An Endangered Road?

Running for 469 miles through the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the South's most famous and popular national parks. Yet it also may be one of the South's most endangered public resources.

According to an article in The News & Observer of Raleigh, a lack of funding is causing sections of the parkway to fall into disrepair. Reductions in federal funding have forced the park to leave significant proportions of the maintenance and ranger staffs unfilled. The result: reductions in service and the loss of scenic views as overlooks become overgrown.

At the same time, the parkway's views are threatened by development alongside the park. From a new Wal-Mart in Roanoke, VA, to new residential construction outside of Asheville, NC, development is detracting from the natural beauty the park was built to celebrate.