McAfee Knob pedestrian bridge crossing Route 311 now open
Partners from the federal level to the volunteer level celebrated the opening together on Thursday, as the first hiker trekked across the new pathway.
'It's been a great experience with everyone's involvement,' said VDOT spokesperson Jason Bond. 'I think this is a great example of what we can accomplish when so many groups come together.'
Construction on the bridge began in November 2023, but the project has been in the works for even longer, with original discussions starting up in 2017.
The bridge was presented as a way to make crossing Route 311 and accessing the iconic McAfee Knob trail easier and safer.
'There was a study done on the whole Appalachian Trail over 20 years ago to identify the most dangerous road crossings, and this spot made the top 10,' said Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club member Diana Christopulos.
Up until now, hikers had to walk straight across Route 311 to pick up the McAfee Knob trail.
The McAfee Knob Trailhead Shuttle Service returns!
Route 311 is a 55 mile-per-hour zone at the crossing, which is also set on a blind curve.
'When you come up here and you patrol, especially on [the weekend], you've got people with little kids or grandparents and they don't know that a car's coming over the hill at 55 miles per hour around a blind curve,' said Christopulos.
Now that the bridge, which includes a handicap-accessible ramp, is in place, that is no longer an issue.
That will make a big difference for a four-mile stretch of trail that Roanoke County officials say welcomes more than 50,000 visitors each year.
'During COVID, there was a lot of outdoor activity, and we really spiked then,' said Martha Hooker, the Catawba Magisterial District Representative for Roanoke County. 'But even since, we haven't really seen decreases. It continues to be a favorite thing to do.'
The McAfee Knob trailhead parking lot had to be close while the bridge was under construction, so Roanoke County obtained a grant to fund a shuttle to the trailhead.
Even though the parking lot is back open, the county says it will continue to run the shuttle Fridays through Sundays moving forward.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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