U.S. Route 23 in North Carolina

U.S. Route 23 (US 23) in North Carolina is a north–south United States highway that runs for 106 miles (171 km) from the Georgia state line, near Dillard, to the Tennessee state line, near Flag Pond.

This article is about the section of U.S. Route 23 in North Carolina. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 23.

U.S. Route 23
Route of US 23 in North Carolina highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length106.2 mi[1] (170.9 km)
Existed1930–present
Major junctions
South end US 23 / US 441 / SR 15 at the Georgia line
 
North end I-26 / US 23 at the Tennessee line
Location
CountiesMacon, Jackson, Haywood, Buncombe, Madison
Highway system
← NC 22NC 24 →

Route description

From the Georgia state line, with US 441, it goes through the communities of Norton and Otto before reaching Franklin, where it bypasses the city to its east. Continuing north into Jackson County, it reaches the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway in Dillsboro, where it switches partners from US 441 to US 74. Going east, it bypasses Sylva and Waynesville; in Clyde, it switches partners again from US 74 to US 19 as it goes through downtown Clyde and Canton, parallel to I-40/US 74.

In Asheville, it connects with I-26/I-240 while crossing the French Broad River; it then continues northbound with I-26/US 19/US 70. US 23 stays in concurrency with I-26 to the Tennessee state line. Almost the entire route is four-lane, the exception being between Canton and Candler.

US 23 also make up part of Corridor A and Corridor B in the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS). Corridor A connects I-285, in Sandy Springs, Georgia, to I-40, near Clyde, North Carolina, it overlaps 46 miles (74 km) of US 23. Corridor B connects I-40, in Asheville, North Carolina, with US 23, near Lucasville, Ohio, it overlaps 28 miles (45 km) of US 23. ADHS provides additional funds, as authorized by the U.S. Congress, which have enabled US 23 to benefit from the successive improvements along its routing in both corridors. The white-on-blue banner "Appalachian Highway" is used to mark the ADHS corridor.[2]

Dedicated and memorial names

US 23 in North Carolina has three dedicated or memorialized sections of highway.

Scenic byways

US 23 is part of one scenic byway in the state (indicated by a Scenic Byways sign).[4]

I-26 Scenic Byway is an 9-mile (14 km) byway from the Tennessee state line to exit 9 (US 19/US 23A), near Mars Hill. US 23, in concurrency with I-26, traverses the entire length, known for its unspoiled views of the North Carolina Mountains.[4]

History

Established in 1930, it entered from Georgia and followed a similar route as the route today to Enka. In Asheville, it went along route Haywood St across the French Broad River to Jefferson Dr to Patton Dr to Broadway then finally Merrimon north and out of the city. Going through Weaverville, it continued its concurrency with US 19 till Bald Creek, where it went north with US 19W into Tennessee.[5]

By 1932, US 23 was rerouted in Asheville to use Haywood to Clingman to Hilliard to Biltmore which turns into Broadway. By 1937, US 23 was rerouted again, using Clingman to Patton to College to Biltmore. Between 1939-44, US 23 was rerouted in Waynesville to use US 276 Russ St to Walnut St back to US 23 Bus. The old Main St routing became US 19A-23A. In 1949, US 23 was moved west onto new bypass (Patton Avenue) around western Asheville, leaving US 23 Alternate (later US 23 Business). In 1952, US 23 was rerouted north of Mars Hill, replacing NC 36 into Tennessee. In 1961, US 23 was removed from downtown Asheville and placed on the East-West Expressway, however continuing north on Merrimon Avenue. In 1966, it was placed on new freeway east, bypassing Weaverville; then in 1973, it was removed from Merrimon Avenue onto freeway.[5]

In 1968, US 23 was placed on new freeway bypass west of Waynesville, leaving US 23 Business through town. In 1974, US 23 bypassed Franklin to the east, its old route is signed today as US 441 Business. Also in the same year, Sylva was bypassed to the north, leaving US 23 Business following the old route through town.[5]

In 2006, US 23 moved onto I-26, north of Mars Hill, leaving US 23A following the old route through northern Madison County.[5]

Future

US 19/23, from Canton to Candler, is to be widened to a multi-lane highway and its bridge replaced over the Pigeon River. This project is currently funded.[6][7]

US 23, in concurrency with Interstate 26 and US 19, is planned to be realigned onto a new interchange at Interstate 240 and freeway improvements north from it. Right-of-way purchases are to begin in 2023, however the project is unfunded.[8][9]

