Project: Clingmans Dome Road and Parking Area Rehabilitation
Location: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Gen. Contractor: Charles Blalock and Sons, Inc.
Project Description:
Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with an elevation of 6,643 ft. One of the park’s most popular attractions, Clingmans Dome offers views of both Tennessee and North Carolina from an observation tower at the top of the Smoky Mountains.
In early 2010, Charles Blalock and Sons was awarded a contract to rehabilitate the parking area at Clingmans Dome as well as the seven mile road leading to the parking area. Work consisted of milling existing pavement, repairing subgrade deficiencies, repaving all parking and driving surface, and replacing and reconfiguring sidewalks to accommodate new bathrooms and a gift shop constructed under a separate contract.
In order to complete the project in a timely manner, crews had to begin working on the roadway while deep snow still blanketed the project area. Using graders and front loaders, crews removed snow and ice from Clingmans Dome Road, allowing milling operations to begin quickly. As spring temperatures rose, repaving and concrete finishing was completed throughout the project. Asphalt was delivered from the North Carolina side of the mountain to reduce haul times. Concrete, however, was delivered from Blalock Ready Mix’s Pigeon Forge plant using specialty admixtures to extend the set time of the concrete as well as a custom liquid color dosing to match the black color specified on the project.
The project was completed in June 2010.
