December 13, 2006
(Blowing Rock, NC) Repair to the Sims Creek Bridge has been completed and the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock will reopen tomorrow (12/14/2006) by noon.
Parkway officials said that the opening eliminates a five-mile detour that was put in place earlier this year while the bridge deck and superstructure were repaired.
A longer detour between Marion and Asheville will remain in effect over winter while a tunnel at Milepost 344 is repaired. This work is expected to be complete by early April. The posted detour directs southbound traffic onto N.C. 226 near Spruce Pine to U.S. 221/226 south, then I-40 west from Marion to Exit 55, then U.S. 70 west to the Parkway. (Northbound travelers who are not visiting Mt. Mitchell or the Folk Art Center should exit at Milepost 382 onto U.S. 70 east.)
Other sections of the 469-mile scenic road are opened and closed during winter, according to weather and road conditions. For current information on current road closures call (828) 298-0398. Trip planning information is also available on the Internet at
www.nps.gov/blri.
Despite the remaining detour and occasional closures for snow and ice, a winter visit to the Parkway can be rewarding. Visitors will find very little traffic, long-range vistas, and ample opportunities to hike. In addition, the Folk Art Center at Asheville, the Museum of North Carolina Minerals near Spruce Pine, and the Peaks of Otter Restaurant and Lodge near Bedford are open year-round.
-- Courtesy National Park Service
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