Road Proposal Stirs Controversy Along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail - Nationa

[WhiteBlaze]

National Parks Traveler (blog)

Road Proposal Stirs Controversy Along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail National Parks Traveler (blog) Nowhere else on the Appalachian Trail do I feel so strong an urge to return.â?? More than six decades later, Stecoah Gap, perched near 3200 feet above sea ...

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[Egads]

The highway is perfectly usable as is. However, the tunnel would be the best option for "improvement"

[bulldog49]

Don't see what the big deal is no matter which option they choose.

[Lone Wolf]

Don't see what the big deal is no matter which option they choose.

yeah really. i remember the old sam's gap before the 4 lane. no biggie

[halibut15]

There are a few different reasons I've heard for concern about the road. The first is that the north-looking view from Cheoah Bald (not the bald itself but the opposite side with the sweet view of the Smokies) would have a giant four-lane, interstate grade and width cut running down almost the center of the viewshed for its entire length where now just forest is, even with the tunnel through the gap. Some of the views on the north side of Stecoah Gap would have some pretty intrusive changes because tons of rock are going to have to be cut out of the ridgelines to accommodate a four-lane.

The second thing I've heard is that the DFEIS never addresses some past studies of the geology of the Stecoah Gap area that show rocks highly prone to landslides and acidic leachate all over the proposed construction area. There are some native brook habitat streams that could take a huge hit if that isn't accounted for, and no one with the NCDOT seems to have looked into it. I think the NCDOT has been forced to apply for permits under the Clean Water Act because of this, so the whole project might change depending on how that turns out.

Last but not least, the cost of this thing is out of control, on the order of $10 million per mile or something insane like that. On top of that, the road would do much like the Andrews bypass did when it was built: increase truck traffic but shunt consumer traffic away from the business district of Robbinsville and kill it off. That town and county has a hard enough time as it is.

Those last two don't have anything to do with the AT, but oh well.

[Rain Man]

Another government welfare project for the road builders association. I just drove through there this month. It's not needed.

But it does bring to mind this very recent news article about a survey of the effects of road building projects, often touted as hugely beneficial to local employment and economies. Turns out, it ain't so.

STIMULUS WATCH: Unemployment unchanged by projects

"Road spending would total nearly $28 billion of the Jobs for Main Street Act, a $75 billion second stimulus to help lower the unemployment rate and improve the dismal job market for construction workers. The Senate is expected to consider the House-approved bill this month.

"But AP's analysis, which was reviewed by independent economists at five universities, showed the strategy of pumping transportation money into counties hasn't affected local unemployment rates so far.

"There seems to me to be very little evidence that it's making a difference," said Todd Steen, an economics professor at Hope College in Michigan who reviewed the AP analysis."

Rain Man

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