The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: Blue Ridge Parkway Announces Fall and Winter Road Maintenance Projects

National Park Service managers recently announced three upcoming projects that may affect Parkway travel in the coming weeks. Visitors should anticipate one-lane or intermittent, temporary closures in active work zones. Affected sections for all projects close at approximately 8:00 a.m. each weekday and re-open daily by 4:30 p.m. The motor road will be open on the weekend, weather permitting. Those who normally commute on the Parkway during the week may want to find alternate routes.

Project information and affected areas are as follows:

• Asheville, NC Edge Rutting Project – The project begins November 4, 2019, to repair severe edge rutting from Milepost 385 – 397.5. The project will continue into the winter as weather conditions allow and will be conducted with single-lane traffic control.

• NC Bridge Maintenance – This project also begins November 4, 2019, and includes a preventative maintenance work on 20 bridges in NC between Milepost 220-469. The work will occur under single lane traffic control.

• Parkwide Boom Axe Operations – Annually, Blue Ridge Parkway maintenance and resource management staff conduct boom axe operations to help control vegetation growth along the Parkway. This work, using a large tractor with a long arm cutting head, helps insure safe sight distances and a clear right-of-way. This tractor must remain in the travel lanes during operation to properly perform its work while cutting the banks and road shoulders. Both lanes of the Parkway will be closed to all activity (cars, bicycles, and hikers) in active work zones to ensure the safety of the maintenance workers as well as Parkway visitors. Planned boom axe closures begin in November and continue through early spring. The full schedule of planned boom axe closures is available on the Parkway’s website.

Specific information regarding daily closures, related to these projects or for any other reason, is available on the Parkway’s Real Time Road Map, found at www.nps.gov/maps/blri/road-closures/