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U.S. Route 19W

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Suffixed section of U.S. Highway in Tennessee and North Carolina This article is about the section of U.S. Route 19W. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 19.

U.S. Route 19W markerU.S. Route 19W
US 19W highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 19
Length62.9 mi (101.2 km)
Existed1930–present
Major junctions
South end US 19 / US 19E in Cane River, NC
Major intersections I-26 / US 23 near Erwin, TN
North end US 11E / US 19 / US 19E near Bluff City, TN
Location
CountryUnited States
StatesNorth Carolina, Tennessee
CountiesNC: Yancey
TN: Unicoi, Carter, Washington, Sullivan
Highway system
← US 19ENC→ NC 20
← US 19ETN→ SR 20

U.S. Route 19W (US 19W) traverses approximately 63 miles (101 km) from Cane River, North Carolina, to Bluff City, Tennessee.

Route description

A misspelled sign stating that trucks are "not recommended" on US 19W.

US 19W begins in North Carolina in western Yancey County in 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 Pisgah National Forest, connecting the communities of Elk Shoal, Ramseytown, and Sioux, to the Tennessee state line (near Spivey Gap), a 22-mile (35 km) drive of frequent curves and elevation changes.

Once past the state line in Tennessee, the road enters the Cherokee National Forest and is much the same for another 6.3 miles (10.1 km) to State Route 352 (SR 352)/Flag Pond Road. From Flag Pond Road, it is just one mile (1.6 km) to Interstate 26 (I-26), where US 19W merges with the Interstate to Johnson City. US 19W overlaps with I-26/US 23 from exit 43 (Hill Road) to exit 20 (Roan Street). There it leaves I-26 and continues north on the Bristol Highway, overlapped with US 11E, for 9.4 miles (15.1 km), after which it reconnects with US 19E to reform US 19 near Bluff City.

History

US 19W in Ramseytown

Established in 1930, US 19 was split at Cane River into US 19E and US 19W. US 19E follows the original routing via Spruce Pine and Elizabethton to Bluff City. US 19W was rerouted with US 23 and North Carolina Highway 692 (NC 692) into Tennessee, then through the cities of Erwin and Johnson City, before rejoining US 19E in Bluff City. In late 1934, NC 692 was dropped along the 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 straighter path in Yancey County; US 19W was thus extended 0.4 miles (0.64 km).

In late September 2024, several large sections of US 19W was washed out by the effects of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. In November, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) stated that it expects to spend $1 billion to rebuild the two-lane highway, which could take six to 10 years. A new, permanent US 19W would be to modern standards, which likely mean wider shoulders and possibly wider travel lanes; concrete walls will also be used instead of earthen embankments in some places. Until then, temporary gravel roads are being used to connect isolated communities.

North Carolina Highway 692

North Carolina Highway 692 markerNorth Carolina Highway 692
LocationCane River, North Carolina–Tennessee state line
Length21.6 mi (34.8 km)
Existed1923–1930

North Carolina Highway 692 (NC 692) was 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.

Junction list

StateCountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
North CarolinaYanceyCane River0.00.0

US 19 south / US 19E north – Asheville, Burnsville		US 19 splits into US 19E and US 19W; southern terminus
​15.124.3Huntdale Road – Huntdale
 21.9
0.0		35.2
0.0		North Carolina–Tennessee state line
TennesseeUnicoiErnestville6.310.1
SR 352 west (Flag Pond Road) – Flag Pond		Eastern terminus of SR 352
Temple Hill7.512.1

I-26 east / US 23 south – Asheville		East end of I-26 and south end of US 23 overlap
See Interstate 26 (exits 43 to 20)
WashingtonJohnson City31.049.9


I-26 west / US 23 north / US 11E south (Roan Street / SR 34) – Kingsport		West end of I-26, south end of US 11E/SR 34, north end of US 23 overlap
31.550.7
SR 36 north (North Roan Street) – Boones Creek, Kingsport		North end of SR 36 overlap
32.051.5
SR 381 south (State of Franklin Road) – Kingsport		Northern terminus of SR 381
SullivanBluff City41.066.0


US 11E north / US 19 north (SR 34) / US 19E south (SR 37) – Bristol, Bluff City, Elizabethton		Northern terminus of US 19E and 19W; 19E and 19W come together to form US 19
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ "US 19W" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  2. Executive Committee (May 26, 1930). "Minutes of Executive Committee" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway Officials. Retrieved February 17, 2024 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  3. "NCRoads.com: US 19". Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  4. "NCRoads.com: US 19-W". Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  5. Stradling, Richard (November 14, 2024). "NCDOT: Helene repairs will cost $5 billion. This road will account for a fifth of that". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  6. "North Carolina Highway 692" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  7. "NCRoads.com: N.C. 692". Retrieved July 14, 2013.

External links

KML file (edit • help) Template:Attached KML/U.S. Route 19WKML is from Wikidata
U.S. Routes related to US 19
Preceded byNorth Carolina U.S. Route 19
US 19W
US 19E 		Succeeded byTennessee
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