North Carolina Highway 105
NC Highway 105 | ||||
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Route information | ||||
Maintained by NCDOT | ||||
Length: | 17.7 mi[1] (28.5 km) | |||
Existed: | 1956 – present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end: | ![]() |
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North end: | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Location | ||||
Counties: | Avery, Watauga | |||
Highway system | ||||
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North Carolina Highway 105 is a primary state highway in the state of North Carolina. It traverses from the mountain community of Linville to the town of Boone.
Contents
Route description
Constructed about 1956, NC 105 follows the general route of the old ET&WNC "Tweetsie" Railroad connecting Linville to Boone before a major flood washed away many sections of the roadbed in 1940. For the most part the highway was not built on the actual roadbed. Unlike other roads in the area, it was less curvy and made the most direct route to Boone compared to US 221 and NC 194. The highway also doubles as a truck routes for US 221, US 321, and US 421.[1][2]
The first 4 miles (6.4 km) of the highway is two-lane and goes by the gated communities Grandfather Golf & Country Club and Linville Ridge. At the Tynecastle intersection in Linville Gap, it crosses the Eastern Continental Divide and begins to descend into a valley area. On this section of the highway, the south-bound traffic has a passing lane and Trucks are required to drive 45 mph. Once the descent ends, the route briefly passes through the town limits of Seven Devils. Between Seven Devils and Broadstone Road is the unincorporated community of Foscoe. Some of the best views of Grandfather Mountain can be seen at this section of the highway for southbound traffic; it is also notorious for traffic back-ups by travelers trying to stop and visit shops on either side of the road. A brief south-bound passing lane is available near Hound Ears, however drivers typically do not go fast enough to take advantage of the passing zone or slower traffic will stay left causing drivers to pass on the right. Between Broadstone Road and NC 105 Bypass, the highway ascends towards Boone, the north-bound traffic expands to two lanes; probably the least scenic section of the road thanks to a rock quarry and asphalt plant on either side of the road. In Boone, the highway becomes a full four-lane highway for the rest of the route and connects to two major roads: Blowing Rock Road and East King Street.[1][2]
Dedicated and memorial names
NC 105 has one dedicated or memorialized stretches of freeway.
- W Ralph Winkler Highway – Official name of highway, from the Avery/Watauga county line to Blowing Rock Road. It is dedicated to Ralph Winkler, who was a member of the State Highway and Public Works Commission in the 1950s.
History
Established in 1956 as a new primary route between Linville and Boone, it converted the ETWN "Tweetsie" railroad that had discontinued service since a major flood in 1940.[3][4]
Prior to 1956, NC 105 was originally assigned as a primary route from Nebo to Linville Falls in 1926.[5][6] It was then extended in 1929 slightly south to the US 70/NC 10.[7][8] In 1935, the highways was rerouted from Longtown[9] to Morganton; the old route to Nebo was re-branded as NC 105A.[10][11] In 1940, NC 105 was restored to its original route to Nebo, eliminating NC 105-A; the route from Longtown to Morganton was rebannered as NC 126.[12][13] Then finally in 1954, it was decommissioned; NC 126 was extended from Longtown to Nebo, while NC 183 extended over a small section in Linville Falls.[3][14] . . The remaining section, known as "Old NC Highway 105 ", has remained unchanged and is not recommended for vehicles without four-wheel drive. It's rugged and views of the Linville Gorge Wilderness makes it a unique part of the Pisgah Loop Scenic Byway.[15][16]
Future
Identified by local and state officials as a critical highway in the High Country, that is choked by high truck volumes and seasonal tourist traffic, NCDOT plans to widen 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of NC 105 into a divided four-lane highway from Clarks Creek Road east of Foscoe to N.C. 105 Bypass in Boone. [17]
Junction list
County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
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Avery | Linville | 0.0 | 0.0 | ![]() ![]() |
To Grandfather Mountain |
Sugar Mountain | 4.0 | 6.4 | ![]() |
To Lees-McRae College and ski areas | |
Watauga | | 12.0 | 19.3 | Broadstone Road – Valle Crucis | |
Boone | 15.0 | 24.1 | NC 105 Bypass | ||
17.0 | 27.4 | ![]() ![]() |
South end of US 221 overlap; to ASU | ||
17.7 | 28.5 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
North end of US 221 overlap | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Bannered routes
Nebo–Longtown alternate spur
NC Highway 105A | |
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Location: | Nebo–Longtown, NC |
Length: | 7.6 mi[18] (12.2 km) |
Existed: | 1935–1940 |
North Carolina Highway 105A (NC 105A) was established in 1935, when NC 105 was rerouted on new primary routing along the north bank of Lake James and then southwest into Morganton. In 1940, NC 105 reverted to its old alignment with Nebo when NC 126 was established; in 1954, it too became part of NC 126.
See also
- Brier Knob
- East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad
- Flattop Mountain
- Grandfather Mountain
- Howard Knob
- Linville River
- Peak Mountain
- Sugar Mountain
- Watauga River
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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External links
Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
- NCRoads.com: N.C. 105
- NCRoads.com: N.C. 105-A