This Land, Your Land

Blue Ridge Parkway officials announced completion and reopening of the Goshen Creek Bridge and roadway (Milepost 285 to 288) near Boone on Thursday.

The section of road, approximately five miles north of the parkway's intersection with U.S. 321, closed in April 2008.

The rehabilitation restored the integrity of the historic structure while retaining most of the original design elements, the National Park Service says. Stonework was left undisturbed but did undergo cleaning and repointing. The most significant deviation from the previous design was replacement of the bridge's picket railing with horizontal guardrails to meet more stringent Federal Highway Administration safety standards.

Virtual Blue Ridge, which tipped us, has historical information about the Goshen Creek Bridge and the rehabilitation project. "There is no other bridge like it on the Blue Ridge Parkway," lamented Gary Johnson, the Parkway's chief of planning and professional services. "We will be losing an important detail and driving experience with the bridge repairs."