University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 8-1968 Highway Location as a Factor in Regional Development in Areas Adjacent to National Parks: A Case Study of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Region Carl Rowan Leathers University of Tennessee - Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes Part of the Urban, Community and Regional Planning Commons Recommended Citation Leathers, Carl Rowan, "Highway Location as a Factor in Regional Development in Areas Adjacent to National Parks: A Case Study of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Region. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1968. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/3264 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Carl Rowan Leathers entitled "Highway Location as a Factor in Regional Development in Areas Adjacent to National Parks: A Case Study of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Region." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Architecture. Aelred J. Gray, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Walter L. Shouse Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) May 17 , 1967 To the G�aduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis wr itten by Carl Rowan Leathers entitled "�ighway Location as a Factor in Regional Development . in Areas Adjacent to .National.Parks : A Case. Study of the Great Smoky Mountains National · Park Region ." I recommend that it be accepted for nine quarter hours of c�edit in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the ,degree of Master ·of . Science in Planning. We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Accepted for the Council: HIGHWAY LO CAT ION AS A FAC TOR IN REG IO NAL DE VELOPMENT IN AR EAS ADJACENT TO NAT IONAL . PAR KS : A CASE ST UDY .OF THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NAT IO NAL PARK REG ION A Th esis Presented to. th e Graduate Council of . Th e Un iversity of Tenne ssee In.Part ial Fulfillm ent of the Requirements for.the Degree . Ma st er of Sc ience in Pl ann ing .a by Ca rl Rowan Leathers August 196 8 . ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer wishes to express his gratitude to . Mr . Walter L. Shouse, Director , and the faculty of the Graduate School of Planning. at The University_of-Tennessee, for the opportunity to pursue graduate work . Appreciation is also extended to M�. Aelred J. Gray whose patience , insight , and .helpful suggestions.were invaluable in the com­ pletion of .this study . Th� photographs used-in this thesis.were.taken by the late Harvey Broome , whose .. life .was devoted to presei!ving the splendor and beauty of this land for othei!s . To Mr� Broome .and.his wife , Anne , a special thanks . The writer is also_ grateful for the-financial support received from the.State of-Tennessee , and the encouragement of Mr . Harold v. Miller , £xecutive .Dir.ectoi!. of .the Tennessee .State PJ.anni.ng Commission , and Jack s. Cunning. , Director .. of Local Plann�ng . The writer wishes to thank.the many people who contriputed their time and knowledge in discussing the subject. _ _ ii ABSTRACT How may highways be located in regions containing a national park so as to maximize the park as a resource appropriate to the stimulation of regional development and , · at the same time , preserve . the values which the park represents? Research was conducted on the .history and purposes of th e national · park . system to determine factors,which are relevant to the establishment of ,national -parks and related areas, Available litera­ ture on the history and establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was,used . to supplement material obtained from personal interviews with various staff members of the park . The 1964 Master . Plan for the park was studied to determine a clearer picture of develop­ ment policy for the park . The history of the . development of highways and . the present , emerging , and f�ture highway,system of . the region were considered. Interviews with park administrators,were conducted and the results coordinated witb data compiled from traffic surveys by the National Park Service , the Bureau of Public Roads , and the highway,departments of Tennessee and North Carolina . Economic and · population data from · the Bureau of Census reports and other . sources were employed to present a cursory development picture of the region. iii iv Interior park planning shou).d be related .to , but not controlled by exterior forces and.iriterests . Th� key element in the sound develop­ ment of the region is a highway system designed to serve the park and the .region , and planned to preserve their scenic qualities as a whole� Because National.Park Service policy requires major accomodations to :Pe outside the park , th� highway.system must provide and encourage opportunities for commercial development within,the region. Because of the many interests involved iR .loca�i� new highways there is a need.for.some .machinery to consider .confliQts .of interest and . to prepare courses of action. It is recommended.that .