NPS Asking For Comments On Foothills Parkway Project In Sevier County

The National Park Service is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for a proposed project that would extend the Foothills Parkway within the National Park Service’s managed corridor from Wears Valley to the Spur near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Known as Foothills Parkway Section 8D, that project would be a 9 mile stretch of road linking the existing Foothills Parkway that ends currently in Wears Valley to the Gatlinburg Spur.

The national park service is seeking public comments in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act to help determine the extent and nature of topics that should be considered during the environmental review process. The comment period is currently open through November 18th. The park service says the preferred method to comment is online by going to the project website (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/Section8D) navigate the menu on the left-hand side of the page to “Open for Comment,” then open the “Section 8D” folder.

The concept for the Foothills Parkway in Tennessee near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was conceived in the 1930s. Legislation to establish the parkway was signed into law in 1944 and construction began in the 1950s with the Gatlinburg Spur. Completed portions of Foothills Parkway now include the Spur and four other sections at either end of the 72-mile corridor….which includes the eastern terminus in Cocke County…a 6 mile section between Cosby Hwy and Interstate 40. The western section extends 33 continuous miles from Chilhowee to Wears Valley where it currently ends. The middle sections linking the east and west portions have never been built.