Roanoke, Virginia – Earlier this month, a segment of the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Roanoke was reopened following a completed road repair, while an additional section within the Roanoke vicinity is scheduled to close next spring for renovations.
In 2020, substantial rainfall led to substantial road damage along the Blue Ridge Parkway between milepost 121 and 136. This section’s repair, which took three years to complete, faced numerous delays due to supply chain complications, as reported by the National Park Service. The section was officially reopened to vehicular traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians earlier this month.
Leesa Brandon, a representative from the National Park Service, informs us that more improvements are planned for the parkway. She states, “We have some addition smaller bridge maintenance projects kind of north and south of Roanoke, this year also on the Virginia side of the parkway.” It’s anticipated that these repairs won’t necessitate full closures, though they may cause minor disruptions to travel.
In the coming spring, a comprehensive upgrade of a 24-mile stretch of the parkway, beginning at milepost 121.4 and concluding at milepost 97.6, north of Roanoke, will commence. This renovation is one of four large-scale projects on the Blue Ridge Parkway financed by the Great American Outdoors Act, which was passed by Congress in 2020.
Brandon accentuated the long-term benefits of this investment, saying, “The investment that we’re seeing in road maintenance as a result of that historic investment and legislation will pay dividends to park visitors and park communities for many, many years to come.”
Consequently, the Ironman Triathlon organizers have announced a temporary hiatus for their race next year due to the expected closure. As of now, there is no established timeline for the completion of the 24-mile section of the parkway.
