North Carolina Highway 197
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| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by NCDOT | ||||
| Length: | 57.7 mi[1] (92.9 km) | |||
| Existed: | By 1924[2] – present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end: |
     Future I‑26 / US 19 / US 23 near Flat Creek | |||
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| North end: |
 SR 395 near Poplar | |||
| Location | ||||
| Counties: | Mitchell, Yancey, Buncombe | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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North Carolina Highway 197 (NC 197) is a north/south state highway in Western North Carolina. The route is approximately 58 miles (93 km) in length and with its continuation into Tennessee as SR 395 connects Erwin, Tennessee to Flat Creek, North Carolina.[3] Portions of this highway lie within the Pisgah National Forest and is one of the few highways in the state with an unpaved portion.
Route description
Mitchell County
Beginning at the state line with Tennessee, NC 197 enters the Pisgah National Forest and winds south down the Unaka escarpment to Poplar. South of Poplar, NC 197 begins the first of three segments where it follows the North Toe River and the former Clinchfield Railroad. It intersects and overlaps NC 226 for a short distance near Red Hill.
Yancey County
The final segment of NC 197 that follows the Toe River does so in the reverse direction as the previous two times this occurred. This segment comes after a railroad crossing and a new concrete arch bridge that carries the highway across the Toe River into Yancey County.
After leaving the river area, NC 197 continues through mountains and grassy knolls until it arrives at U.S. Route 19E (US 19E) just east of Burnsville.
Following a short overlap with US 19E, NC 197 leaves US 19E in Burnsville as Pensacola Road and goes through the Cane River valley to Pensacola. From Pensacola, NC 197 turns right and proceeds over Cane River Gap into Buncombe County after passing through Murchison.
Buncombe County
As it enters Buncombe County, NC 197 (now North Fork Road) turns to gravel as it crosses the Cane River Gap for a short distance and reenters the Pisgah National Forest for a short distance. As it winds its way down to the Barnardsville valley it crosses over the headwaters of Ivy Creek four times before it continues onto the pavement near Barnardsville.
From Barnardsville, NC 197 (as the Barnardsville Highway) becomes a relatively straight road that partially follows Ivy Creek until its junction with Future Interstate 26/US 19/US 23 at exit 15 near Flat Creek. Proceeding forward from the end of NC 197 is Jupiter Road (SR 1756).
A right turn before the overpass allows access to west I-26/north US 19/US 23 to Johnson City, Tennessee. A left turn after the I-26 underpass allows access to east I-26/south US 19/US 23 to Asheville.
History
From the 1920s-1940s, NC 197 was formed, running from Cane Creek Post Office (near Burnsville) to Bakersville. Portions of that alignment are now NC 226.[2] Between 1924 and 1948 the highway's route had been changed to run from the former NC 26 at Red Hill southward to Flat Creek along a route similar to that in use today.[4] In the 1980s, NC 197 is extended from Red Hill to the Tennessee state line where it enters Tennessee as TN 395.[5]
Major junctions
| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buncombe | Flat Creek | 0.0– 0.1 | 0.0– 0.16 | Future I‑26 / US 19 / US 23 / Jupiter Road – Asheville, Johnson City | Exit 15 (Future I-26) |
| Yancey | Burnsville | 30.8 | 49.6 |  US 19E south / Pensacola Road – Burnsville | Southern end of US 19E concurrency |
| | 31.5 | 50.7 | US 19E north – Spruce Pine | Northern end of US 19E concurrency | |
| Mitchell | Red Hill | 42.6 | 68.6 |  NC 226 south – Bakersville, Spruce Pine | Southern end of NC 226 concurrency |
| 42.8 | 68.9 | NC 226 north | Northern end of NC 226 concurrency | ||
| | 57.7 | 92.9 | SR 395 west | Tennessee state line | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- 1 2 Google (April 24, 2016). "North Carolina Highway 197" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
- 1 2 The State Highway System of North Carolina (Map) (June 1, 1924 ed.). State of North Carolina, Office of the Senior Highway Engineer.
- ↑ 2007 North Carolina State Transportation Map (Map) (2007 ed.). NCDOT Communications Office and Geographic Information Services Unit. § C2, D2.
- ↑ North Carolina Primary Highway System (Map) (1948-1949 ed.). North Carolina State Highway and Public Works Commission. § C2, C3.
- ↑ North Carolina Official Transportation Map (Map) (1992 ed.). N.C. Department of Transportation/N.C. Department of Economic and Community Development, Travel and Tourism Division. § C2, D2.