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Parkway Section Closed to Repair a Failed Retaining Wall
November 15, 2007
(Asheville, NC)-The 51.6-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway between US Route 70 East at Milepost (MP) 382.5 in Asheville and NC Route 226 at Milepost 330.9 at Gillespie Gap will be temporarily detoured due to a retaining wall failure at MP 364.6. This detour will be in effect from November 16, 2007 until corrective actions are completed. This section of the Parkway will be closed to all traffic from Milepost 355.3 (just south of the entrance to Mt. Mitchell State Park) to MP 375.6 (just north of the Ox Creek Road intersection). The detour will begin for visitor traffic traveling south at MP 330.9 with the intersection NC Route 226. Visitors will follow the detour signs along this route to I-40 West at Exit 86, exit I-40 West at Exit 55 to US 70 West which will bring them back to the Parkway at MP 382.5. Visitors traveling north will begin the detour at Milepost 382.5 at the intersection with US Route 70. Visitors should follow the detour signs along US 70 East to the intersection of I-40 East continuing on I-40 East to Exit 86 where they will take NC Route 226 North. This will return them to the Parkway at MP 330.9 at Gillespie Gap. The total distance of the detour will be approximately 47 miles. Parkway officials said the closure is to allow repairs to be made to the retaining wall at MP 364.6, which has failed. Officials emphasized that the scenic motor road will be open to Mount Mitchell State Park from the north only at MP 330.9, as weather permits. No public access to the Parkway will be allowed south of the entrance to Mt. Mitchell State Park (MP 355.3) and north of the Ox Creek Road intersection (MP 375.6). Planned tunnel repair, which required a section of the road to be closed, is within this 51.6 mile-section and is underway. Visitation to the Parkway is at its lowest levels in the winter, and the closure was scheduled to cause the least possible impact on public use and enjoyment of the scenic road. Due to emergency closure of the motor road, the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center (VC) is now closed for the season.
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