Rock slide closes section of Blue Ridge Parkway (NC)

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

GBinNC - 20 Aug 2006 12:39 GMT

I just read in The Charlotte Observer that a 13-mile section of the BRP
is closed due to a rock slide that occurred Friday around noon. The
closed area is west of Maggie Valley, between US 19 and US 23/74, near
milepost 452 (between Balsam Gap and Soco Gap).

Authorities say it will take at least two weeks just to remove the rocks
so they can tell how much damage occurred to the roadway and then plan
the repairs. The rocks and boulders filled an area of road about 60'
long. One car was struck and damaged, and both occupants were treated at
a local hospital and released.

A quick check of Street Atlas shows two possible detour routes around
the closed area. The eastern loop is about 22 miles and passes through
Maggie Valley on US 19. The western loop is about 36 miles and passes
through or near the towns of Cherokee and Dillsboro.

HTH.

GB in NC

Reply to this Message

Jim Redelfs - 21 Aug 2006 04:29 GMT

> I just read in The Charlotte Observer

Isn't that the same rag that brought down that poor, unfortunate preacher and
his humble and demur wife? :)

> a 13-mile section of the BRP is closed due to a rock slide
> that occurred Friday around noon.

Well, geez! They could have scheduled THAT a little better! :)

> Authorities say it will take at least two weeks just to remove the rocks
> so they can tell how much damage occurred to the roadway and then plan
> the repairs. The rocks and boulders filled an area of road about 60'
> long.

A lot of businesses on either side of this near disaster are going to have a
tough time of it, especially if their summer wasn't all that good to begin
with. I wish them luck.

> A quick check of Street Atlas shows two possible detour routes around
> the closed area. The eastern loop is about 22 miles and passes through
> Maggie Valley on US 19. The western loop is about 36 miles and passes
> through or near the towns of Cherokee and Dillsboro.

A NICE, public service! Good show!

I always wonder how FAR into such a "dead end" does the RVer dare go and still
have an opportunity to get safely turned around.

Signature

:)
JR

Reply to this Message

GBinNC - 21 Aug 2006 05:01 GMT

>> I just read in The Charlotte Observer

>Isn't that the same rag that brought down that poor, unfortunate preacher and
>his humble and demur wife? :)

LOL. The selfsame one.

>A lot of businesses on either side of this near disaster are going to have a
>tough time of it, especially if their summer wasn't all that good to begin
>with. I wish them luck.

Actually, maybe not. There are almost no private businesses ON the
Parkway anyway. This problem will force all the BRP tourists going
through that area onto either of the two detours, where they'll pass
through little towns that never would have seen them otherwise. A
certain percentage of them are bound to stop and buy something -- or at
least bitch to some poor convenience store salesclerk about the hassle.

>> A quick check of Street Atlas shows two possible detour routes around
>> the closed area. The eastern loop is about 22 miles and passes through
>> Maggie Valley on US 19. The western loop is about 36 miles and passes
>> through or near the towns of Cherokee and Dillsboro.

>A NICE, public service! Good show!

Why <blush>, thankyew. Thankyewverrmuch. That's why I'm here. (Well,
that's one reason, anyway <g>.)

>I always wonder how FAR into such a "dead end" does the RVer dare go and still
>have an opportunity to get safely turned around.

I can assure you that no tourist traffic will be allowed beyond the last
turnoff at either end of the work area, and perhaps not even beyond the
beginning of the detour route.

I'll say one thing for the BRP cops -- if they don't want you on a
certain stretch of the road, for whatever reason (ice/snow, fog, road
work, etc.), there's no way you're gonna get there. They just don't
cotton to curiosity seekers when there's work to be done.

GB in NC

Reply to this Message