North Shore Road

[Chip]

To My Fellow Hikers,
Maybe you have heard of the proposed "North Shore Road" project ? If not
the web site is www.NorthShoreRoad.info . Please look it up. This proposed road will run thru the Smokies from just north of Bryson City, NC along or close to Fontanna Lake, 30 miles westward approximately 30 miles and link up
with the road that crosses the Fontana Dam ( & AT trail). In my humble opinion this will not be good for the Smokies, the effects on the enviroment, wildlife, and the AT. After you look up the web site and if you feel the same
way I do please write or (e-mail) to the National Park Service and express
your opinion. If roads can be built thru the Smokies then which National Park
will be next ? Yosemite ? Yellowstone ? Or maybe your favorite wilderness
area ?
Thanks for your time,
Chip

[FatMan]

Is this the completion of the Road to Nowhere?. This is my favorite park access. The area is remote and beautiful (as far as GSMNP goes). Completing the road would be awful. I went to the website and the reason for completion is a joke. Fulfilling an obligation to Swain County from the 40's is outrageous. This smells of nothing but politics. I will be emailing the Park Service with my outrage. Thanks for the post.

[Chip]

Yes, the "Road to Nowhere". If that road is built you will probably be able to it from the Shuckstack fire tower as it runs east for some miles. My understanding is that Swain County could get a settlement instead of the road. Some of the folks want that.

[blairspangler]

I too think that the road should not be completed. It has been 60 years already. One argument for those that want it completed is that there are some 25 odd cemetaries on the north shore that are incredibly difficult for them to visit their ancestors. Currently they have to ride a ferry across Fontana and then find there own way to the cemetaries on trails and paths that are too difficult for older folks. While I sympathize with these people, the ecological and environmental effects on the Park far outweigh other arguments in my opinion. One settlement proposal for Swain County is 40 or 50 million dollars. A lot more good can be done for the area with that money then to waste it on the completion of the "road to nowhere". Plus it will make this part of the park just like the rest with a huge line of traffic and way too many people. Some editorials in our local paper that support the road think that recreation centers and historical centers be built as well. GSMNP is already the most visited NP in the country and pollution is big and growing problem. Please fight the construction of the North Shore Road.

[Brushy Sage]

To My Fellow Hikers,
Maybe you have heard of the proposed "North Shore Road" project ?
After you look up the web site and if you feel the same
way I do please write or (e-mail) to the National Park Service and express
your opinion.
Chip

I sent my comments in favor of a monetary settlement. Thanks for posting this information.

[Jaybird]

To My Fellow Hikers,
Maybe you have heard of the proposed "North Shore Road" project ? If not
the web site is www.NorthShoreRoad.info . Please look it up. This proposed road will run thru the Smokies from just north of Bryson City, NC along or close to Fontanna Lake, 30 miles westward approximately 30 miles and link up
with the road that crosses the Fontana Dam ( & AT trail). In my humble opinion this will not be good for the Smokies, the effects on the enviroment, wildlife, and the AT. After you look up the web site and if you feel the same
way I do please write or (e-mail) to the National Park Service and express
your opinion. If roads can be built thru the Smokies then which National Park
will be next ? Yosemite ? Yellowstone ? Or maybe your favorite wilderness
area ? Chip

Thanks Chip for this post...
& making us all aware of this project...some call "the road to nowhere"..or other less kinder phrases...hehehehe
i notice by the website you posted, the project has been on-going (in one form or the other) for nearly 6 decades....there must be something seriously wrong with the plans...for a project to have this much time to complete or LOADS of opposition...don't u think?

the Smokies used to be called that..because of the fog that engulfed the tops of the beautiful mountain range....these days...its still the Smoky Mountains...but, because of smog, haze & general air pollution from the almost 10 million visitors to the GSMNP each year....the MOST visited park in the nation!
another road running thru the park wont help this problem!

[smokymtnsteve]

this has been a long running debate .... there are certain movers and shakers in bryson city that would love to see this road built...also connected with this is a proposal for another trans-mountain road.

this road would be worth a lot of money to industrial tourism in the bryson city area....so this is who is pushing for it.

there has also recently been a lot of second home developement inthe hwy 28 coridor...and the expansion of this once slow two lane road to a 4 lane from bryson city to almost Stecoah gap.

with the increased population in the area more pressure will come to build this 'scenic" road.

[bigcat2]

I am definitely not in favour of the road to nowhere being complete. I am a current resident of Swain Co., NC and I love the Smokies. As proud as I am to have the nations most visited park as my backyard, I also see the concerns w/ the air pollution and the damages it causes. It has been 60 years already! The numerous studies in the area show that a road being built would be devastating to all types of flaura and fawna (sp?) that inhabit the Smokies. I hike them all the time w/ blairspangler and enjoy all of it, rain, snow, wind, sun, etc. I agree that the money settlement could be put to greater use than the road. The Cheoah Skyway was suppose to help boost the local economy, and it's not done much. My feeling is that a "completed" road would have the same results. Thanks for the post and for listening and I will step away now.

[Chip]

Hello bigcat2,

Could not agree with you more about the road and about air pollution !! High ozone days here start in late April and go thru September. Those days are really hard on some hikers and anyone else trying to enjoy a beautiful sunny day.
Thanks for your comments. I hope Swain County gets the money, I too think it will be of greater value to the people.

