A major road in Catawba County has been shut down indefinitely after heavy rain caused part of the roadway to collapse.
According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the collapse happened along 36th Avenue Drive Northwest near 3rd Street Northwest in Hickory.
Transportation officials said stormwater severely damaged a culvert beneath the road, eventually causing part of the street to give way.
Heavy rains damaged the culvert and road on 39th Avenue Drive Northwest in Hickory. The road will remain closed while engineers assess damage and determine next steps.
Use NC 127, 29th Ave Dr NW and 6th Ave Dr NW as detour. Visit https://t.co/eX8OY5RPfp for real-time info. pic.twitter.com/M3k59jLJYc
— NCDOT Eastern Mtns (@NCDOT_EastMTN) May 26, 2026
NCDOT says the road will remain closed for the “foreseeable future,” and there is currently no timetable for reopening.
Engineers are expected to evaluate the damage while coordinating with the department’s environmental and hydraulics teams to determine how repairs will move forward.
The closure could significantly impact local traffic patterns.
According to a 2024 traffic count, roughly 800 vehicles travel the roadway each day.
Recent rounds of heavy rain across western North Carolina have caused flooding, erosion, and infrastructure damage in several communities.
Drivers are being urged to avoid the area and seek alternate routes while crews continue assessing the collapse.
