week of 4/10/02
 
 
 


WNC Alliance listens to views on North Shore Road
By Don Hendershot
“I’m a realist, and that road ain’t gonna be built,” Jerry Mckinney told members of the Western North Carolina Alliance (WNCA).

McKinney was speaking at the April 6 annual meeting at the historic Calhoun Inn in Bryson City. McKinney and Luke Hyde spoke to the group about the Citizens for the Economic Future of Swain County’s efforts to bring about a cash settlement in lieu of construction of the North Shore Road.

The North Shore Road has been a point of contention in Swain County for approximately 58 years. A contract between Swain County, the state of North Carolina, the U.S. Department of Interior and the Tennessee Valley Authority. That agreement promised Swain County a road would be built through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from a point near Fontana Dam to a point near Bryson City to replace old N.C. 288 which was flooded during construction of Fontana Dam. The agreement stated that the road would be built as soon as appropriations were made.

In 1959 North Carolina built three miles of road from Bryson City to the park boundary. Between 1963 and 1971, the Park Service added six miles of road but halted construction after completing a 1,200 foot tunnel when they encountered acidic anakeesta rock. The road became known as The Road to Nowhere.

“When this was proposed there was no other road to Fontana. If it was built now, people traveling it would be looking across the lake at highway 28,” McKinney said.

McKinney, a Swain County native, former principal of Swain County High School and ex officio member of the Swain County Economic Development Commission called road supporters’ figures regarding the economic benefits of a North Shore Road, “pie in the sky.”

“It’s not going to happen,” he said.

McKinney pointed to the Cherohala Skyway. He said the 52-mile scenic highway between Robbinsville and Tellico Plains, Tenn., had provided very little economic impact in either community.

To the contrary, according to McKinney and Hyde, a financial settlement could generate an annual revenue in the neighborhood of $2 million. The plan would be to ask for a cash settlement of $40 million which would be set aside in escrow. The $2 million would be interest. McKinney said the Citizens for the Economic Future of Swain County arrived at the $40 million figure by looking at the original indebtedness (what the county had to pay for the flooded N.C. 288) and compounding that over the years with inflation factored in.

McKinney said he felt if the county focused on a financial settlement the Park Service might also be open to other incentives like improved access to cemeteries and a historical museum commemorating the people and communities of Swain County that were displaced by the park and Fontana Lake.

Hyde, originally from Swain County and currently practicing law in Raleigh, said he had been a proponent of the road for nearly 50 years. But he said when a friend of his brought him the original 1943 agreement and numerous documents and stories about the issue, he said he had no other choice than to change his mind.

“After I read the agreement and all the information I was provided I became convinced as a lawyer that this promise to build a road is not enforceable,” Hyde said.

“This is an emotional issue and it’s hard to rationally debate an emotional issue, but when I ask myself two questions: Is this an enforceable contract? And is it likely the government wants to build this road? The answer is no.”

Hyde said he did not condemn anyone who supported the road.

“A lot of good people believe the best interest of Swain County is the road. Reasonable people can disagree. It’s my opinion that there is a better chance of improving Swain County through a cash settlement. It’s not a slam dunk, but I think we have a fighting chance of getting a cash settlement,” said Hyde.

Swain County Commissioner David Monteith, who recently introduced a resolution supporting the construction of the road which passed 3-1 (commissioner Jeff Waldroup was absent), attended the meeting.

Monteith said commissioners had twice asked Rep. Phil Haire to put the North Shore Road issue to a referendum.

“If that had taken place, we wouldn’t be here now. The issue would have been resolved,” Monteith said. “I am sworn as a commissioner to do the will of the people. If the people want a cash settlement I will work just as hard for that as I have these last 25 years for construction of the road.”

In an interview after the meeting, Monteith spoke on behalf of the North Shore Road Association.

“We find it odd that they (Citizens for the Economic Future of Swain County) waited until money had been appropriated before they decided to try and block construction of the road.”

At the Alliance meeting, McKinney told members that park spokesman Bob Miller reported that even though there had been no advertised public comment period, the Park Service had received about 2,000 comments against the road and only about six in support.

As a response to that statement Monteith, speaking on behalf of the North Shore Road Association said that group had sent 11,000 comments in support of the road to Sen. Jesse Helms and Rep. Charles Taylor about four-and-a-half years ago.

“We had 251 local businesses supporting the road,” Monteith said.

When alliance members asked McKinney at the meeting how they could help they were told they could become members of Citizens for the Economic Development of Swain County. McKinney said the group presently had 112 members. He said it was important that the core of the group be Swain County residents but that the issue involved the national park and was a national issue.

McKinney said WNCA contributed $500 to the group for startup money.