U.S. Route 23 in North Carolina

U.S. Route 23
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length: 106 mi[1] (171 km)
Existed: 1930 – present
Major junctions
South end: US 23 / US 441 / SR 15 at the GA line near Dillard, GA
  US 74 / US 441 in Dillsboro
I-26 / I-240 / US 19 / US 70 in Asheville
North end: I-26 / US-23 at the TN line near Flag Pond, TN
Location
Counties: Macon, Jackson, Haywood, Buncombe, Madison
Highway system

United States Numbered Highways
List • Bannered • Divided • Replaced

North Carolina Highway System

← NC 22 NC 24 →

U.S. Route 23 is an 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.

Contents

Route description

From the Georgia state line, with US 441, it goes through the communities of Norton and Ottto 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 4-lane, the exception being between Canton and Candler.

History

Established in 1930, it entered from Georgia and followed a similar route as the route today to Enka. In Asheville, its 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.[2]

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.[2]

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, it's old route is signed today as US 441 Business. Also in same year, Sylva was bypassed to the north, leaving US 23 Business following the old route through town.[2]

In 2006, US 23 moved onto I-26, north of Mars Hill, leaving US 23A following the old route through northern Madison County.[2]

Junction list

County Location Mile[1] Exit Destinations Notes
Macon Franklin 12
US 64 west / US 441 Bus. north – Franklin, Murphy		 West end of US 64 overlap
14 US 64 east / NC 28 (Highlands Road) – Franklin, Highlands East end of US 64 overlap
15.5
US 441 Bus. west (Main Street) – Franklin
Jackson 29 NC 116 east (Webster Road) – Webster
Dillsboro 32
US 23 Bus. north (Haywood Road) – Dillsboro, Sylva
32.5 81* US 74 west / US 441 north (Great Smoky Mountains Expressway) – Cherokee, Bryson City West end of US 74 overlap, north end of US 441 overlap
Sylva 34.5 83 Sylva Grindstaff Cove Road
36.5 85*
US 23 Bus. to NC 107 – Sylva		 To Western Carolina University
Haywood Balsam 45 Blue Ridge Parkway
Waynesville 49.5 98*
US 23 Bus. – Waynesville
51 100* Hazelwood Avenue
53 102* US 276 – Waynesville, Brevard
Lake Junaluska 54.5 103* US 19 south – Maggie Valley South end of US 19 overlap
55 104*
US 23 Bus. / NC 209 – Lake Junaluska, Waynesville, Hot Springs
56 105* West Jones Cove
Clyde 57 106* To I-40 / US 74 east (Great Smoky Mountains Expressway) – Asheville, Knoxville East end of US 74 overlap
Canton 61 NC 215 north (Blackwell Drive) North end of NC 215 overlap
61.8 NC 215 south (Reed Street) South end of NC 215 overlap
62 NC 110 south (Pisgah Drive)
Buncombe Candler 71 NC 151 south (Pisgah Highway)
Enka 72.5 NC 112 east (Sand Hills Road)
Asheville 74 I-40 / US 74 / US 74A – Statesville, Knoxville West end of US 74A overlap
76.5
US 19 Bus. north / US 23 Bus. north (Haywood Road)
77 NC 63 north (Leicester Highway) – Leicester
78
I-26 east / I-240 west / US 19 Bus. south / US 23 Bus. south		 East end of I-26 overlap, west end of I-240 overlap; business routes hidden at intersection
US 23 overlaps with Interstate 26 (exits 3A to Tennessee state line)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
     Concurrency terminus •      Closed/Former •      Incomplete access •      Unopened

Note – Exit numbers with an asterisk (*) are numbered by US 74.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Google, Inc. Google Maps – US 23 (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=US-23+N%2FUS-441+N%2FGeorgia+Rd&daddr=35.5345522,-82.826245+to:35.545357,-82.673101+to:35.57735,-82.61078+to:I-26+W&hl=en&geocode=FUj6FQIdnLEH-w%3BFdg2HgId-ysQ-ynpvhfqVoNZiDFiqP043jtSjQ%3BFQ1hHgIdM4IS-ylRWfBgQY5ZiDEQQBpjW08RaA%3BFQbeHgIdpHUT-ym38pnTXYxZiDFtIM1NsSCOvw%3BFb6fJAIdJzsU-w&mra=dpe&mrsp=3&sz=13&via=1,2,3&sll=35.564071,-82.611179&sspn=0.104311,0.222988&ie=UTF8&ll=35.503164,-82.998962&spn=1.6702,3.56781&z=9. Retrieved 2011-02-17. 
  2. ^ a b c d "NCRoads.com: U.S. 23". http://members.cox.net/ncroads/us023.html. Retrieved 2011-02-17. 
U.S. Route 23
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