| U.S. Route 19W | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Length: | 63 mi[1] (101 km) |
| Existed: | 1930 – present |
| Major junctions | |
| South end: | US 19 / US 19E in Cane River, NC |
| I-26 / US-23 near Erwin, TN |
|
| North end: | US-11E / US-19 / US-19E near Bluff City, TN |
| Location | |
| Counties: | Yancey, NC, Unicoi, TN, Washington, TN, Sullivan, TN |
| Highway system | |
|
United States Numbered Highways |
|
U.S. Route 19W (aka US 19 West) traverses approximately 63 miles (101 km) from Cane River, North Carolina to Bluff City, Tennessee.
Contents |
US 19W begins in western Yancey county at the community of Cane River, at the intersection of US 19/US 19E. Several signs at the beginning of the route strongly recommend truckers against using this route. The road then proceeds north through the Pisgah National Forest, connecting the communities of Elk Shoal, Ramseytown and Sioux, to the Tennessee state line (near Spivey Gap); a 22 miles (35 km) drive of endless curves and elevation changes.
Once past the state line, the road enters the Cherokee National Forest, however the road is still much the same for another 6.3 miles (10.1 km) to SR-352/Flag Pond Road. From Flag Pond Road, it is just 1 mile (1.6 km) to Interstate 26, where US 19W merges with to Johnson City. US 19W overlaps with I-26/US 23 from exit 43 (Hill Road) to exit 20 (Roan Street). It leaves I-26, overlapped with US 11E continues north on the Bristol Highway for 9.4 miles (15.1 km), where reconnects with US 19E to reform US 19 near Bluff City.
Established in 1930, US 19 was split, at Cane River, into US 19E and US 19W. US 19E follows the original US routing via Spruce Pine and Elizabethton to Bluff City. US 19W was routed an alternate route with US 23 and NC 692 into Tennessee, then through the cities Erwin and Johnson City, before rejoining US 19E in Bluff City. In late 1934, NC 692 was dropped along route; then in 1952, US 23 abandoned US 19W in North Carolina by rerouting west through Faust and Wolf Laurel, meeting back at Ernestville. In 1984, US 19 was realigned on a more straight path in Yancey County, US 19W was thus extended .4 miles (0.64 km).[2][3]
Established in 1923 as new primary routing to Tennessee, NC 692 was the original highway number from Cane River to Spivey Gap. In 1929, NC 692 was truncated at Sioux, replaced by an extension of NC 19 from Bakersville. In 1930, US 19W and US 23 were overlapped on the remaining section of NC 692. In late 1934, NC 692 was decommissioned.[4]
North Carolina |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Location | Mile [1] | Destinations | Notes |
| Yancey | Cane River | 0 | US 19 south / US 19E north – Asheville, Burnsville | US 19W begins, 22 miles (35 km) to state line |
Tennessee |
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| County | Location | Mile [1] | Destinations | Notes |
| Unicoi | Ernestville | 6.3 | SR-352 (Flag Pond Road) | |
| 7.5 | I-26 / US-23 – Erwin, Johnson City, Asheville | East end of I-26 overlap, south end of US-23 overlap | ||
| US 19 overlaps with Interstate 26 (exits 43 to 20) | ||||
| Washington | Johnson City | 31 | I-26 / US-23 / US-11E south – Kingsport, Erwin, Asheville | East end of I-26 overlap, south end of US-11E/23 overlap |
| 31.5 | SR-36 north (Roan Street) | |||
| 32 | SR-381 south (State of Franklin Road) | |||
| Sullivan | Bluff City | 41 | US-11E north / US-19 north / US-19E south – Bristol, Elizabethton | US 19W ends |