Road work continues in county

With the wind and rain from the remnants of hurricanes Frances, Ivan and Jeanne leaving their mark on the landscape, authorities, including those on the Blue Ridge Parkway, are trying to repair local roadways. Of the roads that were temporarily closed in the county due to heavy rains and flooding, only two remain closed. Oklahoma Road in southern Alleghany is being repaired by North Carolina Department of Transportation crews at this time, said Jim Sloop, county maintenance engineer for Alleghany and Yadkin counties. Meanwhile, Foggy Mountain Road is awaiting a new culvert.

Sloop said both roads should be finished by Oct. 15. “We’re shooting for that, but it may be earlier,” Sloop said.

While the work is continuing, Oklahoma Road is closed to vehicles heading both directions, Sloop said. That small two-lane road, which winds down the side of the mountain into Wilkes County, is sometimes used as a detour when big trucks or other accidents block U.S. 21 mountain. “For that reason and others we are working as diligently as we can to get that road back open,” Sloop said. “The road washed out and slid off, All that has to be rebuilt and the water re-channeled. It’s a big job because of the limited space involved.”

Foggy Mountain Road, which connects Mountain View Road to the Blue Ridge Parkway, was closed due to a washed out pipe under the road. Sloop said DOT bridge maintenance are expected to be in the county by Monday to start that repair. While that repair is ongoing, residents are going around either end of the road.

“We really appreciate all the public support, including the fire departments and volunteer organizations who helped clear the roads and the local residents for their patience,” Sloop said.

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