The Blue Ridge Parkway re-opened a closed section of the historic motor road today (August 26, 2013), from Milepost 376 at Ox Creek Road in Asheville, NC to Milepost 355 at Mt. Mitchell State Park using temporary bypass lanes. The speed limit in this section of the roadway has been reduced to 15 mph to ensure public safety while traveling through the bypass area. To better navigate the bypass alignment, motorists are urged to reduce speed as they approach this area. The reduced speed limit will be strictly enforced. The Craggy Gardens Visitor Center and Picnic Area, located at Milepost 364, was also reopened on Monday.
The 500 foot long by-pass restores two-way traffic through the area affected by significant structural damage as a result of unusually heavy rainfall totals earlier this summer. It is anticipated that the bypass route will close again and the detour routes will be reinstated in November 2013 so construction can resume to stabilize the slope and repair the area permanently.
Parkway management apologizes for any inconvenience to our visitors and cautions the public to be aware of changing weather and road conditions at all times. As always, the public is encouraged to use the park’s
website to access road information and plan their visit.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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