FEBRUARY/MARCH 2005 COMMENT SHEET SUMMARY

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If you selected the Partial-Build Alternative to Bushnell or the Northern Shore Corridor as your preferred alternative, please tell us which options you prefer. Please refer to page 3 of this handout for a description of the options.

No road construction

"Additional road construction should be avoided."

"No building."

"Whatever the original agreement, to build the road, is no longer necessary. The land does not belong to Swain County, they have no right to exploit and degrade a National Park for their own economic interests."

"A road of any kind in this area (study area) of the National Park is unacceptable."

I don't support any construction on the North Shore .

Monetary Settlement

"I prefer a Monetary Settlement and oppose the other options."

"Just the Monetary Settlement."

"[Organization affiliation omitted] selected the Monetary Settlement with an immediate payment of $52 million in trust to Swain County, NC as our preferred alternative."

Partial-Build Alternative to Bushnell

"I would not select a Partial-Build Alternative to Bushnell. The Park already has two partially built road segments that may never be connected at Caylor Gap in Wears Valley. What benefit will there be in having three roads that are inefficient to maintain, notwithstanding the fact that the National Park Service can't afford to maintain them anyway?"

"So, you're asking me how I would like to walk with the devil, so to speak. I wouldn't. If I have to, it would be the Partial-Build Alternative to Bushnell, but it stinks. Providing watercraft access is likely to be unsustainable, given shoreline cutting and pollution we see on lakes in the area that are accessible to motorized watercraft."

"Why a boat ramp? What would this mean in terms of trucks and trailers? Possible impact on private marinas?"

"Bushnell next best alternative. If chosen, I prefer the bridge option to shorten the road; would have less environmental impact during construction and permanently. Shorter trip to Bushnell would encourage more visitors."

"Partial-Build Alternative to Bushnell would be lesser of two evils; cause less damage to Park than full build, but it still should not be built."

"I would support the Partial-Build Alternative to Bushnell as an absolute last resort, and that only because of the existing tunnel to nowhere, but I believe the Northern Shore Corridor would be an environmental disaster."

"No Partial-Build Alternative to Bushnell."

Northern Shore Corridor (baseline)

"Raised in Bushnell community; build road as shown with no expensive bridges."

"Build bridge to shorten the road."

"I see absolutely no purpose in these partial-builds except as toward completion of the Northern Shore Corridor."

"No options. No high bridges at Forney, Hazel, and Eagle creeks. No crossing Fontana Dam."

"No high bridges, none of these were in the plan that was presented when we lived there; surely we can do the same in this day and age."

"There is no other option - do you think the government would give me an option on paying my taxes this year? We don't need any of the high bridges you talk about, nor do we need to cross Fontana Dam."

"No options."

"The bridges will cost more to build than the road. And the roadbed is already there in most areas."

"Northern Shore Corridor. Prefer no other option."

"Deals Gap terminus, avoid large bridges. Principal Park Road - "dustless."

"Build the road all the way to NC 28. Do not cross the lake."

"Primary Park Road not to cross Fontana Dam."

"There should be no options on something that was told to the people would happen."

"Those huge bridges should not be built; road should go up to Proctor and through the Flint Gap and not cross the Fontana Dam."

"Build road through Flint Gap to Deals Gap."

"Avoid major bridges at creeks, hard surface road as 1943 Agreement calls for."

"Build road to completion."

"Alternatives not an option; Northern Shore Corridor is the only way to satisfy the agreement."

"The Northern Shore Corridor can utilize the great part of the pre-existing road 288 and will make available beautiful lake views. It will not require bridges and will be more environmentally sound."

"A great portion of the old road could be utilized thereby lowering the cost. This road would give access to the Park to the greatest number of people. I prefer the Northern Shore Corridor."

"The Northern Shore Corridor is best. It is economical. It is environmentally acceptable. It is promised, and that is the issue also."

"Only Northern Shore Corridor."

"Road should connect NC 28 near Deal's Gap. Follow Lakeshore Trail toward Proctor and through Flint Gap. This would avoid major bridge crossings at creeks."

"Those two big bridges at the mouth of Hazel and Eagle creeks are a joke."

"Build it through Flint Gap down to Deals Gap, forget those ugly oversized bridges."

"No big bridges, up Proctor go on down to Deals Gap."

"No options, no large bridges across creeks, in this age of terrorism using the road to cross the top of Fontana Dam is not a good idea."

"None. Please Principal Park Road."

"Any structure would hamper our people the free access to cemeteries and would defeat the primary purpose of the North Shore Road."

"Build the road as outlined in yellow on the map."

"I would prefer the terminus option of the Northern Shore Corridor. The road needs to be a Principal Park Road."

"Gives everyone the chance to go back to their home place."

"This was not the promise."

"There are not options if the agreement is honored."

Northern Shore Corridor with Fontana Dam Crossing

"The Northern Shore Corridor that goes around impounded waters and avoids major bridges is the most financially and environmentally sound option that fulfills the 1943 Agreement. It should also cross Fontana Dam and utilize the existing road. Although the agreement calls for dustless paved road, I believe a Primitive Park Road could be a viable option as well."

"Northern Shore Corridor paved, terminate at Fontana Dam."

"Hardtop to Fontana Dam."

"20-foot wide, hard surface, cross Fontana Dam and connect to NC 28."

"Tie roadway into GSMNP segment, cross Fontana Dam to NC 28."

Other

"Not Applicable. These schemes are examples of engineering fantasy."

"The area already has a nice campground in deep creek."

"These are all dumb ideas that have little intrinsic visitor value and a huge ongoing expense for the National Park Service. Put them to bed."

"I want to know why there are only two buildings and a bunch of ruins that remain in tact?"

"I live on Highway 72 East and when I first built my home everything was quiet for my retirement; then came the motorcycles. A constant roar on the weekends, these death defying people would love for you to build the road. The road would only extend the Dragons Tail."

"It is obscene to spend so much money on anything that it is not a humanitarian effort or does not better the environment."

"The less development, the better, in my opinion."

"Why is preference given to these "build" options?"

"We've not even completed the Foothills Parkway , and probably won't in my lifetime (57), now we're talking about starting another roadway boondoggle. In 63 years, the Government has failed to meet its so-called obligations to Swain County . What assurance do we have that the road would ever be finished? How can you justify to the American people such a profligate expenditure of their tax dollars? The projections of vehicular traffic cannot justify such an expenditure, and building a road just to get the old timers to their cemeteries before they die (most already gone?) simply cannot support such a decision. The damage of drilling through the acidic rock formations alone should render unfeasible the Northern Shore Corridor. If I understand correctly, wouldn't the roadway go through portions of the Park already designated as Wilderness? Totally unacceptable. Choice of this alternative would lead to years of (costly) litigation with the environmental community, further delaying an overall settlement."

"No partial-build alternative will satisfy the agree."

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