North Shore Road Resources
The information on this page is a collection of information from different sources. The purpose of making these resources available is to encourage individuals, organizations, and the media to inform their friends and constituents of the North Shore issue and the importance of protecting the largest roadless area of the Southern Appalachians and the integrity of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
For the current status of the North Shore Road, visit our main North Shore page.
In summary:
The federal government owes Swain County, NC for the loss of a county road in 1943 when Fontana Lake was created. The Swain County Commission, Bryson City Aldermen, Gov. Mike Easley and many others are calling for a cash settlement of $52 million in lieu of the road. The county could invest that money in education, health, and other much-needed projects.
Others are asking the government to build a road through the wildest area of America's favorite national park - the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The highway would spoil the solitude of this popular backcountry area, poison the watershed with acidic runoff, kill wildlife and add to the park's serious air pollution problem. At a cost of roughly $400 million, the road is an econonmic boondoggle for America's taxpayers.
Please do not support this "Road for Nothing." Please use your influence to secure a cash settlement for Swain County, the clear choice for local communities, American taxpayers and America's natural heritage.
Summary of North Shore DEIS and Call to Action [.pdf]
This is a nice, printable summary and it tells what you can do to STOP the road!
Economics of the North Shore Road
Typical news article [written by the Sierra Club’s Ted Snyder and may be used in full or in part without permission]
Maps:
It's clear on this map how the road threatens the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Map showing the threats to the existing trail system in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Postcards to Burr and Dole [.pdf] supporting the cash settlement.
Read SAFC's comments [.pdf] on the Impact Analysis Phase of the North Shore Road Environmental Impact Statement.
Browse the National Park Service website for public involvement, comment analysis, and other documents.
Read the 1943 agreement [.pdf] that everyone is talking about.
