Roads to Recovery

A year after Helene, ECU construction management alum continues to help WNC

The French Broad River twists and turns through the heart of Asheville. It meanders through part of the historic Biltmore estate, flows under Interstate 40, passes by a rail yard and glances at the city’s vibrant arts district before continuing north out of the city.

A year ago, it did none of those. A year ago, the river — angered with 14 inches of rain from Hurricane Helene — jumped its banks, flooding the area and destroying buildings, highways and lives.

Willow Kruse sits with her dog Xena in western North Carolina. (Contributed photo)

Willow Kruse saw all of it. The 2010 East Carolina University construction management graduate was in Asheville working as a project manager for RS&H. Her role as an assistant resident engineer on the I-40/I-26 connector project expanded instantly on Sept. 28, 2024, the day after Helene wiped out everything from country roads to major highways.

“Vehicle paths were undermined and washed away and drainage systems overwhelmed, causing numerous issues that needed to be addressed,” Kruse said. “Roadways immediately after the storm were unusable due to the French Broad River and adjacent waterways forming entirely new paths.”

A year later, Kruse continues to lead and support teams that are repairing roads that connect one mountain town to another.

“My role isn’t just pouring concrete and rolling asphalt. It’s about restoring entire systems of the environment and roadway from the deep foundations to the final strip of paint on the roadway surface,” she said. “A portion of my role consists of coordinating teams in the field, verifying that work performed by the contractor is per the agreed upon conditions with the owner. The most rewarding part is seeing that as every small system is being restored and improved, the community regains more access to the necessities they rely on.”

She said the first step in repairing the immense damage involved prioritizing projects.

“Multiple locations posed new challenges with complete foundations removed and requiring entire reconstruction,” she said. “We have overcome those obstacles with teamwork and by adapting to current conditions. All team members on the projects from the inspectors and engineers to the contractors work side by side to solve problems and develop resolutions.”

Kruse admits that the roadwork that continues today can seem overwhelming. However, she sees individuals that come together every day to benefit the region.

“At the core, my work is all about trust,” she said. “Building relationships — that large network connecting the owner, contractor, public and everyone in between — doing this ensures that projects not only meet specifications, but also serve the local communities that depend on the final project to improve their everyday lives for future generations to come.”

Kruse takes pride in knowing that the work she does is helping the people of western North Carolina get their lives back to normal — or at least as normal as possible after Helene. 

“It’s the most rewarding feeling knowing I’m part of the solution for the community,” she said. “When a road is reopened, when families with smiling faces drive down the newly constructed roadway, the realization of the work completed in restoring the local community to their daily lives hits. I’m grateful to apply my experience and knowledge to a future that has purpose.”

Debris still occupies some areas a year after Hurricane Helene. (Photo courtesy of RS&H)

The North Carolina Department of Transportation listed more than 6,900 sites where Helene had damaged roads and bridges across the state. The governor’s office estimated transportation infrastructure damage to more than 6,000 miles of roads, with a cost estimate of $9.8 billion.

But Kruse is no stranger to big projects. She had previously worked as a construction manager on part of the $3.9 billion Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels project, the largest road project in Virginia’s history. The overall construction involves widening a 10-mile stretch of I-64, including the addition of four lanes to the 3 1/2-mile bridge tunnel that connects Hampton with Norfolk. She described the most memorable part of her work on the project as a 31-hour continuous pour of 5,480 cubic yards of concrete that involved 540 truckloads.

“These moments remind me of the scale of the projects and the teamwork involved to be successful,” she said. “Pride comes from years down the road knowing when people talk about the improvements making their lives better, I had a part in that.”

Kruse credits ECU’s construction management program for giving her the skills needed to lead teams on such large projects.

“The construction management program taught me plans and contracts, and provided the fundamentals for me to grow as my projects became more complex,” she said. “What prepared me the most was the team projects and presentations, which taught me that in my industry, you simply can’t do everything alone. As one of my mentors once told me, ‘Many hands carry heavy loads.’ Learning to collaborate in college provided me the skills needed to lead any sized team in the real world.”

Willow Kruse at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels project. (Contributed photo)

While enjoying football games and winter snowstorms outside of class, inside of class she took pride when her team’s senior capstone project on a construction bid proposal came the closest to what turned out to be the actual bid.

“The feeling of shared success is one that is fruited through collaboration,” she said.

Kruse fondly remembers the first professional project on which she worked, a highway interchange in Kernersville. Now, she’s a part of billion-dollar projects that affect thousands of drivers each day.

“My journey is one of growth,” she said. “I’ve constantly worked on improving my skills and leadership. Earning my MBA and professional licenses have been personally rewarding, knowing I am continuously challenging myself to never stop learning something new. What I’ve come to learn is growth comes from pushing myself every day, whether it’s taking better notes to communicate better to my team or leading by example.”

She called her work a rewarding career she would not want to change.

“My favorite thing about what I do is that every project, every team, every day is different,” Kruse said. “Who could get tired of that?”