Foothills Parkway To Reopen
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From: Maryville, TN
Foothills Parkway To Reopen
This is from the Maryville-Alcoa Daily Times, July 21, 2004
Parkway to reopen Thursday
2004-07-21
From Staff Reports
A seven-mile section of Foothills Parkway in Blount County that was closed by a large slide in May 2003 has been repaired ahead of schedule and will reopen Thursday.
Opening this section several months early will permit motorists once again to travel the complete 18 miles of Foothills Parkway between East Lamar Alexander Parkway at Walland and Calderwood Highway at Tallassee.
``The contractor, Taylor-Murphy Construction Company Inc., is to be commended for their efforts to get the job done as quickly as possible and at the earliest date possible,'' said Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson.
``Under the contract awarded by the Federal Highway Administration, the contractor had up to six months to complete the project, but they worked diligently and safely to complete it in just over two months, even during frequent periods of heavy rainfall,'' he said.
Work on the $1 million contract consisted of transporting large quantities of rock to the project site to fill the void and reconstruction and resurfacing of about 200 feet of roadway adjacent to the slide.
The road was washed out in spring 2003 when sections of Great Smoky Mountains National Park received 5 to 7 inches of rain during a 36-hour period May 4 and 5.
That caused the Park Service to close the section between Look Rock and Calderwood Lake. The slide was 3.1 miles up Foothills Parkway from Calderwood Highway and 13.5 miles from East Lamar Alexander Parkway (U.S. 321).
The landslide left a vertical drop 200 feet down and almost 140 feet across the face of the road.
``We understand the inconvenience that this closure has caused to both our visitors and those who live near the parkway. We are pleased that this section can now be opened again to public use,'' Ditmanson said
Parkway to reopen Thursday
2004-07-21
From Staff Reports
A seven-mile section of Foothills Parkway in Blount County that was closed by a large slide in May 2003 has been repaired ahead of schedule and will reopen Thursday.
Opening this section several months early will permit motorists once again to travel the complete 18 miles of Foothills Parkway between East Lamar Alexander Parkway at Walland and Calderwood Highway at Tallassee.
``The contractor, Taylor-Murphy Construction Company Inc., is to be commended for their efforts to get the job done as quickly as possible and at the earliest date possible,'' said Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson.
``Under the contract awarded by the Federal Highway Administration, the contractor had up to six months to complete the project, but they worked diligently and safely to complete it in just over two months, even during frequent periods of heavy rainfall,'' he said.
Work on the $1 million contract consisted of transporting large quantities of rock to the project site to fill the void and reconstruction and resurfacing of about 200 feet of roadway adjacent to the slide.
The road was washed out in spring 2003 when sections of Great Smoky Mountains National Park received 5 to 7 inches of rain during a 36-hour period May 4 and 5.
That caused the Park Service to close the section between Look Rock and Calderwood Lake. The slide was 3.1 miles up Foothills Parkway from Calderwood Highway and 13.5 miles from East Lamar Alexander Parkway (U.S. 321).
The landslide left a vertical drop 200 feet down and almost 140 feet across the face of the road.
``We understand the inconvenience that this closure has caused to both our visitors and those who live near the parkway. We are pleased that this section can now be opened again to public use,'' Ditmanson said
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From: Charlotte and/or Tampa :)
Originally Posted by Jamie6,Jul 21 2004, 08:54 AM
This is from the Maryville-Alcoa Daily Times, July 21, 2004
Parkway to reopen Thursday
2004-07-21
From Staff Reports
A seven-mile section of Foothills Parkway in Blount County that was closed by a large slide in May 2003 has been repaired ahead of schedule and will reopen Thursday.
Opening this section several months early will permit motorists once again to travel the complete 18 miles of Foothills Parkway between East Lamar Alexander Parkway at Walland and Calderwood Highway at Tallassee.
``The contractor, Taylor-Murphy Construction Company Inc., is to be commended for their efforts to get the job done as quickly as possible and at the earliest date possible,'' said Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson.
``Under the contract awarded by the Federal Highway Administration, the contractor had up to six months to complete the project, but they worked diligently and safely to complete it in just over two months, even during frequent periods of heavy rainfall,'' he said.
Work on the $1 million contract consisted of transporting large quantities of rock to the project site to fill the void and reconstruction and resurfacing of about 200 feet of roadway adjacent to the slide.
The road was washed out in spring 2003 when sections of Great Smoky Mountains National Park received 5 to 7 inches of rain during a 36-hour period May 4 and 5.
That caused the Park Service to close the section between Look Rock and Calderwood Lake. The slide was 3.1 miles up Foothills Parkway from Calderwood Highway and 13.5 miles from East Lamar Alexander Parkway (U.S. 321).
The landslide left a vertical drop 200 feet down and almost 140 feet across the face of the road.
