 North Carolina Highway 226 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Route of NC 226 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byNCDOT | ||||
| Length | 101.0 mi[1] (162.5 km) | |||
| Existed | 1961–present | |||
| Tourist routes |  South Mountain Scenery | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  US 29 nearGrover | |||
| Major intersections |
| |||
| North end |  SR 107 at theTennessee state line | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | North Carolina | |||
| Counties | Cleveland,Rutherford,McDowell,Mitchell | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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North Carolina Highway 226 (NC 226) is a primarystate highway in the U.S. state ofNorth Carolina. Traveling north–south throughWestern North Carolina, it connects the cities and towns ofGrover,Shelby,Marion,Spruce Pine andBakersville. It also ascenic byway in theSouth Mountains area and connects with thesummer colony ofLittle Switzerland, viaNC 226A.
NC 226 begins atUS 29, in Grover, approximately 211 feet (64 m) from theSouth Carolina state line. Through downtown Grover, it goes northwesterly, throughPatterson Springs, to Shelby. In concurrency withUS 74, it stays south of the downtown area, then splits with US 74 continuing north toMetcalf, where it becomes theSouth Mountain Scenery scenic byway. The byway, which stretches 33 miles (53 km) along NC 226 to Marion, is designated for its extensive views of the South Mountains.[2] Traversing through this rural area of farmlands and forest, NC 226 goes the throughCampcall andPolkville before leavingCleveland County, uneventful throughRutherford County, and crosses overUS 64 on one of the earliest grade separated interchanges in the state before reaching theDysartsville community inMcDowell County.[3][4]
Soon after crossing underI-40 (exit 86), NC 226 begins its concurrency withUS 221 bypassing west of downtown Marion on a four lane divided freeway. At theUS 70 intersection, travelers can follow highway signs toMount Mitchell, the highest peak east of theMississippi River. In Woodlawn, NC 226 splits from US 221, which continues towardsLinville. A one-mile (1.6 km) from the intersection, in Turkey Cove, NC 226 breaks-off the first of two alternate routes; NC 226A travels the historic Etchoe Pass Road, as it climbs, with severalhairpin turns, upGrassy Mountain to Little Switzerland. The routing NC 226 takes, along Cox Creek, is shorter and less curvy than the alternate route, but it has a steep grade which requiretrucks to stay slow when they descend; onerunaway truck ramp and several turn-offs are along this stretch. AtGillespie Gap, the alternate route rejoins NC 226. As it crosses under theBlue Ridge Parkway, it also crosses theEastern Continental Divide and the county line intoMitchell.[5]
North from the Gillespie Gap, NC 226 goes through theGrassy Creek community before entering Spruce Pine. After a short concurrency withUS 19E, it continues northwesterly towards Bakersville, passing by and through the communities ofMinpro,Penland,Normanville andLedger. Near Bakersville, the second alternate route breaks-off; NC 226A, along Mine Creek Road, provides a bypass route instead of going through downtown area, reconnecting atLoafers Glory. In Bakersville, NC 226 connects withNC 261, which continues toRoan Mountain. West of Bakersville, NC 226 connects withNC 197, inRed Hill, then goes north toHoneycutt. Following along Big Rock Creek toBuladean, it then goes northwesterly alongside Spring Creek before ascendingIron Mountain. AtIron Mountain Gap (3,727 ft (1,136 m)), NC 226 crosses theAppalachian Trail as it entersTennessee and continues asSR 107 towardsErwin.[6]
