Road and Facility Improvements

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During 2010, over $93,300,000 worth of improvements were made to park roads and facilities. Funding for the projects became available from a combination of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (economic stimulus package) along with previously-authorized Federal Lands Highway Program funds, partner construction monies, and annual cyclic and repair/rehabilitation funds.

The following park roadways were re-surfaced and, in some cases, rebuilt using $77.4 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA):

• Clingmans Dome Road (reopened)
• Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and Cherokee Orchard Road (reopened)
• Smokemont Campground (reopened)
• Heintooga Ridge Road and Balsam Mountain Campground (reopened)
• Little River and Jakes Creek Trailheads (reopened)
• Foothills Parkway East (reopened)
• Cosby Campground Roads (reopened)
• The Sinks Parking Area (reopened)

In addition to the ARRA-funded work, the following road projects were undertaken using $19.4 million from the Federal Lands Highway Program:

• Cades Cove Loop Road (reopened)
• Foothills Parkway West (road open)
• Gatlinburg Bypass and Newfound Gap Road from the Gatlinburg boundary to the Sugarlands Visitor Center (Construction scheduled for April-May 2011)
• Newfound Gap Road from Collins Creek Picnic Area to Cherokee, NC (road open)

Stimulus funds were also made available for other facility improvement projects, including making comfort stations accessible, trail repair, cemetery maintenance, and building painting and roof repair.

 

View the legal notice regarding construction closures. This is the official document that defines the closures listed above.