GATLINBURG, Tenn. – Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund, will finish the approximate $15.7 million repair and rehabilitation of Lakeview Drive that started last year. Work will begin April 8 and is expected to end in early July.
Project at a glance:
- Final paving of the 6.5-mile road.
- Paving and sidewalk construction in the Noland Creek trailhead parking area, including Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standard (ABAAS) accessible parking.
- Deck repair on the Noland Creek Bridge.
- Rehabilitation of road shoulders.
Throughout the project, visitors should expect temporary single-lane closures. Noland Creek Bridge will be closed April 15-18 while crews repair the bridge deck. Parking will be available at Noland Creek trailhead during the closure. Noland Creek cemetery will also be accessible.
The work is part of a parkwide Great American Outdoors Act project to rehabilitate Lakeview Drive, Newfound Gap Road, Heintooga Ridge Road and Balsam Mountain Campground Road.
The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) is part of a concerted effort to address extensive deferred maintenance and repair needs in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA provides the National Park Service with up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.
- National Park Service release
