Robin MacLennan for North Carolina Constructions News
Blue Ridge Parkway officials have opened the first phase of a major restoration project, with work led by Kovilic Construction Co., Inc. under a federal contract valued at more than $10 million.
Closed since Hurricane Helene due to a landslide and large amounts of debris, this is the first of multiple openings expected in the coming weeks and months as the Parkway’s first round of recovery repair projects nears completion.
The long-anticipated reopening restores public access to a section of the scenic parkway between mileposts 365 and 367, northeast of Asheville. The area had been closed for over a year to address slope instability, aging road infrastructure and safety concerns along the historic route.
Kovilic Construction, a specialty contractor based in Franklin Park, Ill., was awarded the phase one contract by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division in August 2023.
“This is a significant milestone in preserving and improving one of America’s most iconic roads,” said a National Park Service spokesperson. “We’re grateful to the contractors and crews who helped safely reopen this section to the public.”
The full project spans several phases and includes roadbed stabilization, drainage improvements and retaining wall construction designed to reduce future closures due to erosion or storm damage.
As a result of Hurricane Helene, the Parkway found at least 57 landslides of varying complexity across about 200 miles in Western North Carolina. Work to restore road access, repair road damage and stabilize slide areas began in the fall of 2024, and is planned in three phases:
- Phase 1 – Addresses 12 repairs in eight geographic areas. Once complete, across the summer and into the fall of 2025, over 48 miles of the Parkway will be restored for public use in various locations across western North Carolina.
- Phase 2 – Projects will repair 21 landslide areas primarily between milepost 318.2 and 323.4, in the area south of Linville Falls. Contracting is currently underway for projects included in this phase, and work is expected to be complete by fall of 2026.
- Phase 3 – Planning is underway to address repairs to over 23 sites primarily between milepost 336.7 and 351.9, in the area between Little Switzerland and the Mount Mitchell.
This phased system provides both public access to newly opened areas earlier, and improved access to previously unreachable areas by contractors.
Parkway construction activity is complex and highly technical, including factors such as remoteness, challenging terrain, and reduced construction seasons due to ice and winter weather at higher elevations.