Work on Smokies landslide could start soon

Park officials and the Federal Highways Administration this week assessed the damage to Newfound Gap Road that occurred when heavy rains caused a landslide on Jan. 16. The park said in a news release on Wednesday that the first phase will include stabilization, removal of debris from the work area and creating a path for construction vehicles to access the slide.

U.S. 441 is the major highway over the mountains between Gatlinburg and Cherokee, N.C. Park officials said a timeline for when the road will be reconstructed cannot be determined until a design has been approved.