Full-depth reclamation involves roto-tilling the existing pavement into the underlying surface to create a new base for paving. This process was also used to repave the roads in the Cosby Campground as shown above.

During the spring of 2010, the Cades Cove Loop Road was repaved. The "full-depth reclamation" process involved in rehabilitating the 11-mile long road used specialized equipment that essentially roto-tilled the existing pavement, mixed it with the underlying materials to a depth of six inches, then incorporated water and Portland cement. The resulting base was allowed to harden for 5-7 days before repaving.

The construction method selected eliminated the time, pollution and cost of milling of the old pavement and trucking hundreds of loads of it back to the asphalt plant for reprocessing. Instead the pavement was recycled in place, so it was a much more environmentally responsible way of getting the work done.

The work was completed under a contract from the Federal Highway Administration at an estimated cost of $4 to 6 million and included the following improvements:

• Replacement of five concrete low water crossings (fords) on Loop Road and two on Sparks Lane
• Replacement of wood deck and wood railings on Loop Road bridge across Abrams Creek
• Replacement wood deck and wood railings on Hyatt Lane bridge across Abrams Creek
• Replacement of damaged/deteriorated culverts on Loop Road, Hyatt Lane and Sparks Lane
• Re-pavement of the Loop Road, all adjacent formal and informal pullouts, and parking areas with hot asphalt concrete binder and wearing courses

Work also addressed sub-base failures along the Loop Road by reclamation of existing pavement and repaving. Shoulders were restored with aggregate /top soil. Disturbed roadside vegetation was reestablished.