North Carolina Highway 28

NC 28
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length:	81.2 mi[1] (130.7 km)
Existed:	1938 – present
Major junctions
South end:	SR 28 at the GA line near Satola, GA
	US 64 in Highlands US 23 / US 64 / US 441 in Franklin US 19 / US 74 in Lauada
North end:	US 129 in Deals Gap
Location
Counties:	Macon, Graham, Swain
Highway system
North Carolina Highway System ← NC 27 US 29 →

North Carolina Highway 28 is a primary state highway in the state of North Carolina. The highway runs north–south through the Nantahala National Forest in Western North Carolina.

Contents 1 Route description 1.1 Scenic byways 2 History 2.1 North Carolina Highway 282 2.2 North Carolina Highway 286 3 Major intersections 4 See also 5 References

Route description

NC 28 is part of a three-state highway 28, that totals 238 miles (383 km), from Beech Island, South Carolina to Deals Gap.^[2]

NC 28 starts at the Georgia state line in Macon County. Southward the road continues as Georgia 28. This is the sole state highway that keeps its exact number as it crosses between Georgia and North Carolina. (NC 60 may also be considered to sort-of keep its route. It continues in Georgia as Spur 60. Mainline Georgia 60 meets the state line some miles to the west).

From the state line, it follows a winding course northwards to Highlands. There it begins a 14-mile (23 km) concurrency with US 64 on the way west to Franklin. From Franklin it leaves US 64 and travels north/northwest, mostly following the Little Tennessee River valley. There is a 3-mile (4.8 km) concurrency with US 74 between the unincorporated communities of Lauada and Needmore. From Needmore, it follows a westerly course along the southern shore of man-made Fontana Lake. A side road crosses the TVA constructed Fontana Dam; NC 28 skirts the southern boundary of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park before reaching its northern terminus at US 129.

Scenic byways

NC 28 is part of two scenic byways in the state (indicated by a Scenic Byways sign).^[3]

Waterfall Byway is an 98-mile (158 km) byway from Murphy to Rosman; it is known for its more than 200 waterfalls that surround the route. NC 28 overlaps with US 64 between Franklin and Highlands; passing by Lake Sequoyah, Dry Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Cullsaja Gorge. Tractor-Trailers are prohibited on this road and it is also not recommended for recreational vehicles or buses.^[3]

Indian Lake Scenic Byway is an 60-mile (97 km) byway from Topton to Almond; it is known for scenic views along the banks of the Nantahala River, Little Tennessee River, and Cheoah River. It also features the Fontana Dam, Cheoah Dam, Santeetlah Dam, the grave of Junaluska, and the Tail of the Dragon. NC 28 shares half the route with US 129 (From Deals Gap to Almond). This route is not recommended for recreational vehicles or buses.^[3]

History

• This road is the third to bear the NC 28 designation.^[4]

• The first NC 28 was an original 1922 state highway in the same general part of the state. With the coming of the U.S. Highways, it was replaced by US 64 and US 221 in 1934.

• The number was recycled to replace the original NC 21 south of Fayetteville, which was itself removed in favor of US 21. This routing lasted from 1935–1938, when it was renumbered as NC 87.

• The modern NC 28 was returned to the mountains in 1938, and followed its current route from the state line to Lauada. It was extended to its current terminus in 1955. The portion of NC 28 that follows US 64 was part of the original NC 28 from 1922, but did NOT bear the designation continuously, as there was the 3 year gap noted above.

North Carolina Highway 282

Established in 1930 as a new primary routing from the Georgia state line to Highlands. In 1938, NC 282 was replaced by NC 28.^[5]

North Carolina Highway 286

Established as an original state highway in 1921, NC 286 began at the Georgia state line, near Otto, to NC 10, along Old Alarka Road. In 1927, NC 286 was renumbered as an extension of NC 285, from the Georgia state line to Franklin. Around 1938, NC 286 was replaced by NC 28 and moved the to north terminus to the community of Swain (today known as Lauada).^[6]

Major intersections

County	Location	Destinations	Notes
Macon	Satolah	SR 28 south – Walhalla, SC	Southern terminus
	Highlands	NC 106 west (Dillard Road) – Dillard, GA	South end of concurrency with NC 106
		US 64 east / NC 106 (Main Street) – Cashiers	South end of concurrency with US 64; North end of concurrency with NC 106
	Franklin	US 23 / US 64 west / US 441 (Sylva Road) – Dillard, GA, Hayesville, Dillsboro	North end of concurrency with US 64; Diamond interchange
		US 441 Bus. north (Main Street)	South end of concurrency with Business US 441
		US 441 Bus. south (Porter Street)	North end of concurrency with Business US 441
Swain	Lauada	US 19 north / US 74 east (Great Smokey Mountains Expressway) – Bryson City	South end of concurrency with US 19/74
	Needmore	US 19 south / US 74 west – Andrews	North end of concurrency with US 19/74
Graham	Stecoah	NC 143 west (Sweetwater Road) – Robbinsville
Swain	Deals Gap	US 129 (Tapoco Road) – Santeetlah, Maryville, TN	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

• Georgia State Route 28
• South Carolina Highway 28
• Fontana Dam
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Little Tennessee River
• Nantahala National Forest
• Tail of the Dragon

References