This April 2020 photo shows the completed pedestrian pathway connector between Newland Hall, left, and Wey Hall, right. It connects the Stadium Parking Deck to the existing parking circle in front of the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. Click on the image for a full view. Photo by Marie Freeman
A pedestrian pathway connector, Blue Ridge Way was one of several major construction projects completed at Appalachian State University to enhance the App State Experience.
The project supports the strategic plan of App State and the university’s goals and metrics associated with the University of North Carolina System’s strategic plan. It will benefit students, athletics and the community.
About
Blue Ridge Way is the first part of a pedestrian pathway that will unite the two halves of App State’s campus, as referenced in the Master Plan 2025 (page 41), while connecting the arts, transportation and university events.
Blue Ridge Way was completed in time for the Aug. 31, 2019, football game and connects the Stadium Parking Deck adjacent to Frank and Belk residence halls to the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts and Wey Hall. This connector primarily serves as a wide pedestrian path. During events with large attendance — such as football games, concerts and events in the north end zone facility — it offers improved emergency vehicle access and is used for an additional vehicle exit from the parking deck and stadium areas.
Status
On Jan. 24, 2019, the UNC Board of Governors approved expenditures of up to $916,866 from existing budgets to plan and implement Blue Ridge Way. Construction was complete in time for the 2019 football season. The contractor was Greene Construction of Boone.
Blue Ridge Way was made to match the sidewalks around Sanford Mall, built with pavers laid in a concrete foundation. Weep holes in the concrete allow water penetration to nearby tree roots. Construction activity was excluded from an established tree protection zone around one of App State’s oldest campus trees.
How is it funded?
The funding source for the Blue Ridge Way pedestrian pathway connector was the university’s Transportation and Parking Reserves fund.
Who will benefit?
All members of the campus and local communities benefit. Since late August 2019, pedestrians and motorists attending football games and other activities at Kidd Brewer Stadium, as well as large concerts at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, have experienced faster egress, better traffic flow and increased safety.
How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?
The safety, health, wellness and enjoyment of all members of the App State Community, including visitors, are of utmost concern to the university, as each makes possible personal, academic and institutional success.
- Campus Construction Projects
- State Funding Support
- Master Plan
- Glossary
- Parking and Transportation Messages
Major current projects:
Major completed projects:
- Holmes Drive Parking Deck
- Dining Facilities Renovations — Central Dining Hall and Trivette Hall
- University Bookstore Renovation
- Residence Halls
- Child Development Center Expansion
- Kidd Brewer Stadium — North End Zone
- Career Development Center relocation
- Sanford Hall Renovation
- Blue Ridge Way
- NPHC Plots and Garden
- Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences
- Founders Plaza
An aerial view of areas receiving millennial campus designation at Appalachian State University. Video by Marie Freeman