Pardon my lack of comprehension skills, but it appears the Blue Ridge Parkway will be receiving a $1.9 million increase in federal funding, bringing its budget to $16 million, including or excluding, in whole or in part, $30 million in federal transportation funds. The highway funds will go toward a backlog in maintenance needs for the roadway, even though the grounds and structures would and are going to benefit the most from the funding. If the $30 million is separate from the $16 million, that would explain why the money is really going to an expanded payroll instead, to hire 47 new seasonal workers to help make up for 58 permanent positions that were cut over the last six years. Or maybe salaries fall under capital outlay these days. Taxpayers love the obfuscation.

In recent years, a lack of funding for the parkway has impacted “visitor experience.” To compensate, a visitors center was just completed near Fletcher, NC. “The center’s exhibits highlight the natural and cultural diversity, economic traditions and recreational opportunities found in Western North Carolina and along the Blue Ridge Parkway.”