The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: Blue Ridge Parkway Invites Public Input on Proposed Special Events Involving Temporary Closures

The National Park Service announced today the opportunity to provide input on two proposed Special Use Permits which could include temporary, full closures of sections of the Parkway motor road near Roanoke, Virginia and Asheville, North Carolina, in the spring and summer of 2020.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is reviewing a permit request from Revel Race Series to allow for a portion of a running event on the Parkway motor road on Saturday, May 2, 2020. The proposed permit would include a temporary, full closure of the Parkway motor road in both directions from Milepost 377 to 383, in Asheville, North Carolina, for all or a portion of the day.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is simultaneously reviewing a permit request from The Ironman Group to allow for a part of the cycling portion of a triathlon on the Parkway motor road on Sunday, June 7, 2020. This proposed permit would include a temporary, full closure of the Parkway motor road in both directions from Milepost 91 to 112, near Roanoke, Virginia, for all or a portion of the day.

These proposed events would bring recreational users to the park as part of larger regional events, while at the same time temporarily limit access to portions of the Parkway for the safety of event participants and park visitors. Any additional management costs incurred by the National Park Service would the responsibility of the event organizers, per National Park Service policy.

The public is invited to provide comments related to impacts of potential temporary road closures associated with each of these events on the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment and Public Comment Site. Comments related to the Asheville area running event can be entered at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/RevelBRP; and comments related to the Roanoke area triathlon should be entered at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/IronmanBRP. The comment period for both proposed events is open through Friday, November 22, 2019. The National Park Service appreciates the public’s input, which will be one of many factors considered in the final permit decision.