Repairs to the Bote Mountain Tunnel at Great Smoky Mountains National Park have been completed ahead of schedule, allowing the road to Cades Cove to open Saturday/NPS file

Though there will continue to be some delays, the Bote Mountain Tunnel that provides access to Cades Cove at Great Smoky Mountains National Park is set to reopen to traffic on Saturday.

The tunnel has been closed for two months for repairs. The work was done ahead of schedule, allowing traffic to head to Cades Cove in time for the first full weekend of the spring break season. The Cades Cove Campground is to reopen on March 5.

“Cades Cove is one of the most popular destinations in the park and we are pleased that visitors will have the chance to enjoy it this weekend,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “We appreciate the special efforts of the contractor to complete the job safely and ahead of schedule.”

Intermittent, single-lane closures will be necessary between March 1 and June 15 to repave the tunnel area. Motorists should expect weekday delays during the paving operations. This work will not occur on weekends, federal holidays, or the week before and after Easter, park staff said.

The 121-foot-long tunnel, constructed in 1948, had not had any significant rehabilitation work since that time. Crews replaced nine drainage chases using track-mounted saws to cut through the concrete liner along the arc of the 18-foot-high tunnel opening.

Cracks throughout the tunnel were also sealed and repaired. Crews enclosed and heated the tunnel, allowing the temperature-sensitive repairs to be conducted during the winter months when visitation to the park is traditionally lower.