Route description
From the Georgia state line, with US 441, it goes through the communities of Norton and Otto 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 Interstate 40 (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 four lanes, the exception being between Canton and Candler.
US 23 also make up part of Corridor A and Corridor B in the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS). Corridor A connects I-285, in Sandy Springs, Georgia, to I-40, near Clyde, North Carolina; it overlaps 46 miles (74 km) of US 23. Corridor B connects I-40, in Asheville, North Carolina, with US 23, near Lucasville, Ohio, it overlaps 28 miles (45 km) of US 23. ADHS provides additional funds, as authorized by Congress, which have enabled US 23 to benefit from the successive improvements along its routing in both corridors. The white-on-blue banner "Appalachian Highway" is used to mark the ADHS corridor.[2]
Dedicated and memorial names
US 23 in North Carolina has three dedicated or memorialized sections of highway.
Scenic byways
US 23 is part of one scenic byway in the state (indicated by a Scenic Byways sign).[4]
I-26 Scenic Byway is a nine-mile (14 km) byway from the Tennessee state line to exit 9 (US 19/US 23A), near Mars Hill. US 23, in concurrency with I-26, traverses the entire length, known for its unspoiled views of the North Carolina mountains.[4]
History
Established in 1930, it entered from Georgia and followed a similar route as the route today to Enka. In Asheville, it went along route Haywood Street across the French Broad River to Jefferson Drive to Patton Drive to Broadway then finally Merrimon Avenue 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.[5]
By 1932, US 23 was rerouted in Asheville to use Haywood Street to Clingman Avenue to Hilliard Avenue to Biltmore Avenue which turns into Broadway. By 1937, US 23 was rerouted again, using Clingman Avenue to Patton Avenue to College Street to Biltmore Avenue. Between 1939–1944, US 23 was rerouted in Waynesville to use US 276/Russ Street to Walnut Street back to US 23 Business (US 23 Bus.). The old Main Street routing became US 19A/US 23A. In 1949, US 23 was moved west onto new bypass (Patton Avenue) around western Asheville, leaving US 23A (later US 23 Bus.). In 1952, US 23 was rerouted north of Mars Hill, replacing North Carolina Highway 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.[5]
In 1968, US 23 was placed on new freeway bypass west of Waynesville, leaving US 23 Bus. through town. In 1974, US 23 bypassed Franklin to the east, its old route is signed today as US 441 Bus. Also in the same year, Sylva was bypassed to the north, leaving US 23 Bus. following the old route through town.[5]
In 2006, US 23 moved onto I-26, north of Mars Hill, leaving US 23A following the old route through northern Madison County.[5]
Future
US 19/US 23, from Canton to Candler, is to be widened to a multilane highway and its bridge replaced over the Pigeon River. This project is currently funded.[6][7]
US 23, in concurrency with I-26 and US 19, is planned to be realigned onto a new interchange at I-240 and freeway improvements north from it. Right-of-way purchases are to begin in 2023; however, the project is unfunded.[8][9][needs update]
US 23 / US 441 / SR 15 at the Georgia line
