Gatlinburg Entrance To National Park To See $11 Million Improvements

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has received approximately $11 million in funding from the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund to rehabilitate a two-mile section of Newfound Gap Road near Gatlinburg. That work will include repaving the 2 mile stretch of road from the Gatlinburg city limits to near the Sugarlands Center. Part of the funds will also go to improving the Gatlinburg Bypass Bridge in that area. The rehabilitation project will mean single-lane closures on Newfound Gap Road at the Gatlinburg entrance to the park . Those lane closures could be starting as early as April 15.

The National Park Service says from June 15 through August 15 there will be no daytime closures. There will be no construction work on weekends or national holidays either. The commercial vehicle turnout south of the park entrance sign will be closed. Commercial vehicles that enter the park without permission will have to follow detour signs and be directed to turn around at Sugarlands Visitor Center parking lot.

To reduce impact to daytime traffic, the contractor is required to complete much of the work during the evening hours. Motorists should be prepared to encounter construction work 24 hours a day between Sunday evenings and Friday mornings.

River Road between Newfound Gap Road and the park boundary and the parking area at the Gatlinburg Trail will be closed to vehicles throughout the project. Pedestrians will be able to access the trailhead via a short detour. Some parts of the Gatlinburg Trail will close during the project for visitor safety.

The entire rehabilitation project for the two mile stretch of Newfound Gap Road is expected to be completed by the end of September.

The Great American Outdoors Act is part of a concerted effort to address extensive deferred maintenance and repair needs in national parks.