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Blowing Rock awards $985,000 contract to repair Valley View landslide; FEMA expected to reimburse
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Summary
The Blowing Rock Town Council voted Oct. 14 to award a $985,000 contract to Mountain Crest LLC to repair a catastrophic slope failure on Valley View Road and restore access to Old Orchard. Town and engineering staff said the repair — temporary soil‑nail walls and permanent gabion baskets — is eligible for FEMA reimbursement; construction timing depends on winter weather.
Blowing Rock — The Town Council voted Oct. 14 to award a $985,000 contract to Mountain Crest LLC for permanent repairs to a catastrophic slope failure on Valley View Road that severed access to Old Orchard.
Town Manager Shane Fox and Jared Wright of McGill & Associates told the council the Sept. 27 storm dropped more than 20 inches of rain in the area and produced a slide more than 500 feet long with roughly 300 feet of elevation change. Wright said geotechnical testing found bedrock with a saturated, viscous soil layer beneath the roadway and that a full in‑place soil replacement was infeasible. "That solution includes two walls; one will serve as a temporary shoring mechanism…a soil‑nail wall," Wright said, and the permanent repair will use gabion baskets filled with riprap stone.
The town solicited bids beginning Aug. 26, 2025; after an initial shortfall in responses the solicitation was reissued and bids were opened Oct. 9. Staff reported Mountain Crest LLC submitted the low (and only) responsive bid at $985,000, including contingency, and recommended awarding the contract. Manager Fox said the project is expected to be fully reimbursable by FEMA and that the town will follow the familiar reimbursement process once work is complete.
Council members asked about the construction schedule and potential winter delays. Staff replied that the timing for soil‑nail installation and concrete/shotcrete work depends on temperatures and weather; a preconstruction meeting with the contractor is expected within about two weeks to clarify sequencing and a target start date. "A lot's gonna depend on the weather," staff said.
Mayor (no name given) moved to award the contract; the motion passed on roll call (votes recorded in the transcript as Pete: Yes; Doug: Aye; Melissa: Aye; David: Yes; Kent: Aye). Following the vote, the mayor thanked staff and noted property owners had communicated support for moving the project forward.
The town said it will pursue FEMA reimbursement after construction completion. The council also emphasized the project will require careful staging on the narrow road and that residents will receive updates after the preconstruction meeting.
