GATLINBURG, Tenn — If you've ever driven through Gatlinburg, you've probably gotten stuck in traffic. City leaders are looking at how to better manage it with an ever-growing number of visitors.
"The mobility study, in addition to identifying avenues to improve the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, will also provide traffic projections over the next 10 years to develop long-term recommendations," a press release from the city of Gatlinburg reads.
For the past week, different gadgets around Gatlinburg have collected data in six intersections in the downtown corridor along Parkway and three others on River Road.
"In the morning, [traffic] is not as bad as in the afternoon, but it's picking up for sure," said Alonso Estrada, who has been visiting Gatlinburg for about five years. "There's more and more stuff that attracts me each time that I come... There's all kinds of people out here you got to be patient."
Pamela Suggs works at Tennessee Homemade Wines in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg. It takes her roughly an hour every day to get work.
"It's just gotten a little worse trying to find a parking spot lately," Suggs said. "We're seeing a lot of foot traffic. A lot of vehicles as well."
The tracking devices were removed on Tuesday, but a spokesperson for the city of Gatlinburg said the results won't be finalized until about September.
From there, it will be presented to city leaders for their consideration.