Evaluation of the Gatlinburg, Tennessee trolley service as it impacts the local transportation system : a case study

This research has attempted to identify the transportation issues experienced within the City of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a major tourist destination adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The limited land area availability and the dense commercial development which has evolved in the downtown area is occupied by tens of thousands of tourists on any given day during the peak tourism seasons. Such high travel demand in a relatively small area has created mobility and parking deficiencies and significant vehicle delay for travelers in the City.

In 1980, the State of Tennessee Department of Transportation implemented a public transportation service known as the Gatlinburg Trolley System to provide an alternative to pedestrians and motorists in order to improve mobility and increase safety. Use of the Trolley has been consistent since the beginning of the service which has allowed the service area to cover all the major routes of travel within the City.

The regional tourism industry continues to grow and the feasible options available to the City to improve mobility in Gatlinburg are decreasing. Based on the financial costs, continued investment in the Trolley service is justified and should not be underestimated as the element which avoids a break down of the local transportation network for millions of travelers through Gatlinburg each year.