New gates can

close snowbound parkway
By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

The Blue Ridge Parkway has added another set of “snow gate” locations to block off parts of the parkway during inclement weather or when roads are dangerous.

The parkway announced the new section this month, making a total of eight gates in Watauga County, meaning four sections of the parkway can be closed off. Because of access points, the gates only close off specific sections and are used in tandem, allowing access to other stretches of the road but not a continual route along the parkway.

Dave Bauer, supervisory park ranger for the parkway in Watauga, said gated sections could be closed at any time the decision to close roads is based on both ground inspections and weather reports. If severe winter weather is expected, the National Park Service can close the roads ahead of time.

The new section to be gated is near Milepost 291 at Green Hill Road and ends near Milepost 292 just north of U.S. 321. Detours around the gates will exit at Green Hill Road to U.S. 321 and then north back to the parkway. North bound traffic will follow U.S. 321 south to Green Hill Road.

Bauer said the newly added gates would enhance safety along a stretch of the parkway that tends to be treacherous. “There’s a steep slope there and it doesn’t get a whole lot of sunlight,” Bauer said. “We’ve had a lot of accidents there.”

Other snow-closure gate tandems are from Milepost 285 in Bamboo to Milepost 288 in Aho; Milepost 294 in Sandy Flats to Milepost 296 at Sim’s Pond; and Milepost 298 at Holloway Mountain Road to Milepost 305 near the Linn Cove Viaduct.

Bauer said since visitor traffic is sparser in the winter, most local motorists are aware of the detours and when to avoid the parkway. Gates are used along the entire 469-mile roadway in inclement weather or when construction is underway.

Bauer said because park service staffing is limited, it can be difficult to clear roads. The local ranger district has two snow-plow trucks and accompanying salt spreaders, and those trucks typically focus first on sections of the road that can’t be closed off. If weather remains bad or snow falls over night or on weekends, Bauer said usually workers aren’t called in to clear roads because of limited funding for overtime. Most likely, those sections of the road will remain closed until crews can get to them during the regular work day.

A regional parkway closure begun last month is expected to last until at least February. The parkway will be closed from Milepost 355.5 to 364.5 north of Mount Mitchell State Park for repairs being made to the Craggy Pinnacle Tunnel. Mount Mitchell State Park is still accessible from the north depending on winter weather conditions.

The Mount Mitchell observation tower and tower trail will be closed due to construction until further notice. There will also be trail detours on the Old Mitchell Trail, Mountains-to-Sea Trail and Balsam Nature Trail.

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail trailhead and visitor parking area adjacent to park service headquarters near Asheville are closed while construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center is in progress.

Around-the-clock road and weather information is available by calling the information line at (828) 298-0398.