GATLINBURG, Tenn. — The National Park Service (NPS) is accepting comments through Nov. 18 for the proposed construction of Foothills Parkway Section 8D in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed project that would extend the parkway within the existing NPS-managed corridor approximately 9 miles from Wears Valley to the Spur near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
The park is conducting this public scoping 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 construction of this section of the Foothills Parkway would provide recreational opportunities, support tourism, improve the transportation network inside and outside the park and fulfill the intent of federal and state legislation authorizing construction of the Foothills Parkway.
The park obtained initial public input on the proposed Foothills Parkway Section 8D project, as well as a second project in the same vicinity (Metcalf Bottoms Access Improvements), during a civic engagement comment period from Sept. 30 through Oct. 31, 2021. This related project included a proposed connector road from Section 8D to the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area that has since been dismissed from consideration at this time.
The concept of a parkway in Tennessee near Great Smoky Mountains National Park was conceived in the 1930s. Similar to the creation of the park itself, the NPS worked closely with Tennessee officials and park supporters to develop concepts for a scenic parkway. 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. The western sections (8G, 8F, and 8E) extend 33 continuous miles from Chilhowee to Wears Valley and the eastern section (8A) extends 6 miles from Cosby to Interstate 40. Construction on the three middle sections (8B, 8C, and 8D) has not begun. The completed sections of the Foothills Parkway provide breathtaking views and recreational driving and bicycling experiences for more than 400,000 vehicles per year.
To learn more about the proposed Foothills Parkway Section 8D project, please visit the NPS planning website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/Section8D and review the scoping newsletter.
How to comment
The preferred manner for providing comments is via an online form through the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website, used by the agency to manage official correspondence and analyze public comment in the planning process. From 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. Background materials are at the site, and the green “Comment Now” button links to the online form.
Comments may also be submitted in writing to:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
ATTN: Foothills Parkway 8D Scoping
107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.
Comments must be entered into the website or postmarked by Nov. 18, 2023 to receive consideration.
Once the NPS has gathered input from this public scoping period, the agency will develop an EA in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The public will have an additional opportunity to comment when the EA is released.
- National Park Service release
