Following the opening, the public will be able to drive the entire 16-mile roadway for the first time since construction began in 1966, including the 16.5-mile section known as the “Missing Link,” which is now connected by a series of nine bridges. The Foothills Parkway consists of two finished sections at either end of the 72-mile corridor. The western section extends 33 continuous miles from Chilhowee to Wears Valley, offering a new recreational experience for motorists and cyclists. The eastern section, completed in 1968, extends 6 miles from Cosby to I-40, featuring breathtaking views of Mt. Cammerer. 

The roadway was completed through a decades-long partnership between the State of Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the Eastern Federal Lands Division of the Federal Highway Administration and the National Park Service for a total cost of $178 million. The final paving was provided through $10 million from the Transportation Investment Generating Income Recovery VIII grant, $15 million from the State of Tennessee and $7 million from the NPS Federal Lands Transportation Program.