[Chip]

For those of you who are interested in the North Shore Road, Great Smokies NP
see www.northshoreroad.info for the latest schedule (spring 2005) for the public hearings.

[zephyr1034]

For those of you who are interested in the North Shore Road, Great Smokies NP
see www.northshoreroad.info for the latest schedule (spring 2005) for the public hearings.

================================================== ===========
I have been to at least three of the public meetings concerning the North Shore Road. Each time, I've driven about 240 miles each way to attend, so you know how I feel. I plan to be at the meeting on Thursday, March 3, in Gatlinburg at the Glenstone Lodge on Airport Road. I wouldn't mind seeing some of you there. The meetings are also being held in other locations: Bryson City, Knoxville and Robbinsville, for three. The NPS website referenced above should give you the times and dates.

The idea of a second transmountain road was abandoned during the late sixties, thank God.

[Chip]

================================================== ===========
I have been to at least three of the public meetings concerning the North Shore Road. Each time, I've driven about 240 miles each way to attend, so you know how I feel. I plan to be at the meeting on Thursday, March 3, in Gatlinburg at the Glenstone Lodge on Airport Road. I wouldn't mind seeing some of you there. The meetings are also being held in other locations: Bryson City, Knoxville and Robbinsville, for three. The NPS website referenced above should give you the times and dates.

The idea of a second transmountain road was abandoned during the late sixties, thank God.

I will attend the meeting in Asheville.

[The Solemates]

Ive been hearing about this my entire life, literally. Even though it is slow, I think it will eventually happen. The fact that it has been an issue so long and hasnt died out attests to that. Whether it will happen in 2010 or 2100, who knows. Of course Im opposed. Id cut out half the roads in America if it were possible. I think I'll move to Alaska. They have virtually no roads, and only 25% of the roads they have are paved.

[Chip]

Ive been hearing about this my entire life, literally. Even though it is slow, I think it will eventually happen. The fact that it has been an issue so long and hasnt died out attests to that. Whether it will happen in 2010 or 2100, who knows. Of course Im opposed. Id cut out half the roads in America if it were possible. I think I'll move to Alaska. They have virtually no roads, and only 25% of the roads they have are paved.

I really like your signature line "The only thing better than mountains, is mountains where you haven't been". I too know what ya mean, Alaska would be a neat place to live. Anyhow the Great Smokies are a national treasure that a few good men decided to save for future generations. I have lived in Western North Carolina for the past 39 of my 50 years and it has been a privilege. I live so close to the Smokies and hike, backpack and flyfish there every chance I get. My hope is that the people in this region and also other parts of our country will realize the value of leaving our National Parks and Wilderness areas alone and honor the wishes from past generations so future generations will have the same opportunities that we have now. Another road thru the Smokies will only cut away from an already tiny area left for this national park in the eastern United States. Just like drilling for oil in Alaska makes no sense based on where most of the worlds oil is located. The human
race needs to look for alternatives. Why use up every resource we have just because it is there ? We are not the only creatures who live on this big blue planet. Life is short and should not be disposable.

I am glad that you are opposed to the "road to nowhere". Maybe you will get the chance to go to one of the meetings in Knoxville or Gatlinburg and voice your opinion. Your voice counts !! Not all is lost ! If it were there would be no Parks or Wilderness areas right now. These areas would have been long gone years ago. I would hate to think of our country without a GSMNP, Yellowstone, Everglades, Grand Canyon....... and so on... AND the Appalachian Trail.

Best Wishes and Happy Trails,
Chip

[sourwood]

I am glad to hear that people are planning to attend the meetings. There is a group of citizens in Swain County who have organized and are pushing for the cash settlement. They have asked to have as many opponents to the road as possible at the Bryson City meeting. They expect there to be a large turnout of supporters of the road project to be in attendance. The Western North Carolina Alliance ( a local environmental organization) is helping to organize a hike that same day to Forney Creek. For more info on the hike and background info on the North Shore Road, go to
http://www.sierraclub.org/greatsmoky...h_shore_rd.asp

Of course there is the political side to it all. The road project is being supported by Rep. Charles Taylor of Western North Carolina. NC's 2 senators have yet to take a stand. It sure wouldn't hurt to let them know how you feel about this issue.

Thanks for "listening".

Julie

[TJ aka Teej]

For those of you who are interested in the North Shore Road, Great Smokies NP
see www.northshoreroad.info for the latest schedule (spring 2005) for the public hearings.

Thanks for bumping this thread back to life, Chip!

[Chip]

Thanks for the update Julie. Just received a letter today from the Appalachian Trail Conference in regards to the meeting being held Feb 22nd. There will be a hike early that afternoon (1pm) from where the road now ends. Is this the same hike you are aware of ? I am going to check out the ATC website and the Sierra Club site as well.

Thanks again,
Chip

[Chip]

Yep, same hike, just checked it out.

[bigcat2]

I am planning on being at the Bryson City mtg, since it is where I live now. As I've stated before, Swain Co. could benefit more from a guarenteed cash settlement than from potential revenue from a damaging road.

[Chip]

I am planning on being at the Bryson City mtg, since it is where I live now. As I've stated before, Swain Co. could benefit more from a guarenteed cash settlement than from potential revenue from a damaging road.

I hope to attend both the Bryson City & Asheville meetings. Maybe I will see some fellow Whiteblazers there.