Junction list
CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
MaconNorton0.00.0 US 23 south / US 441 south / SR 15 south – Dillard, ClaytonContinuation into Georgia
Franklin12.319.8
US 64 west / US 441 Bus. north – Franklin, Murphy		West end of US 64 overlap
14.423.2 US 64 east / NC 28 (Highlands Road) – Franklin, HighlandsEast end of US 64 overlap
15.725.3
US 441 Bus. west (Main Street) – Franklin
Jackson​29.146.8 NC 116 east (Webster Road) – WebsterSuperstreet intersection, southbound must u-turn first
Dillsboro31.851.2
US 23 Bus. north (Haywood Road) – Dillsboro, Sylva
32.452.181 US 74 west / US 441 north (Great Smoky Mountains Expressway) – Cherokee, Bryson CityWest end of US 74 and north end of US 441 overlap
Sylva34.455.483Grindstaff Cove Road – Sylva
36.558.785
US 23 Bus. to NC 107 – Sylva		To Western Carolina University
HaywoodBalsam45.372.9 Blue Ridge Parkway
Waynesville49.679.898
US 23 Bus. – Waynesville
50.881.8100Hazelwood Avenue
52.885.0102 US 276 – Waynesville, Brevard, Maggie ValleyNorthbound signed exits 102A (south) and 102B (north)
Lake Junaluska54.587.7103 US 19 south – Maggie Valley, CherokeeSouth end of US 19 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance
55.188.7104
US 23 Bus. / NC 209 – Lake Junaluska, Waynesville, Hot Springs
56.490.8105West Jones CoveNo southbound entrance
Clyde57.191.9106 US 74 east (Great Smoky Mountains Expressway) to I-40 – Asheville, KnoxvilleEast end of US 74 overlap
Canton61.398.7 NC 215 north (Blackwell Drive)North end of NC 215 overlap
61.899.5 NC 215 south (Reed Street)South end of NC 215 overlap
62.099.8 NC 110 south (Pisgah Drive)
BuncombeCandler71.0114.3 NC 151 south (Pisgah Highway)
Enka72.4116.5 NC 112 east (Sand Hills Road)
Asheville74.0119.1 I-40 / US 74 / US 74A – Statesville, KnoxvilleWest end of US 74A overlap
76.5123.1
US 19 Bus. north / US 23 Bus. north (Haywood Road)
77.0123.9 NC 63 north (Leicester Highway) – Leicester
78.0125.53A
Future I-26 east / I-240 west / US 19 Bus. south / US 23 Bus. south		East end of Future I-26 overlap, west end of I-240 overlap; business routes hidden at intersection
78.3126.03BWestgate / Resort Drive
78.7126.7 I-240 east / US 70 east / US 74A east / Patton AvenueEast end of I-240/US 70/US 74A overlap
79.0127.1Hill StreetNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
80.5129.625 NC 251 – University of North Carolina at Asheville
Woodfin81.8131.624Elk Mountain Road – Woodfin
82.7133.123
US 25 south / US 19 Bus. north (Merrimon Avenue) – Woodfin, North Asheville		South end of US 25 overlap
Weaverville84.8136.521New Stock Road – Weaverville
87.0140.019 US 25 north / US 70 west – Marshall, WeavervilleNorth end of US 25 and west end of US 70 overlap
87.8141.318
US 19 Bus. south / Monticello Road – Weaverville
Stocksville88.8142.917Old Mars Hill Highway – Flat Creek
Flat Creek91.3146.915 NC 197 – Jupiter, Barnardsville
​93.0149.713Stockton Road – Forks of Ivy
MadisonMars Hill95.3153.411 NC 213 – Mars Hill, Marshall
​97.1156.39 US 19 north / US 23A north – Burnsville, Spruce PineNorth end of US 19 overlap; east end of I-26 and west end of Future I-26
​102.9165.63 US 23A south – Wolf Laurel
​106.2170.9 I-26 west / US 23 north – Johnson CityCrosses through Sam's Gap; continuation into Tennessee
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also

References
  1. Google (October 25, 2014). "U.S. Route 23 in North Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  2. "Status of Corridors in North Carolina" (PDF). Appalachian Regional Commission. September 30, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  3. "North Carolina Memorial Highways and other Named Facilities" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
  4. "North Carolina Scenic Byways" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 20, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
  5. "NCRoads.com: U.S. 23". Archived from the original on November 25, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  6. Staff. "Project #B-3656". Project Details. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 29, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
  7. Staff. "Project #R-4406". Project Details. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 29, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
  8. Staff. "Project #A-0010". Project Details. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 29, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
  9. Staff. "Project #I-2513". Project Details. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 29, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
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U.S. Route 23
Previous state:
Georgia		 North Carolina Next state:
Tennessee
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