· a regional council be established.composed .of representativ�s fpom the appropriat� federal , , state , and local _agencies and departments ,. which .would serve . to resolve these conflicts and coordinate . highway planning for the region . A funot�onal·classification system for highways within the region is ·proposed . TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE • • • • • . I. INTRODUCTION • ft . l Statement .of the Problem . � . 2 Limitations .and .Scope of .. the Thesis . • 3 II. THE DEVELOPMENT .OF THE NAT IONAL PARK SYSTEM IN THE ' . UNITED STATES . .•••• . 4 III. THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS N,ATIONAL PARK AND THE REGIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM . 13 Physical Features. of the Region . 13 Establishment .and .Histor-y of the Great Smoky Mountains . • • . National park . 15 Purpose of the park . 19 A History. of-the .Developmen� -of Highways Within the Region . • • • , • • . 20 • . Inte�state highways • , 24 IV. THE RELATIONSHIP.OF .. THE PARK.TO RE GIONAL DEVELOPMENT -· • • • 26 The Economic .Base of the Region • � . 28 Population . ' . 28 Employment . 30 Agriculture .• 30 Manuf�cturing . •• . 31 . ' . Value added·.. • .• . 32 vi CHAPTER PAGE Construction 32. Retail activity or other activity 32 . ' . Wholesale act ivity . 32 . Finance , insurance , and real estate • . 33 . Forest products . 33 Resorts ••. I I I I I f . 33 . National.park employment .••. 33 . • • . .. The. economy, of -Gatlinburg • . 34 . Other urban.centers within the . �egion . • . ••• 35' Present , Eme.rging , and .Future Traffic Pqtterns • • 36 V. FACTORS AND INTERESTS TO BE CONSIDERED IN REGIONAL . HIGHWAY LOCATION . 45 • • • • Topography and Other Natural Features • 45 .•••.• Aesthetic Considerations . 47 Interests Involved in Highway . Location . 52 . Local interests • • 52 The conservationists 52 . The general public . 53 . The nat ional interest . 53 . Highway . planning .. agencies •• . 54' Region Wide Public and Private Recreational Resources . 55. Nat ional forests 57 Tennessee Valley Authority lakes 59. vii CHAPT�R PAGE· State parks . • • • o o o • 59 Private resort developments o . 60 VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . .. 61· Establishment of a Regional Council 62 A Functional Classification of Highways·Within the Region 63 Regional · connector highways 65 Parkways and.scenic highways . 65 Standavds for parkways a�d sc�nic highways . • • • • • • 67 Regional development highways 68 Development nodes . • . 68 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 70 VITA ,,....... ...., .... .... 75 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. The Region and the Major Highway System o o o 0 16 2. · An .Example of the Complex Geology of the Region o o 17 3. Location Map of the Great .Smoky Mountains National Park Showing the Major Access Routes from the Eastern . United · States • 0 . ' . 21 4, Average Daily Traffic Flow Map , 1966, Eastern Tennessee.and . ' .. Western North Carolina . 39 5o An Example ,_of Contour Realignment Resulting from Present Highway Standards and Construction Methods in.Mountainous • • • , • • , • • • • • • • • • Te:rrain, Part 1 o o o o •. o 48 6. An Example,of Contour Realignment Resulting from Present Highway Standards-and Construction Methods in Mountainous , , • • • • • , • • • • • • • • • Terrain , Part 2 o • o o 49 7 o An Example of .. Contour. Realignment Resulting from . Present Highway Standards and Construction Methods in Mountainous . " . Terrain , Part·3 o . 50 8. A Possible Functional Highway System for-Major Highways and the Location of-Development Nodes . inrthe Region . 66 viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The· nat�onal park system is one . of the important innovations in land use policy conceived and developed by the United States . It was th� first major nation to establish a system of national parks as a means of . preserving significant examples of its natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations . l The idea has been adopted · by several other nations , notably