How is 321 between Boone and Hickory these day?

AppfaninCAALand · Unread post by **AppfaninCAALand** » Sun May 31, 2015 5:47 pm

I live in Virginia and have since graduating from App in 98. I haven't driven 321 since my school days. Is that road widening done? How is the drive these days? Work is sending me to Hickory for a few days but I should be done by 3 or so every day and was thinking about staying in Boone instead because its Boone you know, who wouldn't rather be there than Hickory. I never minded the drive before and wouldn't again but I'm not sure I want to fight a bunch of construction delays twice a day for a week.

I usually make it Boone 2-4 times a year but I'll take any excuse to get up there. Should I stay in Boone or Hickory?

T-Dog · Unread post by **T-Dog** » Sun May 31, 2015 5:55 pm

Going from Hickory to Lenoir is fine minus the four-hundred stop lights. The widening between Lenoir and Blowing Rock is done. However the speed limit was lowered to 50 because of course it was. However the DOT is now widening the road through Blowing Rock itself, which is scheduled to take a couple more years now. So the road is very bumpy and awful through Blowing Rock and on weekdays during business hours and can have flagmen where the road is one-lane causing stops. I'd say take 321 business through downtown if it looks backed up. 321 from Boone to Blowing Rock is four lanes and fine.

Besides the two-mile stretch through Blowing Rock itself, the road is four lanes and fine.

AppfaninCAALand · Unread post by **AppfaninCAALand** » Sun May 31, 2015 6:06 pm

Thanks, I know the road pretty well, it's just been awhile. It was the Lenior to blowing rock section I wasn't sure about. I can imagine how much of a nightmare the section through Blowing Rock could become.

firemoose · Unread post by **firemoose** » Sun May 31, 2015 6:18 pm

T-Dog wrote:However the speed limit was lowered to 50 because of course it was.

T is right on here. Truly a beautiful job on the new stretch. The reason given was that the engineering was done incorrectly and the road was not designed for 55 so they dropped it to 50. Pay close attention as SHP just loves to work that stretch. Many a ticket has been given on that beautiful new stretch of 4-lane. It goes back to 55 at the foot of the mountain and stays there until the normal drop at the 321A light coming into Lenoir. Other than the speed limit and the part in BR it's a much easier trip than it used to be. The whole last work zone goes from the Shops on the Parkway light to Blackberry Rd (coming from Boone the turn to 321 Business has been moved a few hundred feet further south, taking out the sharp right/left turn you used to take) but the worst is in BR itself. Just give yourself a bit of extra time just in case you hit a backup.