Updated: 4:10pm, February 5, 2010
A substantial rock slide has occurred on the southbound Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge Spur, one tenth of a mile south of King Branch Road. All southbound traffic from Pigeon Forge into Gatlinburg is currently stopped. Park officials are working to establish a detour around the slide to reestablish southbound traffic by running two way traffic on the northbound Spur lanes. Traffic traveling north on the Spur is unhampered at this time, but will be reduced to one lane when the new detour is imposed. For additional information on the road closures and detours, you can call the National Park Service at 865.436.1200.
Latest Information from the National Park Service…
Southbound traffic into Gatlinburg along the Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge Spur
(U.S. 441) will be restored at 3:30 p.m. today. Park personnel moved
quickly to establish a detour after a major slide early this afternoon
closed the entire southbound side of the Spur. The traffic is being
rerouted onto the northbound lanes and will be diverted onto the south
lanes at the Huskey Grove interchange. Park road crews erected traffic
cones to separate the two way traffic on the northbound lanes.
Park officials are currently working with Tennessee Department of
Transportation and Federal Highway Administration engineers to assess the
slide and to determine the safest means to remove the debris and stabilize
the failing slope.
Today’s slide is about 1 mile from the rockslide that occurred on the Spur
on January 25.
Due to the latest rock slide on the southbound lanes of the spur, we wanted to give you some alternative routes for your guests:
- From the west traveling on I-40 East, travel beyond Exit 407 (Sevierville) and instead take Exit 435 (Newport) and follow Hwy. 321 South to Gatlinburg. Approximate drive time from interstate: 45 minutes.
- From downtown Sevierville, take Hwy. 411 North (Dolly Parton Parkway) to Traffic Light 19.0 and turn right on Pittman Center Road (Hwy. 416 South). Proceed approximately five miles and bear right on Hwy. 454 South (Birds Creek Rd.). Proceed an additional 4.3 miles and turn right at stop sign, then continue straight onto Buckhorn Rd. through intersection with Glades Rd. and continue 1.8 miles to Hwy. 321 South. Turn right and proceed into downtown Gatlinburg. Approximate drive time from downtown Sevierville: 45 minutes.
- From Pigeon Forge Parkway, turn left at Traffic Light 10 on the Parkway then take right at next light onto Dollywood Lane (which becomes Upper Middle Creek Rd.). Travel approximately five miles and turn right on Hwy. 454 South (Birds Creek Rd.). Proceed an additional 4.3 miles and turn right at stop sign, then continue straight onto Buckhorn Rd. through intersection with Glades Rd. and continue 1.8 miles to Hwy. 321 South. Turn right and proceed into downtown Gatlinburg. Approximate drive time from Pigeon Forge: 40 minutes.
For additional information about traffic alerts, maps and detours, go to www.Gatlinburg.com/maps
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