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Parkway Begins Reconstruction of Historic Stone Guardwalls
August 17, 2010
(Alleghany County, NC) The Blue Ridge Parkway will be closed to all traffic from Milepost 241 near Doughton Park to Milepost 244.9 at Basin Cove Parking Overlook beginning November 1, 2010, and lasting until April 29, 2011. Detour traffic signage will direct Parkway visitors around the closure area via NC Route 18 and US Highway 21. Access to the Bluffs Lodge and Coffee Shop following the regular seasonal operating schedule will remain open from the north via the Parkway. Signs will be in place to direct visitors to the Bluffs Lodge and Coffee Shop.
Prior to this first phase of full traffic closure, single-lane traffic closures will be in effect along the length of the project from September 13 through September 30, 2010. This closure will facilitate the first phase of the Historic Stone Guardwall Reconstruction Project.
Upon completion of the first phase of construction, additional closures and detours will follow between Milepost 218 near Cumberland Knob and Milepost 240.7 near Doughton Park. The project is scheduled to be completed in May 2012.
The Historic Stone Guardwall Reconstruction Project will involve 28 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway (Milepost 217 to Milepost 245) that contain 32,000 linear feet of historic rock masonry walls. A significant portion of the walls are severely deteriorated due to settlement and the effect of freeze-thaw cycles over the past 75 years. This project rehabilitates and reconstructs the most deficient wall sections.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is recognized worldwide as an international example of landscape design achievement. Designed and built to provide a leisurely recreational driving experience and showcase the scenic resources of the central and southern Appalachian Mountains, this section of Parkway displays the historic rock guide walls that line the motor road. Constructed during the late 1930s, these rock walls are now an important historic Parkway resource. Though built in the rustic style used throughout other American national parks, the walls have become a significant feature that defines the visual and historic character of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This project will restore the structural integrity and historic appearance of this important cultural resource.
Blue Ridge Parkway management regrets the inconvenience or delay this closure may cause Parkway visitors.
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