North Carolina Highway 107

Route description

The highway is four lanes between Sylva and Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, and two lanes beyond. Between WCU and Cashiers (about 18 miles (29 km)), the highway is a winding mountain road, and continues in this manner all the way to the South Carolina state border. Before it was straightened and bypassed around Cullowhee in 1978-1981, the road followed the Tuckasegee River through Cullowhee, and went along the opposite edge of Western Carolina University. This is now known as Old Cullowhee Road and is planned to become the new downtown area for Cullowhee. The area of NC 107 around Sylva is lined with businesses.

History

Established in the early 1920s as an original highway, it was a spur of NC 10 (now Old Highway 19A) from Ela, through Cherokee, to the Tennessee state line at Newfound Gap.

In 1940, the highway was rerouted south of Cherokee, replacing NC 107E; it then went concurrently with US 19 (now US 74/US 441) and Haywood Road (SR 1514) to Dillsboro and Sylva (now US 23 Bus). From Sylva, it replaced all of NC 106 south, through Cullowhee and Cashiers, to the South Carolina state line. The old route between Ela to Cherokee became part of NC 28 (now US 19).

In 1952, was truncated to its current northern terminus in Sylva; its route between Dillsboro to Tennessee was replaced by US 441. The final major change happened in 1981, when NC 107 was rerouted onto a new four-lane bypass west of Cullowhee; the old route became Old Cullowhee Road (SR 1002).

In 1994, the "Southern Loop" was added to the Jackson County thoroughfare plan that was to connect NC 107 with US 23/US 441 south of Dillsboro to US 23/US 74 east of Sylva; in 2003, it was added to the North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) State Transportation Improvement Program as R-4745. In 2008, the western half of the project was removed, leaving the eastern half; the project was renamed the NC 107 Connector. Environmental impact studies were completed by end of 2012; however right of way acquisition was scheduled for 2021 and with construction unfunded (estimated cost at $132 million) and scheduled after 2023. On June 27, 2013, NCDOT issued a news release stating that after local input regarding the NC 107 connector, it was decided that they would instead focus on improving the existing NC 107 corridor between NC 106 and US 23 Bus. Once improvements along this section is complete, NCDOT will decide whether there is a need for further study of the NC 107 Connector.

North Carolina Highway 107E

North Carolina Highway 107E (NC 107E) was established around 1938 as a renumbering of NC 112, from US 19 (now US 74/US 441) near Whittier, to NC 107 (now US 19/US 441 Bus.) in Cherokee. In 1940, it was replaced by realignment of NC 107 (now US 441/US 441 Bus.).

Future

NCDOT plans to modernize two sections of NC 107. The first 7.06-mile (11.36 km) section of NC 107 is between the climbing lane to NC 281. The project includes widening lanes to twelve feet (3.7 m) from the current nine-foot (2.7 m) width and paving shoulders. At an estimated cost of $17.1 million, it is currently unfunded. The second 4.04-mile (6.50 km) section of NC 107 is between NC 281 and SR 1002 (Old Cullowhee Road). The project includes widening lanes to twelve feet (3.7 m) from the current nine feet (2.7 m) and improve shoulders. At an estimated cost of $18.6 million, it is also currently unfunded.

Currently as a future study, the NC 107 Connector would be a new 2.77-mile (4.46 km) four-lane freeway, connecting between NC 107 and US 23/US 74, east of Sylva. At an estimated cost of $66 million, it is currently unfunded.

Junction list

The entire route is in Jackson County.