Thursday, January 28, 2010
Blue Ridge Parkway may add 50,000 acres
Introduced in Congress this week, the bill would provide $75 million over five years.
Legislation introduced this week in Congress would allow the Blue Ridge Parkway to add up to 50,000 acres of land along the scenic highway.
"We're very happy," said parkway Deputy Superintendent Monika Mayr, noting that the proposal would increase by more than 50 percent the acreage surrounding the 469-mile highway that traverses the high points of Virginia and North Carolina.
The National Park Service has yet to identify any specific parcels it may be interested in acquiring should the bills be passed, Mayr said.
A priority would be placed on land that meets three purposes: eliminating or improving dangerous crossings and intersections; enhancing the parkway's recreational and natural resources; and adding more scenic views to the drive.
Development of vacation homes and high-end housing along parts of the parkway have prompted conservationists to call for more protection of its vistas in recent years.
There are currently about 4,000 landowners with property adjacent to the 81,785 acres surrounding the parkway.
All transactions would be voluntary, Mayr said, and there would be no use of eminent domain to obtain the land. The Blue Ridge Parkway Protection Act would authorize $75 million over five years for the purchases.
The legislation commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which will be celebrated in September.
Built as a public works project during the Great Depression, the parkway stretches from the southern end of Shenandoah National Park near Waynesboro to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, N.C.
Nearly 20 million people drive at least a portion of roadway each year, making it the most visited site in the National Park Service. It generates an estimated $2.3 billion in tourism spending each year in Virginia and North Carolina.
Companion bills in the U.S. Senate and House of Representative were introduced by Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, and Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Albemarle County. Four North Carolina legislators are also sponsors.
