McGill Attended Sidewalk to Bass Lake Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony in Blowing Rock
This past spring, McGill attended a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of a project that was over eight years in the making. The creation of the sidewalk to Bass Lake project for the Town of Blowing Rock was an initiative that showed great collaboration between the federal government and local citizens, and McGill is proud to have been a part of this collaboration.
This sidewalk connects the Blue Ridge Parkway and Bass Lake with Town property and downtown Main Street, and it serves as an example of a municipality valuing making nature more accessible to residents living and spending time in urban areas.
McGill Principal and Hickory Office Manager Doug Chapman said, “This project is a key pedestrian connector for the Town, allowing residents and visitors to safely walk from downtown to the Bass Lake Park, both of which are very popular destinations.”
MCGILL’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROJECT
To aid in developing a pedestrian link between Main Street and a site owned by the National Park Service and known as Bass Lake, McGill supplied surveying, design, bid, and construction services. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is responsible for maintaining Yonahlossee Road (US 221) as well as Main Street (US Business 321) in Downtown Blowing Rock.
A comprehensive design was provided by McGill to the Town, and this design included typical cross sections for the construction of concrete curb and gutter, in addition to a five-foot sidewalk that was constructed along the existing edge of pavement on the north side of US 221 from Main Street to the parking area near the historic entrance to Bass Lake.
“Bass Lake is a popular destination in the Blowing Rock area with a loop trail and hiking trail connections to other destination points along the Blue Ridge Parkway,” explained McGill Project Manager Matthew Oetting. “This connection provides a safe pedestrian route connecting Downtown Blowing Rock to the trail system within the National Park Service property and pedestrian access to several popular destinations, allowing users to park at a single location and enjoy downtown Blowing Rock along with Bass Lake and a number of other local National Park Service destinations.”
LEARN MORE
You can learn more about McGill’s efforts to promote accessibility between constructed and natural spaces by clicking here.
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