Dear Friends of Blowing Rock,

The Bass Lake sidewalk project along U.S. 221 from downtown Blowing Rock to Bass Lake will start in March after the construction contract was awarded during the February Blowing Rock Town Council meeting.

The project will start at the intersection of U.S. 221 and Main Street, with hopes of finishing in the area by the end of May as seasonal residents start to arrive. The work will include a crosswalk across U.S. 221 from The Speckled Trout to Mellow Mushroom.

Further down U.S. 221, there will be a retaining wall constructed as part of the project. Along the route, drainage, curb and gutter will be included.
The sidewalk project will prevent people from parking on the north side of the road. Visitors often park alongside U.S. 221 during big events. The bike lanes in place along the north side of U.S. 221 will remain in place.

Country Boy Landscaping of the town of Harmony in Iredell County was the low bidder on the Bass Lake sidewalk project, at $976,959, which was unanimously approved by the town council.
Chapman explained that the town has $980,000 in an Eastern Federal Lands Access Program grant as well as $242,000 from phase four issuance of the 2014 general obligation bonds for the project.
The entire project is slated to be completed by October.

Placing a sidewalk on the north side of U.S. 221 going from Main Street to the Bass Lake entrance has been ongoing for years due to the difficulty in getting land easements which the former Town Manager did not begin until after the grant submission.

The Town Manager and Council are also evaluating adding sidewalks from 321 to Speckled Trout using bond proceeds. If there is new development at the 7 acre site, the developer will be asked to install the sidewalks.

Tim Gupton
President

Our mailing address is:
Blowing Rock Civic Association
PO Box 2471
Blowing Rock, NC 28605-2471

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