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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Looks like the Old Chestnut Creek Tunnel on the old
North Carolina Branch, is getting spruced up a bit by the New River trail folks.
This tunnel had been getting really "ratty" over the years, on the timber side
of it, several boards where missing, and on the inside, their had been lots of
shoring up of the big beams.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial><A
href="http://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?055+article+News+20091130093823055055002">http://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?055+article+News+20091130093823055055002</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Andy J</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2
face=Arial>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial><EM>Portion of trail closed until
spring</EM></FONT></STRONG><BR></DIV>
<DIV>By CHRISTOPHER BROOKE<BR>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">A three-mile section of the New River Trail State
Park near Gambetta will remain closed for 150 days for safety work on the former
rail line tunnel there.
<P>The closure effects the portion of the linear state park from Fries Junction
at mile marker 39.8 to Gambetta Road at 42.3 until May 1 of next year, according
to park officials.
<P>This work arose from the issuance in 2002 of a general obligation bond by the
state to repair bridges and tunnels on the New River Trail, explained Jimmy
Elliott, the park's assistant manager based at Cliffview.
<P>Specialists examined parts of the trail and found that the time had come for
maintenance on the tunnel.
<P>"There's some wooden beams in there that has some signs of rot, I guess you
would say, or weathering," Elliott explained.
<P>Plus, there's a wooden face on the north side of the tunnel that needs
replacing.
<P>Workers will also scale loose rock back and install a wire mesh meant to
catch falling pieces, he added. "We've never had a problem in that tunnel anyway
with anything falling."
<P>But the idea is to be proactive. "We're taking care of these issues before
they present a significant safety issue to the public."
<P>The contract, awarded to Hillsville company DLB, allows for 150 days to
complete the work, Elliott said. Park officials purposefully scheduled this
maintenance for the time of year when the trail has the least amount of users.
<P>Barricades have gone up on this portion of the trail and it has been turned
over to the contractor to do the work.
<P>For those who want to continue using the trial, park officials suggest this
detour: From the Gambetta Road crossing traveling south on the trail, take a
right onto Gambetta Road. Travel approximately three miles to Iron Ridge Road
and take a right. Go approximately three miles to Fries Road and take a right,
then follow the signs to the Fries access, about 4.5
miles</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>