SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Part of the road work leading from Interstate 40 into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is about done after nearly 2 1/2 years.

State transportation officials in Knoxville said Tuesday that phase 1 of the work on state Route 66 will be finished by the deadline Nov. 30. Work remaining is final pavement markings and minor sidewalk repair.

A third lane has just been opened to traffic, both northbound and southbound.

Still in progress is widening another part of the road beginning at the I-40 exit. It is on schedule to be done by Nov. 30, 2012.

The highway leads to the resort towns of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and then to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. More than 9 million people visit the park annually.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.