Part of U.S. 441 slides off a mountain
Published 7:58 am Wednesday, January 16, 2013
GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) — A landslide in the rain-drenched Smoky Mountains has closed a section of U.S. 441.
The National Park Service said a 200-foot section of the road, also known as Newfound Gap Road, slid about 1,000 feet down a slope at about 9:40 a.m. Wednesday. There were no injuries.
That section of the highway is expected to be closed for an extended period of time. The slide was between Collins Creek and the Webb Overlook.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials are evaluating the rest of the road and expect that visitors should soon be able to drive from Gatlinburg to Newfound Gap on the Tennessee side of the park. The road is expected to be opened soon on the North Carolina side from Cherokee to Smokemont.