GORHAM, N.H. — Starting today, sections of the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center parking lot will be cordoned off for reconstruction work through late June or early July.

Located in the White Mountain National Forest, the parking lot serves a complex of facilities operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club under a special use permit. It also serves several trailheads, including the popular Tuckerman Ravine Trail up Mount Washington.

To try and minimize disruptions to the public, staff have been working with the contractor, according to Neely.

“For instance, there will be no construction on weekends or federal holidays,” Neely said in an early Wednesday afternoon report.

However, he added, some visitors to the trails, visitor center or the Joe Dodge Lodge may not be able to park in direct proximity to their destination on certain days.

“The contractor clearly recognizes the importance of public access to this area during construction,” Neely stated in a Wednesday e-mail.

The parking lot is a former roadbed of New Hampshire Route 16 prior to its relocation during the1960s. It was never intended for its current use, Neely said.

The parking lot project is designed to improve the visual appearance of the lot, provide for visitor safety, and protect natural resources while accommodating a similar number of vehicles at peak use times, he said.

A trail will connect the pedestrian bridge over Ellis River to the south end of the lot. Also included in the design is a combination of paving and landscaping in the lot’s central part, while gravel surfacing at the north and south ends will be maintained.

Later this summer, additional planning will address overflow lots south of the visitor center, which require visitors to cross Route 16 in the 55 mph section, Neely said.

For more information, contact the Androscoggin Ranger District at 603-466-2713 or visit www.fs.fed.us/r9/white.
tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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