(Boone, NC)—The 2.0-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway between US Route 221, Old US Route 421, approximately 7 miles north of Boone, NC, and Phillips Gap Road will be temporarily closed for slide stabilization work.
A detour will begin for visitors traveling south on the Parkway at milepost 269.8 at Phillips Gap Road, continue south on Idlewild Road, through the community of Deep Gap and connecting back to the Parkway on US Route 221 or Old US Route 421 at milepost 280.9.
Visitors traveling north will begin the detour at milepost 280.9 leaving the Parkway on US Route 221 or Old US Route 421, continue north on Idlewild Road through the community of Deep Gap connecting back to the Parkway on Phillips Gap Road at milepost 269.8. The total detour distance is estimated to be approximately 11 miles.
A 1.8 mile section of Parkway will be closed with the northern most closure gate positioned just south of Phillips Gap Road at milepost 270, and the southern most closure gate positioned just north of the Cascades Parking Area at milepost 271.8. The detour will be well signed in either direction.
The Cascades Parking Overlook in E.B. Jeffress Park on the Parkway will remain open for the duration of the project. The Northwest Trading Post will open for business starting April 15, and will remain open and follow its normal seasonal and daily business hours of operation for the duration of the project.
Parkway officials said the closure is needed to stabilize a slide located at milepost 270.3. These repairs are estimated to take nine months to complete with plans to open the Parkway to traffic through this section of detour in December, 2009.
It is also important to note that there are continuing repairs to the Goshen Creek Bridge. These repairs have caused the roadway between mileposts 285.5 to 291.8 to remain closed until late Spring 2009.
If you are traveling the full distance on these areas of the Parkway you can choose to remain on Highway 421 into Boone, join Highway 321 and re-enter the Parkway at milepost 292.
Officials emphasized that the scenic motor road will be open, weather permitting, up to the point of the detour closure gates. They also noted that any potential impact to local businesses or for public use and enjoyment of the Parkway during the 2009 spring, summer and fall season is regretful.
