The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public input concerning the proposed construction of the next section of the Foothills Parkway and access improvements between Wears Valley and the Metcalf Bottoms area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A virtual public meeting will be held on Thursday, Oct. 14 and comments may be submitted through from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31.
The new proposed Foothills Parkway section, 8D, would extend the parkway for 9.8 miles from Wears Valley to the Spur near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. This proposed action would provide direct access to one of the primary entrances to the park. In addition, the NPS is seeking comments about developing better access to the Metcalf Bottoms area to address safety concerns along Wear Cove Gap Road, improve the overall visitor experience, and protect park resources. Both these efforts could alleviate existing and future motor vehicle congestion to complement overall visitor access and traffic flow on the Tennessee side of the Park.
“We are pleased to offer this opportunity to inform the public about the planning process and to receive input on these important projects,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “With growing visitation trends, considering these improvements is imperative in helping assure safe vehicle access to the park.”
The civic engagement public comment period for the proposed projects is open from October 1 through October 31 and includes opportunities to submit written comments and participate in a virtual public meeting. The information obtained during this civic engagement period will be used to identify and refine the design elements and alternatives under consideration.
A virtual public meeting to discuss the proposed projects and answer any questions about the process will take place on Thursday, Oct. 14, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. (ET). During the first 30 minutes of the meeting, the NPS will present an overview of the proposed actions with the remainder of the meeting reserved for a question-and-answer session.
Participants are advised to join the meeting five to ten minutes early to test audio and internet connections. Additionally, participants are welcome to call in on listen-only mode, and not view the presentation, by dialing (312) 626-6799 and entering Webinar ID 856 4513 5682.
The NPS will also accept written comments regarding the proposed projects online or by postal mail. Comments may be submitted:
- Online (the preferred method) at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/Section8D. Select “Open for Comment” on the left menu bar, open the Foothills Parkway Section 8D/Metcalf Bottoms Newsletter folder, and click on the green “Comment Now” button to access the online commenting form; or
- By Postal Mail at:
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Section 8D/Metcalf Access Civic Engagement
- 107 Park Headquarters Rd.
- Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Written comments on the proposed projects must be submitted online or be postmarked by Oct. 31, 2021 to be considered.
For more information about the proposed Foothills Parkway Section 8D/Metcalf Bottoms Access Improvement projects, including public meeting details, virtual long-in instructions and more, visit the planning website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/Section8D.
– National Park Service release
