Cherokee business people want shortest impact time for closing 441

Morton Mountain and Chimney Top Mountain tunnels on Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park are cracked and in need of repairs to prevent water leakage and falling concrete. Here a medium-size vehicle exits Chimney Top Mountains tunnel, which was built in the 1930s and has clearance on both sides of only 12 feet 2 inches. Most tour buses and RVs now approach the maximum legal highway height of 13 feet 6 inches. Park Service officials plan repairs to stop leakage and modifications to allow the tunnels to accommodate larger buses and RVs. Many in Cherokee want U.S. 441 to remain open during repairs to minimize effects on the reservationąs tourist-driven economy.

"No way is going to be easy or please everyone, but we have to try to keep the impact as low as possible," Phil Francis, acting superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, told the crowd Monday night in Cherokee.

Park officials, along with the representatives of the Federal Highway Administration, held a public meeting to receive input on the Newfound Gap Tunnels project.

Newfound Gap Road, the two-lane roadway linking Gatlinburg, Tenn., with Cherokee, serves as the main access route for visitors to the park. Traffic count for this road indicates an average daily count of 1,700 in winter and 15,000 in peak season.

Two tunnels - Morton Mountain and Chimney Tops Mountain - are crumbling and have developed serious cracks and leaks. In addition, many tour buses and RVs now approach the maximum legal height of 13 feet 6 inches. Built in the 1930s, the tunnels, however, are 12 feet 4 inches at the edges so the height needs to be increased.

"We've been working on this issue a long time," Francis told the group gathered at tribal council. "We've received substantial input from a lot of people, including the Department of Transportation, the tribe and Harrah's Casino and incorporated those ideas into our proposed options."

Those options are (a) full closure of Newfound Gap Road between Chimney Tops and Newfound Gap for 132 days to complete construction; (b) full closure of Newfound Gap Road for 56 days, one-lane closure for 51 days, night closure for three days; (c) full closure of Newfound Gap road for 40 days, one-lane closure for 51 days, night closure for three days; (d) no full closure, one-lane closure for 164 days, night closure for 18 days.

When park officials explained that most of the work would be done from December (except for Christmas) to March, most agreed with full closure of Newfound Gap road for 40 days, one-lane closure for 51 days, night closure for three days. This option with the shortest construction period calls for asphalt floors to be installed, rather than concrete, since concrete calls for additional closing days.

When someone asked why a temporary by-pass could not be built around the tunnels, Francis said there were two main reasons. First was the negative environmental impact, second was the lack of space. To build the detour large enough for construction equipment to turn around would create a sheer drop off the mountain, Francis said.

While Harrah's Cherokee Casino attributes only 3 percent of its traffic to Newfound Gap Road, many Cherokee business owners Monday night said they relied much more heavily on the road and voiced their concerns over its closing.

Some were worried that the road might even be closed permanently, but Francis said he could "dispel that rumor."

While park officials are applying for the Smokies to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, that status will not affect keeping the road open, Francis said.

"Being on the register just means you have to restore the property in historic fashion," he said.

As for a time frame on the tunnel project, Francis said final design could begin in August with advertisement for construction in August 2001. Construction would begin December 2001.

Repaving of the road - an $8 million project- is expected in 2003, park officials said Monday night. A similar meeting was held Wednesday night in Gatlinburg.

Cherokee business people want shortest impact time for closing 441

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