GSMNP: Newfound Gap Road to reopen 24/7 with EBCI, Sevier County partners help

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) —On Tuesday, the National Park Service lifted its overnight road closure of Newfound Gap Road.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park shared that the closure was lifted with the help of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Government and Sevier County partners. They will assist in turning around commercial vehicles overnight at checkpoints on both sides of US 441/Newfound Gap Road.

Commercial vehicles are always prohibited on Newfound Gap Road and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with the exception of the Spur. The park said any commercial vehicles attempting to use the roadway will be stopped and turned around at checkpoints and may be subject to federal misdemeanor violation notices and fines.

On October 4, the park shared that the road was going to be temporarily closed due to an influx of “illegal, large commercial vehicles” traveling on Newfound Gap Road. The roadway offered drivers an alternate route into North Carolina with part of I-40 just across the North Carolina state line washed out.

GSMNP said on Tuesday that it is continuing to see an influx of commercial vehicles attempting to travel Newfound Gap Road. The park shared that in the last five days, it has turned away 173 commercial vehicles.

“While the National Park Service recognizes that major routes outside the park are currently closed, Newfound Gap Road is not safe for large, commercial vehicles. Newfound Gap Road is a two-lane road with steep, continuous grades and tight curves. There are no truck lanes, runaway truck ramps or places for a large commercial vehicle to slow down and pull over,” the park wrote.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation also noted previously that it had seen an uptick in commercial vehicle traffic on US 129 “The Dragon,” with drivers attempting to use the winding roadway to bypass areas impacted by flooding.

TDOT spokesperson Mark Nagi explained that no trucks with trailers over 30 feet in length, or single units over 30 feet in length are allowed on US 129 “The Dragon” in Tennessee or North Carolina. Instead, the route suggested by TDOT for drivers looking to get from Tennessee to North Carolina is to take I-81 North to Virginia and then take I-77 South into North Carolina.

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