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Form FHWA-201 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Use this form in lieu of transmittal slips within Dept. of Trans. When message comment is to (Rev. 11-67) FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION be retained as file material. Do not prepare carbons. Not to be used in lieu of Form FHWA- 121 for informal correspondence. MINUTE-MEMO

SUBJECT: Project NP-FOOT PMS(2) – Pavement Recommendations TO MESSAGE/COMMENT FROM/DATE This memorandum serves to support 95% PS&E development for Project NP- K. Roman FOOT PMS(2) located in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park in Cocke M. Guercio Project County, Tennessee. This memorandum summarizes our findings from field Pavement Manager investigation and provides recommendations for preventive maintenance treatments Engineer to extend the service life of the pavement on the subject road section.

BACKGROUND Project NP-FOOT PMS(2) consists of pavement preservation of Foothills Parkway (East) Section 8A located in Cocke County. The project begins at MP 0.0 west of A. Feleke the interchange with I-40 and ends at MP 5.67 near the intersection with Tennessee Through: Highway State Route 32 (Cosby Highway). Section 8A is a 5.67-mile, 2-lane (10-foot lanes), M. Elias Design asphalt concrete pavement (ACP) with several scenic pull-offs and parking areas. Pavement Manager Section 8A was last rehabilitated in 2011 using Full Depth Reclamation as part of a Team National Park Service (NPS) in-house project. A Location Map is included in Leader Appendix A.

PAVEMENT CONDITION ASSESSMENT The Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD), Road Inventory Program (RIP), last collected pavement condition data along Section 8A in 2016 as part of Cycle 6 (C6) with the Data Collection Vehicle (DCV) for the Parkway. Based on 09/24/2020 the findings from the Highway Pavement Management Application (HPMA) ran by the Pavements team, the predicted pavement conditions for 2018-2022, indicate Pavement Condition Rating (PCR) of 95. PCR ratings ranging from 95 to 100 indicate Excellent pavement conditions which allow for pavement preservation treatments. Appendix B includes the C6 RIP Road Condition Summary Report for the Foothills Parkway (East) Sections 8A.

The Pavements team conducted a condition survey (i.e., visual inspection) along Section 8A during the scoping the project in October 2019. Section 8A was observed to have predominantly low surface distresses on the pavement wearing course including low severity longitudinal, transverse and block cracking. EFLHD personnel from the Construction Branch visited the site in April 2020 to measure the cracks and refine the estimate for the crack sealing quantities. Based on the existing pavement surface conditions observed, Foothills Parkway (East) Sections 8A is in fair to good condition exhibiting low to medium severity longitudinal, transverse and block cracking. Transverse cracking was observed at 20 to 80-foot intervals for the entire project length.

PAVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Table 1 summarizes the pavement treatment for Section 8A mainline and parking areas recommended based on the C6 RIP data, HPMA predictions and the observed existing pavement conditions. The recommendations included in this Memo reference the FP-14 Specifications, “Standard Specifications for Construction of Roads and Bridges on Federal Highway Projects”.

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Form FHWA-201 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Use this form in lieu of transmittal slips within Dept. of Trans. When message comment is to (Rev. 11-67) FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION be retained as file material. Do not prepare carbons. Not to be used in lieu of Form FHWA- 121 for informal correspondence. MINUTE-MEMO

TO MESSAGE/COMMENT FROM/DATE Table 1. Pavement Design Recommendation for Foothills Parkway (East) Sections 8A – Mainline and parking areas

Layer Minimum Thickness Comments (in) Asphalt Concrete Pavement (ACP) – Marshall Method, as per Section 402, 4.75 mm Nominal AC Surface Course 1.0 Maximum Size Aggregate (NMSA), PG 64-22 (TN DOT 411 TL), Type I- A Modified roughness AC Tack Coat as per Section 412 of Asphalt Tack Coat --- the FP-14 Specifications Chip Seal Type 1C as per Section 407 Chip Seal --- of the FP-14 Specifications

Table 2. Pavement Design Recommendation for Foothills Parkway (East) Sections 8A – Parking areas and pull-off areas

Layer Minimum Thickness Comments (in) ACP – Marshall Method, as per Section 402, 4.75 mm Nominal AC Surface Course 1.0 Maximum Size Aggregate (NMSA), PG 64-22 (TN DOT 411 TL), Type IV roughness AC Tack Coat as per Section 412 of Asphalt Tack Coat --- the FP-14 Specifications

We are also recommending the following treatments: • Perform ACP Patch Type 2 as necessary, for areas exhibiting fatigue cracking, settlement, and/or potholes. Such areas should be identified by the Contractor (CO). Patching should be performed in accordance with Section 418.

• Perform Crack Cleaning and Sealing for cracks ½-inch or wider at least a week prior to placing the preservation treatment. Crack sealing should be performed in accordance with Section 414.

Application of Crack Sealing:

It is recommended to have as much time as possible, typically 6 to 12 months or one season per industry practice, between the crack sealing operation and a hot surface treatment application. That time will allow for the crack sealant to set into Page 3 of 3 Pages

Form FHWA-201 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Use this form in lieu of transmittal slips within Dept. of Trans. When message comment is to (Rev. 11-67) FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION be retained as file material. Do not prepare carbons. Not to be used in lieu of Form FHWA- 121 for informal correspondence. MINUTE-MEMO

TO MESSAGE/COMMENT FROM/DATE the cracks and cure under vehicular traffic. This will also prevent too much sealant under the surface treatment resulting in better performance.

