U.S. Route 19 (US 19) traverses across

Western North Carolina Western North Carolina (often abbreviated as WNC) is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains; it is often known geographically as the state's Mountain Region. It contains the highest mountains in the Eastern United S ...

; from the

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

state line, at the community of Bellview, to

Cane River Cane River (''Rivière aux Cannes'') is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 3, 2011 formed from a portion of the Red River that is located in Natchitoches Pa ...

, where US 19 splits into US 19E and US 19W, which take separate routes into

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to t ...

Route description

US 19 begins at the Georgia state line overlapped with US 129 and continues toward Cherokee as Lee Highway. ; into North Carolina, it joins with US 64/US 74 in Ranger. From Ranger to

Andrews Andrews may refer to: Places Australia *Andrews, Queensland *Andrews, South Australia United States * Andrews, Florida (disambiguation), various places *Andrews, Indiana * Andrews, Nebraska *Andrews, North Carolina * Andrews, Oregon *Andrews, Sou ...

, the highway is a four-lane expressway that bypasses all the towns and communities along its route. After Andrews, US 19 reverts to two-lane through the Nantahala Gorge, which both scenic and somewhat curvy drive till Almond. At the start of the

Great Smoky Mountains Expressway The Great Smoky Mountains Expressway is a four-lane divided highway that serves as the main east–west corridor through Southwestern North Carolina; connecting the towns of Bryson City, Sylva and Waynesville to Interstate 40. Its establishme ...

, US 19 exits off towards the towns of

Bryson City Bryson City is a town in Swain County, North Carolina in the United States. The population was 1558 as of the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of Swain County. Located in what was historically the land of the Cherokee, Bryson City was founded ...

and Cherokee. At Cherokee, travelers may go north on US 441 to the

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, whic ...

or to the

Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenan ...

before traveling through the rest of the

Qualla Boundary The Qualla Boundary or The Qualla is territory held as a land trust by the United States government for the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who reside in western North Carolina. The area is part of the large historic Chero ...

. The highway expands back into a four-lane expressway in Maggie Valley, where it then merges with the

for before exiting back off towards Clyde. From here, US 19 parallels with

I-40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to eas ...

Asheville Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...

. US 19 joins other highways in Asheville crossing over the

French Broad River The French Broad River is a river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It flows from near the town of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee, where its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville forms ...

, then follows I-26 to

Mars Hill, North Carolina Mars Hill is a town in Madison County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,869 at the 2010 U.S. Census, and was estimated at 2,032 in 2018 by the U.S. Census. It is the home of Mars Hill University, the name of which was inspired b ...

. At exit 9, US 19 splits from I-26/US 23; after , US 19 splits into US 19E and US 19W at

. US 19 travels a total of from the Georgia state line to Cane River. US 19 also make up part of

Corridor A The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historica ...

Corridor B The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historica ...

and

Corridor K The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historica ...

in the

Appalachian Development Highway System The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historica ...

(ADHS). Corridor A connects I-285, in

Sandy Springs, Georgia Sandy Springs is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia and an inner ring suburb of Atlanta. The city's population was 108,080 at the 2020 census, making it Georgia's seventh-largest city. It is the site of several corporate headquarters, i ...

, to

, near

Clyde, North Carolina Clyde is a town in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. The 2010 census recorded the population at 1,223 people. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Prior to European colonization, the area that is now Cly ...

, it overlaps of US 19. Corridor B connects

, in

Asheville, North Carolina Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous ci ...

, with US 23, near

Lucasville, Ohio Lucasville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,757 at the 2010 census. Lucasville is the location of the Scioto County Fairgrounds. The Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Ohio's one o ...

, it overlaps of US 19. Corridor K connects

I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...

, in

Cleveland, Tennessee Cleveland is the county seat of and largest city in Bradley County, Tennessee, Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 47,356 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Cleveland metropolit ...

, with US 23, in

Dillsboro, North Carolina Dillsboro is a town in Jackson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 232 at the 2010 census. Dillsboro attracts tourists traveling to the Great Smoky Mountains. The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad begins in Dillsboro and follo ...

, overlapping of US 19. ADHS provides additional funds, as authorized by the U.S. Congress, which have enabled US 19 to benefit from the successive improvements along its routing through each corridor. The white-on-blue banner "Appalachian Highway" is used to mark the ADHS corridor.

Dedicated and memorial names

US 19 in North Carolina has three dedicated or memorialized sections of highway. *

- official name of US 19, on sections that overlap with US 74 in Haywood County. (approved on September 16, 1983). * Liston B. Ramsey Freeway - official name of US 19, on the section that overlaps with I-26 in Madison County. * Morris L. McGough Freeway – official name of I-26/US 19/ US 23 from I-240 to the Buncombe/

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

county line (approved on April 4, 2002).

Scenic byways

US 19 is part of two scenic byways in the state (indicated by a Scenic Byways sign). Nantahala Byway is an byway from

Marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

to Whittier; it traverses along the

Nantahala River The Nantahala River ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Tuckasegee River The Tuckasegee River (variant spellings include Tuckaseegee and Tuckaseigee) flows entirely within western North Carolina. It begins its course in Jackson County above Cullowhee at the confluence of Panthertown and Greenland creeks. It flows ...

