A 34-mile stretch of Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park will be reconstructed during the coming year, with work starting after the Thanksgiving holiday.

The work will be focused between Milepost 31.5 at the Thorton Gap Entrance Station and Milepost 65.5 at the Swift Run Entrance Station.

Skyline Drive was originally constructed in the 1930s and was last reconstructed between 1983 and 1988. Park officials say the current road surface has met its life expectancy and is due for rehabilitation. Once work begins, sections of Skyline Drive will be reduced to one lane of traffic during working hours, defined as sun up to sun down Monday through Friday.

Travelers can expect delays of up to 15 minutes and sections of unpaved, gravel road. During non-working hours, weekends, and national holidays two lanes of traffic will be available; however, sections of Skyline Drive will still have a gravel surface.