Landslide on Hwy 441 - Road GONE

[jlreeves]

From GSMNP- A landslide along Newfound Gap Road near mile marker 22 has caused an extended closure of the road...Great Smoky Mountains National Park has closed Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) due to a landslide which undercut the road near mile marker 22 between Collins Creeks and Webb Overlook at 9:40 am. The slide is estimated to be a 200 foot section of road extending 1000 foot down slope, but the... full extent of the damage is not yet known. The closure is expected to be in effect for an extended period of time.

The park is evaluating the remainder of the roadway, but anticipates Newfound Gap Road will be opened to visitors from the Gatlinburg Entrance in Tennessee to Newfound Gap Parking lot as soon as it is possible. The road will be open to Smokemont on the North Carolina side.

Park staff are working with the Department of Federal Highway’s Construction and Geotechnical Services to evaluate the slide damage and to begin planning for repairs. Additional details will be released as the condition assessments are analyzed.

As of midnight, Tuesday, January 15, the park received 8.56 inches of rain measured at Cherokee, 7.4 inches at Newfound Gap and 6.86 inches at LeConte. Rivers and streams have been running fast and high since Sunday when the rains began. There are currently multiple temporary road closures throughout the park due to high water.

For the most current road closure reports, please call 865-436-1200 x 631 or follow SmokiesRoadsNPS on Twitter.

[jlreeves]

More damage in another location on 441.

A boulder the size of a house slid 60 feet down the mountain side and took out the roadway.

How do you fix something like that? Amazing.

[Corigan]

I just came here to post this. There are reports coming out today now that a portion of the skyway washed away and is closed now too, though it doesn't look as bad as the newfound gap slide:

http://www.grahamstar.com/articles/2...0449359649.txt

I wonder how many roads that aren't super famous up there are fairing. It might be dangerous out there this weekend so be careful!

EDIT: I meant to add too, that traffic could very well be routed over the foothills parkway/the dragon/and the hellbender. I was watching a news report out of nashville yesterday and that was one of there "suggested" alternate routes.. 129/28. So be careful on the dragon as there will surely be more traffic due to the 441 slide.

[jlreeves]

At least it has stopped raining and they can get the repair estimates going.

[Kawhead]

We got rain like that over the past week in Western NC. It filled my six inch rain gauge over the week.

[coacha]

Dang, some of the roads I like to ride for sure. Hope they can get them fixed for the summer.

[jlreeves]

Wayne at America Rides Maps is supposed to be compiling a list of closures and their ETA for reopening. I heard 441 at Newfound Gap may be until the fall. It will certainly complicate getting around up there.

[jlreeves]

Originally Posted by coacha

Dang, some of the roads I like to ride for sure. Hope they can get them fixed for the summer.

I looked at possible alternates and they all suck. It seems that all roads in that area lead to Cherokee NC and the worst of it is north of Cherokee NC between there and Gatlinburg TN.

I can add about 110 miles by going past Cherokee through Maggie Valley to I-40 and then take Hwy 32 back to Gatlinburg. Another (although poor) is to take I-75 to Knoxville, TN and backtrack through Maryville, Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, TN.

Engineers are saying they think it will be closed until next Fall. They estimate they will need 9000 dump truck loads to restore it. BTW, its still falling.

The closest route is shown in the pic. The yellow block is where the slide is.

[nomadtom69]

Thats going to make the Dragon busy because with the Skyway down also thats the only way

[Kawhead]

Originally Posted by coacha

Dang, some of the roads I like to ride for sure. Hope they can get them fixed for the summer.

Are y'all going to get that toasty arctic blast this week down there?

It'll be a good week for a bonfire and s'mores!

[Corigan]

Originally Posted by nomadtom69

Thats going to make the Dragon busy because with the Skyway down also thats the only way

Yup, I assume the dragon will be busy busy. However, you know like I do, if you get out there at 7 in the morning on a weekday it's not so bad..

[davidhollinger]

Wow, thats some serious damage! Mother Nature does not play!
And I have never ridden the dragon...been hearing about it for a few years but I had planned on going in May or June...not so sure now.

[coacha]

Originally Posted by Kawhead

Are y'all going to get that toasty arctic blast this week down there?

It'll be a good week for a bonfire and s'mores!

Been riding the last two days in it. 42 on the way home (50 miles) from a soccer game last night. 36 this morning on the way to work. Just a tad chilly.

Wish I had the time to sit by the fire and roast some marshmellows right now. These 16 hour days are killing me.

[Kawhead]

Originally Posted by coacha

Been riding the last two days in it. 42 on the way home (50 miles) from a soccer game last night. 36 this morning on the way to work. Just a tad chilly.

Wish I had the time to sit by the fire and roast some marshmellows right now. These 16 hour days are killing me.

It's amazing ain't it? 30 years ago I would have pitched a bch and fell down on the floor kicking, screaming, and threatening to quit at the mere mention of asking me to work 12 or 16 hours and now I can do when the "MAN" tells me to.
Now I just stand my ground and politely say "Yes sir".

[ChiefK]

I couldn't imagine being the first one driving down the road and discovering that. I'm amazed there aren't any cars or bikes in the bottom of the landslide....or at least some extreme skid marks leading up to it. There probably are skid marks in the pants of the first driver to come across it.