increased to five times what the tunnel was designed for by 1960, and the tunnel was harder to maintain. Asheville Mall made the situation even worse, and traffic slowed greatly in both directions.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/200155131/?clipping_id=146538354|title=New 'Gateway' Pass Will Bring A Multitude Of Blessings|last=Terrell|first=Bob|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|via=newspapers.com|date=November 2, 1980|page=1D}}

File:Beaucatcher tunnel W portal.png

File:Beaucatcher tunnel EB.png

For the construction of Interstate 240 on a parallel alignment two new tunnels were considered for the interstate route. In 1967 the North Carolina State Highway Commission endorsed an open cut through the mountain, which was projected to save $11.4 million over tunnel construction.{{cite book |title=Draft Environmental Impact Statement for US 70-74, Proposed Freeway Connector from I-40 East of Asheville to the East-West Expressway in Asheville, Buncombe County |publisher=North Carolina State Highway Commission |pages=20–27 |date=August 1971}} The four-mile project was completed October 31, 1980{{cite news |url=http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2016/10/30/visiting-our-past-marking-ashevilles-anniversaries/92898228/ |first=Rob |last=Neufeld |title=Visiting Our Past: Marking Asheville's anniversaries |work=Asheville Citizen-Times |date=October 30, 2016 |accessdate=October 30, 2016}} and cost $48 million.