Big Problems Continuing in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The National Park Service has a problem on its hands, presently. They are reminding commercial truck drivers that their vehicles are not allowed on Newfound Gap Road—the main route that cuts through The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The reason why is obvious to those of us who have driven it. There are steep grades, not to mention sharp curves that require maneuvering which could cause accidents for vehicles traveling in the opposite direction.
The problem is evident to those of us who are seeing it on an every day basis, like myself. Literally, dozens of commercial vehicles can be seen driving into Gatlinburg on a daily basis. All of them are turned around at the Park entrance; therefore, I see those same trucks passing by again after being rerouted. This is putting a strain on the already limited resources and manpower needed to staff these checkpoints. Thankfully, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Government and Sevier County officials have stepped in to assist with the nearly 1,000 vehicles that have now been turned away.
The following is a list of incidents that have happened, resulting in traffic slowdowns and blockages:
Oct. 3.: In one incident, a commercial car hauler crashed into a wall and down an embankment and in the other, a semi-truck’s brakes caught on fire. While responding to these incidents, eight semi-trucks drove past emergency responders.
Oct. 5: An NPS ranger came upon a commercial truck hauling a commercial car hauler trailer near milepost 13 that struck a vehicle traveling in the opposing lane of travel. Due to the length of the commercial trailer, it crossed over the center dividing line and struck the pedestrian vehicle. The driver of the commercial vehicle was cited.
Oct. 13: On Roaring Fork Road Motor Nature Trail involving a semi-truck that became stuck overnight. The vehicle had to be towed out backward on Oct. 14 and the driver was cited for operating a commercial vehicle on a restricted roadway.Â
The National Park Service, because of these episodes, have begun issuing $5,000 fines to warn drivers and companies that they mustn’t be traveling these routes. They are strongly encouraged to follow NCDOT and TNDOT routes before beginning their trip.
Let’s hope this gets the message out. The I-40 shutdown at the Tennessee/North Carolina border is most certainly the reason for these drivers finding a better route. The bad thing is they’re not following simple instructions that should be given by the companies they work for. There’s simply no good excuse. I hate to be that guy, but October traffic in Gatlinburg is already busy enough with tourists looking at the fall leaves. Having these trucks come through when they shouldn’t, becomes even more of a sludge, so accountability is important. That’s all.
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