New stretch of Highway 9 opens, connecting Bat Cave and Chimney Rock

WLOS

By Kimberly King

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    CHIMNEY ROCK & BAT CAVE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Thanks to work by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), a new stretch of Highway 9 from Bat Cave to Chimney Rock is a thrill for locals now that the road is open and ready for cars.

This includes a newly paved bridge over the Rocky Broad River.

“It’s scary,” said one driver. “We’re on our way to our house. We just haven’t come in this way.”

Residents told News 13 that the road was paved about two weeks ago, and more people are now learning about it.

“It’s probably the nicest road in several counties right now,” said Paul Brock, who lives in Bat Cave. “Obviously, there’s limited access the [NC]DOT crews have done an awesome job.”

Brock said he now has a straight drive to his restaurant, Lured Market and Grill in Chimney Rock.

The new stretch winds through the new path of the Rocky Broad, giving drivers a never-before-seen view of the river, with many trees gone and uprooted from floodwaters when Hurricane Helene devastated Bat Cave and Chimney Rock.

Lynette Staton lives in Edneyville, but says she and her husband own property in Bat Cave. She lost her beloved antique store, but the couple leased a building to the U.S. Postal Service, and they expect the post office to reopen soon after staff take possession of it in the coming days.

As for the condition of the community around Bat Cave, Staton said she feels it looks good, but more work needs to be done.

“I would like to see debris cleared from the river,” said Staton.

She is focused on her nonprofit called Bat Cave Disaster Relief.

“All the volunteers that have come in have taken the time to write a message on our shelving units,” she said.

The units are filled with non-perishable food and supplies for any local family in need.

“Just because they’re back in their homes doesn’t mean they can actually spare the money,” Staton said.

Another longtime community worker is Jake Jarvis, who owns Precision Grading. Jarvis and his crew on Friday were continuing work in the South Side neighborhood of Chimney Rock along the Rocky Broad River.

For months, Jarvis has helped families at no charge thanks to donations.

Jarvis said he has been able to build support walls and retaining walls to help families restore their private property lots along the river.

Many homes were destroyed, but families who own the land are grateful for Jarvis and his help. There are even banners hung that thank Precision Grading for their continued work for families in Chimney Rock and the region.

“I can’t afford to do this without donations,” said Jarvis. “In 205 days since Helene, we haven’t charged a penny to anyone we’ve helped.”

Now, the community is focused on NCDOT’s plans to open a new bridge in Chimney Rock State Park by Memorial Day. The village depends on tourism, and the park is key to drawing visitors.

This new stretch of Highway 9 being open is part of the equation to provide a direct route from the Asheville area, as well as any visitor coming from I-26 who drives through Henderson County on US-64 into Bat Cave.

The new stretch will also allow anyone driving south on Highway 9 to access Chimney Rock. For now, however, this route is limited to local traffic.

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