In 1943, the federal government entered into an agreement to build a road in place of one in Swain County lost to flooding by the building of the Fontana Dam. That agreement will now cost the federal government $52 million for NC’s road to nowhere that was never completed.
The Fontana Dam was built during World War II to produce hydroelectricity. The power from the dam was used to make aluminum to build airplanes for the war.
Families had to be relocated out of the resulting flood area and most of NC 288 was lost due to the flooding. As part of the 1943 agreement, the federal government agreed to replace the road with a 30 mile road into an undeveloped part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Construction on the new road was stopped due to funding and environmental issues. Over the decades it has been debated as to whether the road, named North Shore Road, should ever be completed.
The National Park Service decided in 2007 it would be best to reach a settlement with Swain County rather than actually build the road. On Tuesday, Rep. Heath Shuler (D-Waynesville) announced that the federal government has offered to pay $52 million to Swain County instead of building the road to nowhere.
The payments will be made to a special account to the North Carolina State Treasurer and then Swain County will receive payments each year from the account. Already been $4 million has been approved for transfer to Swain County and $8.8 million will be transferred once the settlement is signed. The remainder $39.2 million will be made in payments over the next ten years.
“The interest on these funds alone will greatly increase Swain’s annual budget and will help the commissioners in their efforts to create jobs, invest in Swain County schools, and improve the county’s infrastructure,” stated Rep. Shuler.
The Swain County Board of Commissioners is expected to accept the settlement offer on Friday. A signing ceremony to finalize the settlement will occur on Saturday.
Ken Salazar, the Secretary of Interior is scheduled to be in Bryson City for the signing of the settlement. The Park Service will continue to provide transportation to annual cemetery “decoration days” and tell the story about the people of the area and the road to nowhere.
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