``We understand the inconvenience that this closure has caused to both our visitors and those who live near the parkway. We are pleased that this section can now be opened again to public use,'' Ditmanson said
Parkway to reopen Thursday
2004-07-21
From Staff Reports
A seven-mile section of Foothills Parkway in Blount County that was closed by a large slide in May 2003 has been repaired ahead of schedule and will reopen Thursday.
Opening this section several months early will permit motorists once again to travel the complete 18 miles of Foothills Parkway between East Lamar Alexander Parkway at Walland and Calderwood Highway at Tallassee.
``The contractor, Taylor-Murphy Construction Company Inc., is to be commended for their efforts to get the job done as quickly as possible and at the earliest date possible,'' said Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson.
``Under the contract awarded by the Federal Highway Administration, the contractor had up to six months to complete the project, but they worked diligently and safely to complete it in just over two months, even during frequent periods of heavy rainfall,'' he said.
Work on the $1 million contract consisted of transporting large quantities of rock to the project site to fill the void and reconstruction and resurfacing of about 200 feet of roadway adjacent to the slide.
The road was washed out in spring 2003 when sections of Great Smoky Mountains National Park received 5 to 7 inches of rain during a 36-hour period May 4 and 5.
That caused the Park Service to close the section between Look Rock and Calderwood Lake. The slide was 3.1 miles up Foothills Parkway from Calderwood Highway and 13.5 miles from East Lamar Alexander Parkway (U.S. 321).
The landslide left a vertical drop 200 feet down and almost 140 feet across the face of the road.
``We understand the inconvenience that this closure has caused to both our visitors and those who live near the parkway. We are pleased that this section can now be opened again to public use,'' Ditmanson said
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From: Dragon country
You beat me to it! 
I'm glad they've finally fixed that problem!
Been hoping (and checking) that it would be open before the next Dragon run. It's been closed for the past several events (don't know where that reporter got his dates from but they're wrong).
Added bonus: They just repaved the connector from the Signature Inn (ground zero of the last Dragon run) to where you first get on US 129. Nothing like fresh asphalt!
I'm glad they've finally fixed that problem!
Been hoping (and checking) that it would be open before the next Dragon run. It's been closed for the past several events (don't know where that reporter got his dates from but they're wrong).
Added bonus: They just repaved the connector from the Signature Inn (ground zero of the last Dragon run) to where you first get on US 129. Nothing like fresh asphalt!
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: 262 miles N of the Dragon
This is great news!!!!!
I remember one run at night on this road..... that was a blast... 80 mph in the dark..... just following the taillights in front of you hoping they stayed on the road!!
I remember one run at night on this road..... that was a blast... 80 mph in the dark..... just following the taillights in front of you hoping they stayed on the road!!
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From: Nashville
Originally Posted by WestSideBilly,Jul 23 2004, 01:11 AM
The only downside is that the other stretch won't be cop-free anymore...
Turns out that everycop in Tennessee was just up the road on the dragon. Four troopers on the stretch of road from Foothills exit to the gravel lot. Four troopers at various spots on the dragon. Two Motorcycle cops running the dragon.
It took me about an hour to drive up to the gap and back to the gravel lot.
The Miatas were having their meet this past weekend. I hope this is not a trend for the state troopers.
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From: Bumpass, VA
Well, all I have to say is I'm happy to hear that the Foothills Pkwy is open. I'm heading up to do some Dragon hunting with a few NC folks the weekend of August 7th. It'd be nice to have the Foothills as an additional driving option
Thanks for the heads up. And Jamie...I'll look forward to working on your headlamps on the evening of the 5th
.
- Dave
Thanks for the heads up. And Jamie...I'll look forward to working on your headlamps on the evening of the 5th
.- Dave
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From: Nowhere
Originally Posted by Kaolinte,Jul 26 2004, 10:16 AM
Oh I beg to differ. I ran the whole thing balls out this past weekend, just to check out the new section of road. No cops, no traffic, and no animals.
Turns out that everycop in Tennessee was just up the road on the dragon. Four troopers on the stretch of road from Foothills exit to the gravel lot. Four troopers at various spots on the dragon. Two Motorcycle cops running the dragon.
It took me about an hour to drive up to the gap and back to the gravel lot.
The Miatas were having their meet this past weekend. I hope this is not a trend for the state troopers.
Turns out that everycop in Tennessee was just up the road on the dragon. Four troopers on the stretch of road from Foothills exit to the gravel lot. Four troopers at various spots on the dragon. Two Motorcycle cops running the dragon.
It took me about an hour to drive up to the gap and back to the gravel lot.
The Miatas were having their meet this past weekend. I hope this is not a trend for the state troopers.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 11,594
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From: Bumpass, VA
Darn shame that the cops aren't open-minded enough to snag the shotgun in The Bruised Banana. I'm sure if they experienced the handling characteristics of the S2000 first-hand that they'd appreciate how ridiculous the 35-45mph artificial limits are for this car...and those roads 
.
Oh well...a guy can dream...
.Oh well...a guy can dream...