The pedestrian bridge over Route 311 from the McAfee Knob parking lot to the Appalachian trail is now open as of this afternoon, as is the parking lot again. Construction by VDOT contractors took more than a year, using a combination of state and federal funding.
The new concrete and steel National Park Service bridge is 90-feet long, eight feet wide and spans 17.5 feet above Route 311-Catawba Valley Drive. Commercial vehicles will be able to pass underneath without restrictions. VDOT spokesperson Jason Bond:
