Newfound Gap Rd. project
works around tourist season
By Scott Brooks
An 18-month project to repave part of Newfound Gap Rd. through the Smoky Mountains will be scheduled to avoid peak tourist season.The National Park Service began the project on Mar. 16.
The work involves resurfacing 6.5 miles of the Park’s road that is a major route between Cherokee, NC and Gatlinburg.“We made every effort to minimize the disruption to visitor access to Park attractions and to our gateway communities,” said Park superintendent Dale Ditmanson.
The work schedule will try to avoid lane closures during the busiest periods.
Extra tourist traffic is expected throughout this year as the Park celebrates its 75th anniversary.
The section to be resurfaced extends from the Collins Creek Picnic Area south to the Park boundary at Cherokee.
“However,” Ditmanson said, “given that paving work could not be done during the coldest months, we could not avoid some traffic delays and still get the work done within a reasonable time frame.
Until June 15, lane closures could take place around the clock during the week, but will not be allowed between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. on the weekends. Lane
closures will also not be done during Easter week.
Weekends are defined as noon on Friday through 8 a.m. on Monday.
From June 15 through Aug. 15, no closures will be permitted at all on any day between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
No work of any kind will be done during the month of October.
“We repaved the first ten miles of Newfound Gap Rd. in 2006 and 2007 using this same set of restrictions and found that inconvenience and complaints were very minimal,” Ditmanson said.
The work is funded by $9.9 million from the Federal Highway Administration.
This section of road was last paved in 1983 and is badly deteriorated.
Work will include widening the road at the entrance of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, which is also undergoing a major renovation.
The road project is expected to be completed by Sept. 2010.
The Park Service has set up a toll-free recording to provide current information on the status of lane closures.
Visitors may call 1-888-355-1849 at any time to hear the latest details.