. US 19 overlaps almost the entire route, except south and east of

. This byway also connects to the Indian Lakes Scenic Byway (at Topton and Almond via

US 129 U.S. Route 129 (US 129) is an auxiliary route of US 29, which it intersects in Athens, Georgia. US 129 currently runs for from an intersection with US 19/ US 27 ALT/ US 98 in Chiefland, Florida, to an interchange ...

and NC 28). Mount Mitchell Scenic Drive is an byway from

Interstate 26 Interstate 26 (I-26) is a main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. Nominally east–west, as indicated by its even number, I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W (US 11W) and US 23 in ...

, through Burnsville, to the summit of

Mount Mitchell State Park Mount Mitchell State Park is a North Carolina state park in Yancey County, North Carolina in the United States. Established in 1915 by the state legislature, it became the first state park of North Carolina. By doing so, it also established the ...

. It is known for its vistas in and around the Black Mountains. US 19 overlaps from

to Micaville.

History

Established in 1927, US 19 traversed from the Georgia state line (at Bellview) to the Tennessee state line (at Elk Park), roughly similar to the route seen today. In 1930, US 19 was truncated at Cane River, where it was split into US 19E and US 19W; US 19E follows the original US 19 routing north. In 1932, it was rerouted in Asheville from Haywood Road to Clingman Avenue, to Hilliard Avenue to Biltmore Avenue towards Broadway Street. In 1937, US 19 was rerouted south of Almond to its current alignment today; while it was rerouted through downtown Asheville again: from Haywood Road to Clingman Avenue to Patton Avenue to College Avenue to Biltmore Avenue towards Broadway Street. In the 1940s, additional construction work on US 19 was assured by a compromise made with the

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), ( Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᏱ ᏕᏣᏓᏂᎸᎩ, ''Tsalagiyi Detsadanilvgi'') is a federally recognized Indian Tribe based in Western North Carolina in the United States. They are descended from the smal ...

in return for right-of-way through the

for the

. In 1947, US 19 was rerouted from Ela, traversing through Dillsboro, Sylva, and Waynesville, to Lake Junaluska. The old route, through Cherokee and Maggie Valley became US 19A. In 1948, it was switched, having US 19 back along the original route and US 19A going south to Lake Junaluska. In 1949, US 19 was moved onto the Smokey Park Highway/Patton Avenue as a bypass in West Asheville. The old alignment became US 19A (today's US 19 Business). In 1952, US 19 was rerouted off Martins Creek Road and onto Blairsville Highway, near Ranger. In 1954, US 19 was realigned to its current route from Lake Junaluska to Clyde and Canton; of the old route was replaced by NC 209. Between 1955-57, US 19 was split onto one-way streets in downtown Asheville: Northbound used Patton, to Market, to Woodfin, to Broadway; southbound used Broadway to College, to Patton. In 1961, US 19 removed from downtown Asheville and put on the East-West Expressway, north at Marrimon Avenue. Between 1963-68, US 19 was split onto one-way streets in downtown Canton (Park Street and Main Street). In 1961, US 19 was moved onto new freeway west of Weaverville; the old route became US 19 Business. In 1973, US 19 was removed from Marrimon Avenue to its current alignment north of Asheville. In 1975, the freeway US 19 traversed was extended from Weaverville to Mars Hill. In 1979, US 19 bypassed Andrews; US 19 Business replaced the old route. In 1980, US 19 bypassed Murphy; US 19 Business replaced the old route. In 1984, US 19 was realigned in Yancey County to its current routing, US 19W was extended south. In 1982, NCDOT submitted a request to AASHTO to swap US 19 and US 19A between Bryson City and Lake Junaluska; opposition by businesses in the resort town of Maggie Valley, who opposed losing US 19, prevented this. In 1986, US 74 was extended west from

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020 ...

, which overlapped nearly all of the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway, via US 19 and US 19 Bypass; the following year, US 19 Bypass was decommissioned in favor of US 74. On November 2, 2012, US 19/US 19E was widened from I-26 to Jacks Creek Road, just west of Burnsville. At $107.9 million, the two-lane mountain road was upgraded to a four-lane highway, and the first for Yancey County. Governor

Bev Perdue Beverly Eaves Perdue (born Beverly Marlene Moore; January 14, 1947) is an American businesswoman, politician, and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 73rd governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013. She was the first female go ...

was on hand at the ribbon cutting ceremony opening the highway.

Future

US 19/74, from

to Almond, is to be realigned onto a new multi-lane highway west of the Nantahala Gorge. The project is broken into several sections, all subject to reprioritization. US 19/23, from

Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ente ...

to Candler, is to be widened to a multi-lane highway and its bridge replaced over the Pigeon River. This project is currently funded. US 19, in concurrency with

and

US 23 } U.S. Route 23 or U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) is a major north–south U.S. Highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south as Portsmouth, Ohio, and has sinc ...

, 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. Two bridges over Richland Creek are planned to be replaced in Lake Junaluska, and the interchange with US 23/74 is to be redesigned to make it safer.

Junction list

References

External links

*
NCRoads.com: US 19

{{DEFAULTSORT:U.S. Route 19 In North Carolina 19 North Carolina Transportation in Cherokee County, North Carolina Transportation in Graham County, North Carolina Transportation in Swain County, North Carolina Transportation in Jackson County, North Carolina Transportation in Haywood County, North Carolina Transportation in Buncombe County, North Carolina Transportation in Madison County, North Carolina Transportation in Yancey County, North Carolina