National Park Service U.S.

Department of the Interior National Park Service

Blue Ridge Parkway North Carolina, Virginia

199 Hemphill Knob Road Asheville, NC 28803 828-348-3400 phone 828-271-4313 fax

Blue Ridge Parkway News Release

Release Date:

July 16, 2013

Contact:

Larry Hultquist (828) 348-3482; larry_hultquist@nps.gov Michael Molling (828) 348-3445; michael_molling@nps.gov

Parkway Detour in Effect from Milepost 376 to Milepost 355

(Asheville, NC) A 21-mile section of the historic 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is closed from Milepost 376 at Ox Creek Road to Milepost 355 at Mt. Mitchell State Park. A detour route is available that directs traffic from Asheville, NC, along Interstate 40 to U.S. Route 221, back to the Parkway at Spruce Pine, NC, and alternately from Spruce Pine south to Asheville via U.S. Route 221 and Interstate 40. The closure is the result of significant structural damage to a section of the motor road and related shoulder areas at Milepost 374.5 caused by recent, prolonged heavy rains. Federal Highway Administration engineers have been called in to assist park managers in determining the extent of the damage and will make recommendations for necessary repairs. The Parkway will release additional information once a construction and repair schedule is established. The public is encouraged to use the parks website, nps.gov/blri, to access road information and plan their visit. To ensure public safety, the affected area of Parkway is closed to all motorized traffic until further notice. Currently pedestrians and bicyclists are allowed use of the closed area; however, once construction begins, or if conditions change, the area will be closed to all visitor access. Mt. Mitchell State Park will remain open and accessible from the northern approach along the Blue Ridge Parkway from Milepost 330, at Spruce Pine, NC, or from state Route 80. The Craggy Gardens Visitor Center and Picnic Area, at Milepost 364, will remain closed for the duration of the repair project. Parkway management apologizes for any inconvenience to visitors and local communities impacted by this closure. As a unit of the National Park Service, the Blue Ridge Parkway remains committed to its mission to serve the public and preserve our nations resources for future generations.
www.nps.gov
The Blue Ridge Parkway, in linking the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks, is dedicated to enhancing the outstanding scenic and recreational qualities of the corridor that it traverses; conserving unimpaired its significant natural and cultural resources, and promoting in perpetuity the public enjoyment and appreciation of the central and southern Appalachian Mountains. Learn more about the Parkway at www.nps.gov/blri.

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