New repairs scheduled

for Parkway bridges
By Scott Nicholson

Bridges on the Blue Ridge Parkway will be undergoing routine maintenance in the next couple of months, including some local bridges, though travel delays are expected to be minimal.

Beginning Monday, Aug. 3, 2009, Aldridge Brothers Inc., of Robbinsville, NC will be conducting maintenance on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The project will begin in the Asheville area and proceed north, encompassing multiple park bridges between Asheville and Roanoke, Va.

Parkway officials said the work will consist of cleaning and sealing bridge expansion joints, spot repairing of decking and sealing of deck surfaces. The project is scheduled to be completed by September.

No road closures are planned for the project; however, single lane traffic will be required to conduct maintenance procedures at certain times of the day and visitors should use caution when traveling through the flagged work zones.

Work restrictions are in place for the Asheville, Boone, and Roanoke commuter zone traffic, limiting one-lane closures to work hours between 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.