U.S. 23 Business | U.S. 23-A
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| U.S. 23 119 miles | |||||
| The Road: | Enters Macon County from Georgia below Otto. Leaves Madison County into Tennessee at Sams Gap
Nationally, US 23 runs from US 1-17 Jacksonville, FL to I-75 Mackinaw City, MI. |
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| Towns and Attractions: | Macon Co.: Franklin
Jackson Co.: Dillsboro, Sylva Haywood Co.: Waynesville, Lake Junaluska, Clyde (W. Carolina Blvd), Canton (Church St) Buncombe Co.: Enka, West Asheville (Haywood St), Asheville, Weaverville Madison Co.: EXIT for Mars Hill | ||||
| History: | US 23 is an original 1927 US Route, but it did not come to North Carolina until 1931 when its southern end was moved from southeastern Kentucky. At that time, US 23 entered north from Tennessee with US 19W/NC 26, then proceeded south along US 19/NC 69 to Weaverville, and Asheville; then along US 19/NC 10 to Canton, Waynesville, and Sylva; then along NC 285 from Dillsboro down to Franklin and south into Georgia on its way to Atlanta.
US 23 followed modern US 19W and US 19 down to the modern Madison-Yancey Line, but most likely followed "Old US 19" from there to the settlement of Bethel. Instead of going to Mars Hill, US 23 veered south along today's Middle Fork Road to the communities of Beech Glen and Ivy before heading south to Asheville via "Old Highway 19" and "Old Mars Hill Hwy" to Flat Creek, Stocksville, and Main St. through Weaverville. US 23 followed Merrimon Ave south of Weaverville until it reached downtown Asheville on Broadway then Biltmore Ave. US 23 then ventured west on Hilliard Ave, then south on Clingman, west on Haywood across the French Broad River, and exited westward along Haywood St. 
US 23 continued through Enka as it does today, then used "Old NC 19-23" through Candler Heights and Luther before picking up modern US 23 through Canton. US 23 probably followed today's Broad St through Phillipsville heading for Clyde and possible Lake Junaluska. US 23 definitely followed Main St through Waynesville and "Old US 19A-23" from there to Saunook. US 23 appears to have followed modern 23 through Balsam Gap to Willetts, but veered northwest to Addie and Foster on today's Skyline Drive over to Sylva. US 23 used today's 23 Business over to Dillsboro, then it appears modern 23 down to Franklin, where 23 used Main St and today's US 441 Business. US 23 headed south to Georgia using several "Old US 23" routings that exist below Franklin. In 1933 US 23's Asheville routing changed slightly, leaving Broadway Ave via College St over to Patton to Clingman instead of Hilliard. Biltmore Ave remained part of US 25. In late 1934 all the NC-route multiplexes were removed from US 23: NC 26 from TN to Sioux; NC 692 from Sioux to Cane River; NC 69 from Cane River to Asheville; NC 10 from Asheville to Dillsboro; NC 285 from Dillsboro to GA. In 1947, US 23 was rerouted to go nearer to Mars Hill, which was straighter and more direct. This replaced a piece of NC 213. See the scans below (courtesy NCRoads.com):
Between 1947-50, US 23 was routed to go directly from Willets to Sylva. In 1951 or 1952, US 23 was rerouted in Tennessee and North Carolina to drop due south from the Erwin, Tn area to Mars Hill. This replaced NC 36 and left behind US 19W and US 19. This reduced US 23's mileage in NC by 22 miles and reduced US 23's overall length by 16 miles.
It appears that in the 1958-63 timeframe US 23 was rebuilt between Franklin and Georgia, as the mileage between these two points increased from 14 to 16. It appears by 1963, US 23 was straightened out to bypass Luther and leave behind "Old NC 19-23"
Between 1964-68 US 23 was placed on new freeway to bypass Weaverville, leaving behind US 19 Business and "Old US 19A-23"
By 1974, US 23 was taken off Merrimon Ave and placed on new freeway that connected the Weaverville Bypass to the East-West Freeway in Asheville. Merrimon Ave remained part of US 25, though.
In 1975 or slightly later, US 23 was placed onto an extended freeway to bypass Stocksville and Mars Hill.
Between 1994-2000, US 23 was put onto new Freeway around Mars Hill to the US 19-23 split. When I-26 was completed from the US 19-23 split and the Tennessee border in late 2003, US 23 was NOT added to it.
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| U.S. 23 Business 3 miles | ||||
| The route: | US 23 Business for West Asheville was created in 1960 as a renumbering of US 23-A. At that time it ran along Haywood Rd through West Asheville and across the French Broad River, then north along Clingman Ave to Patton Ave, which was mainline US 23.
By 1963, US 23 Business was shortened. US 23 Business left Haywood at N. Hanover St (which also carried NC 191 then) to head north to Patton Ave, without crossing the French Broad River at all. The old route over to Asheville has been unnumbered since. About 1970, Hanover St was converted into the freeway that now carries I-26/240, and US 23 Business remained as well. In the late 80's posting of US 23 Business on the freeway itself was spotty if not missing altogether. I do not know if that situation has improved any since then. US 23 Business is 100% cosigned with US 19 Business. The original routing of US 23 Business here was part of original NC 10. |
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| U.S. 23 Business 7 miles | ||||
| The route: | US 23 Business for Waynesville and Hazelwood was created between 1964-68 as a renumbering of US 23 mainline. US 23 Business follows Main St. through both towns and uses Hyatt Creek Rd to get back to mainline US 23 (not part of 23 before).
US 23 Business has a brief multiplex with US 276 and was once the routing of NC 10. |
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| U.S. 23 Business 5 miles | ||||
| The route: | US 23 Business for Sylva was created in the mid-70's as a renumbering of mainline US 23. US 23 Business uses Main St in Sylva and was once the route of NC 10. | |||
Last Update: 2 April 2005
U.S. 23 | U.S. 23-A
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