News Release

Blue Ridge Parkway to Implement Full Closure for Ongoing Road Improvements in Roanoke Corridor

News Release Date: April 11, 2025 ROANOKE, Va. – The Blue Ridge Parkway is implementing a full road closure and detour along the park’s corridor in Roanoke, Virginia, from milepost 95.9 at Montvale Overlook (south of Peaks of Otter) to milepost 106, near U.S. Route 460, beginning April 14, 2025. This nine-mile closure is the next phase in the previously announced repaving and rehabilitation, Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Funded project.

A signed detour will direct travelers around the closure via route(s) Hwy 43 through Bedford, Virginia and Route 460 north of Vinton. A full closure to all uses including vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists will be in place between milepost 95.9 and 106 to ensure the safety of Parkway visitors and staff. Appalachian Trail hikers should coordinate arrangements for any support at Montvale Overlook or points further north on the Parkway.

The 75-million-dollar project, jointly managed by the Federal Highway Administration, includes slope stabilization, road resurfacing, repair or replacement of drainage structures, curbs, walks, shoulders, guardrails, stone walls, overlooks, pavement markings, and signage. The project has been ongoing with single-lane closures since last summer. The shift to a full road closure is part of the project’s planned phase structure.

In order to maintain access to Explore Park, and as work continues in the coming months, the project will also involve a series of smaller closures between milepost 106, near U.S. Route 460, and milepost 121, near U.S. Route 220. The target completion for both phases, from milepost 97 to milepost 106 and from milepost 106 to milepost 121, is Fall of 2026. Updated road status and detour maps can be found on the Blue Ridge Parkway’s website.  

GAOA is part of a concerted effort to address the extensive maintenance and repair backlog in national parks. Including this project, the Blue Ridge Parkway is slated to receive more than $200 million from GAOA for multiple projects to address long-needed infrastructure improvements that will improve the visitor experience for a park that welcomed 16.7 million visitors in 2024.

Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA's Legacy Restoration Fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to the National Park Service to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.