Work is progressing to repair the landslide which has closed a section of Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Two key steps are already underway to initiate the reconstruction of the road.
An upslope view of the damage cause by the Jan. 16 landslide to Newfound Gap Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (NPS photo)
A contract has been awarded for the first phase of work to APAC –Atlantic, Harrison Division to develop an access road to the slide area, remove debris, and stabilize the slope above the work area. This phase is estimated to cost around $200,000 and will prepare the site for the second phase of work which will involve a complete reconstruction of the roadway. This first phase began on Monday, Jan. 28, and is expected to be completed in a few weeks.
The contracting piece for the second phase, involving the actual road reconstruction, was initiated on Friday, Jan. 25 when Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) posted a pre-solicitation for qualified contractors with interest in repairing the landslide. The contract for this phase of work is estimated to cost between $3,000,000 and $7,000,000, and is expected to be awarded by mid-February. Final construction work will begin soon after.
The schedule of the road reconstruction will be determined by the information received in the solicitation package, but is anticipated to be complete by mid-May to early June. Newfound Gap Road will remain closed to thru traffic during the construction, but visitors are still able to access the park to Newfound Gap from the Tennessee side and to Smokemont Campground from the Cherokee entrance.
– NPS
