Gatlinburg Bypass Road Improvements
During 2011, the Gatlinburg Bypass Road will receive a new top layer of pavement, called a bonded wear course, that will extend the life of the road for up to 10 years.
The Gatlinburg Bypass has developed extensive cracking and scattered potholes. These pavement defects allow water to penetrate into the sub-base layer below the asphalt where it freezes and thaws, hastening deterioration of the pavement and damaging the sub-base itself. Work for this project will include applying a thin pavement layer called “micro-paving” which will seal the pavement against water incursion, extending the life of the road by up to 10 years before substantial road restoration would need to occur. Traffic markings will be repainted on the Gatlinburg Bypass and the Gatlinburg entrance of Newfound Gap Road, bridge joints and bridge decks will be sealed or patched, road signs replaced, and work to control erosion will be completed. Construction work will occur during spring, 2011. Along the Gatlinburg Bypass Road, work will also be done on two scenic pull offs, the intersection at Campbell Lead, and on the entrance/exit ramps to Gatlinburg Spur and to Newfound Gap Road. The Gatlinburg Bypass will be closed for approximately two weeks during the project. The closure dates have not been determined yet, but will be posted here once they are available. The Gatlinburg entrance of Newfound Gap Road includes two miles of roadway from the park boundary at the Gatlinburg to the intersection with Little River Road at the Sugarlands Visitor Center. This road will remain open, but will be subject to lane closures. |
Did You Know?
Approximately 1,500 black bears live in the park. This equals a population density of approximately two bears per square mile. Bears can be found throughout the park, but are easiest to spot in open areas such as Cades Cove and Cataloochee Valley.