GLEN JEAN, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve has announced that Cunard Road (Route 9) will reopen for public access on March 24 following the first phase of upgrades by the Federal Highway Administration.
The road had been closed since November for improvements extending from the Brooklyn Mine Trailhead to the river access at Cunard.
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Visitors should expect delays, as only one lane will be open throughout the season.
Construction will continue until Memorial Day before pausing for the summer, with traffic controlled by a light through the fall.
A second closure is planned for the winter for additional improvements, though the exact date has not been set.
Cunard Road is a key access route to the Lower Gorge section of the New River, running from Cunard to Fayette Station.
Meanwhile, the West Virginia Department of Highways has been making improvements to the Tunney Hunsaker Bridge on Fayette Station Road (Route 82), which has also been closed for the winter.
Officials expect the bridge and road to reopen by the end of March, with another closure planned next winter for further work.
For the latest updates on road closures and park conditions, visitors can check the park’s website at nps.gov/neri or follow the park on Instagram and Facebook.
