Blue Ridge Parkway opens comment period for bridge projects near Ashe, Alleghany counties

The National Park Service announced, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, that a public comment period is open for a Draft Environmental Assessment prepared for two bridge improvement projects on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The first project, known as Project 2A16,  includes the rehabilitation of Big Pine Creek Bridge #3 and #6 and Brush Creek Bridge #1 in Ashe County, N.C., with an emphasis on maintaining the historic character of the bridges to the maximum extent practicable. The second project, known as Project 2D17, involves the replacement of a larger historic bridge, Laurel Fork Bridge in Alleghany County, which would be designed with consideration given to the historic character of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the original bridge.

The Parkway has over 180 bridges in its asset inventory. Planning for these projects began in 2016, and work is expected to begin in 2020. The bridges involved in these projects have been deemed structurally deficient with deteriorating decks and substandard height bridge rails. The proposed projects will address structural deficiencies and improve safety by meeting current roadway design standards, including installation of crashworthy railings.

This Environmental Assessment will be on public review from May 1, 2019 through June 1, 2019. During this 30-day period, hardcopies of the document may be requested by contacting Dawn Leonard, NPS Community Planner, at (828) 348-3434.  An electronic version of this document can be found on the NPS’s Planning Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=82234. The public is invited to review and comment on the document at this link by June 1, 2019.