GATLINBURG, Tenn.— Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Federal Highway Administration officials have announced several upcoming road paving and pothole repair projects on Newfound Gap Road, Clingmans Dome Road, and Foothills Parkway West. The repairs will require temporary single-lane closures, which may cause short traffic delays. Crews will also finish their work on the Spur Tunnel, requiring lane closures until the end of the month.
Bryant’s Land Development, of Burnsville, N.C., will repair potholes on Newfound Gap Road near Morton Overlook at mile marker 14.6. Crews will need to temporarily close one lane of traffic on April 19, weather depending. They will also repair pavement on a parking pullout along Clingman’s Dome Road. The pullout will be closed for no more than one day.
Weather depending, Estes Bros. Construction, of Jonesville, Va., will begin pavement repairs on Monday, April 17 along a nine-mile section of Foothills Parkway West between U.S. Highway 321 at Walland and Look Rock Observation Tower. Work will occur in multiple locations over several days, requiring single-lane closures with flaggers. Crews will also pave parking areas on that stretch of the parkway.
In addition to the paving projects, contractors will implement single-lane closures through the Spur Tunnel from April 17-27 as they complete the installation of a new LED lighting system. Crews began work on the tunnel in January to replace drains and lights, clean and seal the tunnel interior, and install the new lights.
Motorists are reminded to pay attention and slow down in work zones, maintain extra space between your vehicle and the one in front of you, and to follow the directions of flaggers. Road closure status is available on the park’s Current Road, Facility, Trail and Backcountry Updates webpage.
- National Park Service release
