GATLINBURG, Tenn. — The Gatlinburg Bypass will be closed to all traffic starting Aug. 21 for bridge rehabilitation, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park said.
According to the park, the National Park Service will be closing the bypass between the Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook and Newfound Gap Road from Wednesday at 8 p.m. EDT until Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. EDT while construction crews install a new bridge deck.
GSMNP said the overlook and Campbell Lead Road will remain open during that time.
"During the closure, park crews will also clean drainage ditches, repair damaged guardrails, remove litter, mow road shoulders and do other roadside cleaning and maintenance," the park said.
The bridge is part of work to rehabilitate the two-mile stretch of Newfound Gap Road, GSMNP said. It is funded through the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund, and the full project costs around $11 million.
The work on the road started in April and is expected to be complete by the end of September. The park said crews have removed and reset stone curbs, improved ditches and culverts and repaved the park headquarters along with many other projects.
