Damage assessment along Blue Ridge Parkway

NORTH CAROLINA (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — As the entire Blue Ridge Parkway remains closed , crews from around the country work to assess the extensive damage done following Hurricane Helene.

Blue Ridge Parkway workers and National Park Service employees have encountered tens of thousands of trees blocking roads and nearly three dozen rock and mudslides. The slides have occurred above and below the roads and have severely damaged or swept away the roadbed in multiple places.

Officials say the damage in Virginia is less severe but work still remains to clear the roads of debris.

The National Park Service reminds the public that the full closure of the parkway and associated park trails applies to all vehicles and uses, including motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. Hazards — both seen and unseen — can endanger unauthorized persons such as weakened roads and hanging limbs. The parkway is also an active work area with vehicles and heavy equipment moving through the area.

“The damage left behind by the storm has created dangerous conditions, some of which are not immediately visible from the road itself,” said Tracy Swartout, superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway. “We thank the public for their cooperation in respecting closures for their safety and to allow crews to complete their work.

Due to the less impacted areas in Virginia, the National Park Service is finishing up damage assessments and clearing of debris there. They are targeting a phased reopening of most of the parkway in Virginia within the next week.

Updates will be posted on the Blue Ridge Parkway website and on the park’s social media platforms.

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