Since the subject project will receive surface treatments soon after the crack sealing application, it is recommended to use a recessed configuration, as per the standard details provided in previous projects, by applying the sealant so that it sets below the surface. This reduces the risk of the sealant melting and potentially bubbling back through the subsequent hot surface treatment applications.

APPENDICES Appendix A: Project Location Map Appendix B: RIP Road Condition Summary Report for Cycle 6

cc: Highway Design BC, TS BC w/ attachments

APPENDIX A Project Location Map

Project Site Route 0008A Foothills Parkway Section 8A

No Scale LOCATION MAP

Cocke County, Tennessee

APPENDIX A – Project Information Project NP‐FOOT PMS (2)

APPENDIX B RIP Road Condition Summary Report for Cycle 6

Cycle 6 - Road Inventory Program Condition (Rating / Index) Legend Road Condition Summary Report for EXCELLENT (95 - 100) Data Collection Vehicle (DCV) Rated Roads GOOD (85 - 94) FAIR (61 - 84) Great Smoky Mountains National Park POOR (0 - 60) NR = NOT RATED Notes: • This condition summary report contains only the roads rated with the Data Collection Vehicle (DCV). • Condition on roads that were manually rated and parking areas are shown in separate reports. • Route-level scores shown on this page may not represent scores at smaller intervals (due to rollup calculations). • Additional details on individual road ratings at 0.10-mile and 1-mile intervals can be found in Section 5 of the Cycle 6 RIP Report. • Refer to the RIP Report Appendix for an explanation of the rating system and rating methods.

Route-Level Condition for Roads Rated with the Data Collection Vehicle (DCV)

Paved Functional Surf. Length Route No. FMSS No. Route Name Class Type

(Miles) Pavement Condition Rating (PCR) Roughness Condition Index (RCI) Surface Condition Rating (SCR) Structural Crack Index Alligator Crack Index Longitudinal Cracking Index Transverse Cracking Index Patch / Pothole Index Rutting Index GRSM-0008A 57695 FOOTHILLS PARKWAY SECTION 8A 1 AS 5.67 97 100 95 99 100 99 95 100 100 GRSM-0008G 231708 FOOTHILLS PARKWAY SECTION 8G 1 AS 10.11 90 100 83 88 100 88 83 100 99 GRSM-0008H 57694 FOOTHILLS PARKWAY SECTION 8H 1 AS 6.90 97 100 95 95 100 95 97 100 99 GRSM-0010N 55726 NEWFOUND GAP ROAD NORTH 1 AS 14.98 98 100 97 97 100 97 99 100 100 GRSM-0010S 55724 NEWFOUND GAP ROAD SOUTH 1 AS 16.98 99 100 98 98 100 98 100 100 100 GRSM-0011N 103222 GATLINBURG SPUR ROAD (NORTHBOUND) 7 AS 4.09 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 GRSM-0011S 57673 GATLINBURG SPUR ROAD (SOUTHBOUND) 7 AS 4.32 99 100 99 100 100 100 100 99 100 GRSM-0012AZ 57674 NB GATLINBURG BYPASS RAMP TO GATLINBURG SPUR ROAD (NORTHBOUND) 1 AS 0.23 94 NR 94 94 100 94 100 100 100 GRSM-0012BZ 57674 NB GATLINBURG BYPASS RAMP TO GATLINBURG SPUR ROAD (SOUTHBOUND) 1 AS 0.09 98 NR 98 100 100 100 99 100 98 GRSM-0012CZ 57674 SB NEWFOUND GAP ROAD RAMP TO NB GATLINBURG BYPASS 1 AS 0.09 83 NR 83 93 100 93 83 100 96 GRSM-0012DZ 57674 NB NEWFOUND GAP ROAD AT GATLINBURG BYPASS 1 AS 0.40 97 NR 97 99 100 99 97 100 98 GRSM-0012EZ 57674 SB GATLINBURG BYPASS RAMP TO NEWFOUND GAP ROAD 1 AS 0.04 97 NR 97 100 100 100 97 100 100 GRSM-0012FZ 57674 RAMP TO NB NEWFOUND GAP ROAD AT GATLINBURG BYPASS 1 AS 0.04 90 NR 90 90 100 90 94 100 97 GRSM-0012Z 57674 GATLINBURG BYPASS ROAD 1 AS 3.75 99 100 98 99 100 99 98 100 100 GRSM-0013AZ 57675 FIGHTING CREEK GAP ROAD 1 AS 4.97 65 100 42 42 100 42 51 100 99 GRSM-0013BZ 57675 FIGHTING CREEK GAP ROAD SPUR FROM NEWFOUND GAP ROAD 1 AS 0.05 4 NR 4 4 100 4 49 100 99 GRSM-0014 57676 LITTLE RIVER GORGE ROAD 1 AS 12.62 85 100 75 75 100 75 81 100 100 GRSM-0015 57677 LAUREL CREEK ROAD 1 AS 7.79 99 100 99 99 100 99 100 100 100 GRSM-0016 57678 TOWNSEND ENTRANCE ROAD 1 AS 0.74 95 100 91 91 100 91 98 100 99

Data Collection Date: 06/2016