BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — A Blue Ridge Parkway resurfacing project near Blowing Rock has been postponed to 2026 to accommodate community recovery needs after Hurricane Helene at the request of North Carolina’s two U.S. senators, according to the Hickory Record.
This pause in the Great American Outdoors Act means the resurfacing project won’t be completed until 2027 at the earliest.
Meanwhile, officials say the road recovery projects are set to be completed this summer involving Helene-related mudslides ranging from milepost 285.5 at Bamboo Gap to milepost 343.2.
“While the recovery efforts related to Hurricane Helene are critically important, shutting down the area from Boone to Linville Falls due to resurfacing would eliminate tourism and greatly hamper the local economy,” according to a letter sent by Sen. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on April 10.
Peak tourism season for the Parkway starts in the spring continues through the fall months.
David Jackson, president and chief executive of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, said the pause “will be immediately impactful for the High Country business community.”
Helene recovery projects will continue in overlooks between Moses Cone Memorial Park and Beacon Heights, while also allowing continuous access to North Carolina State Park trail systems, the Record reported.
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