The Forge Creek Road Bridge is one of seven bridges to be replaced in Great Smoky Mountains National Park/NPS file

Bridge work at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee begins next week and is expected to continue through January 2022 as crews work to replace seven bridges and repair seven others.

The work will necessitate several single-lane closures and a few full road closures to safely accomplish the repairs.  

Forge Creek Road in the Cades Cove area will be closed to all use beginning Monday and continuing through May 27 to replace five bridges. Due to the complete removal of the bridges and the use of large equipment to perform repair work, the road will be closed to all users. There will be no access to Henry Whitehead Place or the Gregory Bald Trailhead during this time period. 

Bridges in the following areas will be repaired throughout the contract period and visitors should expect single-lane closures in these areas:

• Two bridges along the Gatlinburg Bypass;
• Two bridges along Little River Road;
• Two bridges in the Elkmont area, and one bridge in the Park Headquarters area.

This winter, the park will announce dates for a month-long full closure of the road leading to Ramsey Cascades Trailhead and the road leading to Smoky Mountain Stables to fully replace bridges in those areas when the schedule is finalized.  

Adams Contracting LLC of Lexington, Kentucky, was awarded a $3.5 million contract to replace the five bridges along Forge Creek Road. Work includes the replacement of timber decks, installation of steel beams, and building of new abutment walls and concrete approach slabs.

Estes Brothers of Jonesville, Virginia, was awarded a $1 million contract to replace two bridges and repair seven bridges in the other areas in the park. Repair work includes replacing damaged rails, repointing masonry, sealing cracks, and repairing deck joints. 

You can find more information about road closures at this site.