Established in 1961 as a renumbering of NC 26.[7] In 1966, NC 226 was removed from downtownShelby, rerouted from Earl Street ontoUS 74 Bypass to Polkville Road.[8] In 1994, NC 226 was moved withUS 221 onto a new bypass west ofMarion, leavingUS 221 Business. In 2000, NC 226 was realigned onto new road west of downtownSpruce Pine.[9]
 North Carolina Highway 26 | |
|---|---|
| Location | Grover–TN State Line |
| Length | 101.4 mi[10] (163.2 km) |
| Existed | 1921–1961 |
The first NC 26 was established as an original state highway in 1921. It traversed from the South Carolina state line, nearPineville, north along Park Road into downtownCharlotte. Leaving the downtown area via Statesville Avenue, it continued north throughHuntersville,Davidson,Mooresville,Statesville,Elkin,Sparta, and finallyTwin Oaks, before finally reaching theVirginia state line. In both border states, the highway continued with the number 26.[11]
In 1927,US 21 was assigned in concurrency with all of NC 26, except for a few miles south ofPineville. In 1933,US 521 was assigned to the remaining piece of NC 26.[12] In 1934, the first NC 26 was decommissioned, and the route remainedUS 21 andUS 521.[13]
The second NC 26 was quickly reestablished in late 1934, replacingNC 19 fromUS 221 inWoodlawn, north throughLittle Switzerland,Spruce Pine,Bakersville,Red Hill, and then finally west toUS 19W/US 23 inSioux.[13] In 1940, NC 26 was rerouted north fromRed Hill to theTennessee state line. Also in 1940, NC 26 was extended south, overlapping withUS 221 toMarion; it then replacedNC 190 throughPolkville andShelby, ending atUS 29 inGrover.[14] Around 1947, NC 26 was moved onto new road bypassingLittle Switzerland; the old route becameNC 26A. In 1956, NC 26 was moved onto new road nearDysartville, removing a concurrency withUS 64 and establishing one of the earliest grade-separated intersections in the state. In 1961, NC 26 was renumbered to NC 226, because of the coming establishment ofInterstate 26.[7]
 North Carolina Highway 190 | |
|---|---|
| Location | Grover–Brindletown, NC |
| Existed | 1930–1940 |
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| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | Grover | 0.0 | 0.0 | US 29 (M H Camp Highway) –Blacksburg,Kings Mountain | South Carolina state line is 211 feet (64 m) south of intersection |
| Patterson Springs | 6.2 | 10.0 |   NC 180 south (Post Road) –Gaffney | South end of NC 180 overlap | |
| | 7.7 | 12.4 |  NC 180 north (Post Road) –Morganton | North end of NC 180 overlap | |
| Shelby | 10.0 | 16.1 |   US 74 east (Dixon Boulevard) –Kings Mountain,Charlotte | East end of US 74 overlap | |
| 10.3 | 16.6 |  NC 150 (Dekalb Street) | |||
| 10.5 | 16.9 |  NC 18 (Lafayette Street) –Shelby,Gaffney | |||
| 12.0 | 19.3 |  US 74 Bus. east (Warren Street) | |||
| 12.7 | 20.4 |  US 74 west (Dixon Boulevard) –Forest City,Columbus | West end of US 74 overlap | ||
| | 14.3 | 23.0 | Shelby Bypass –Asheville | ||
| Metcalf | 17.6 | 28.3 | Double Shoals Road | ||
| Polkville | 23.2 | 37.3 |  NC 182 east (Stagecoach Trail) –Lawndale | Western terminus of NC 182 | |
| 23.5 | 37.8 |  NC 10 east (Casar Road) –Casar | ToSouth Mountains State Park | ||
| Rutherford | | 33.6 | 54.1 | Bostic Sunshine Highway –Bostic | |
| McDowell | | 40.9 | 65.8 |  US 64 –Rutherfordton,Morganton | |
| Marion | 51.5 | 82.9 |  I-40 –Asheville,Morganton | Exit 86 (I-40) | |
| 52.5 | 84.5 |  US 221 south /US 221 Bus. north (Rutherford Road) –Rutherfordton | South end of US 221 overlap | ||
| 55.0 | 88.5 | Henderson Street –Downtown Marion | |||
| 55.7 | 89.6 | Tate Street | |||
| 57.7 | 92.9 |  US 70 –Old Fort,Asheville | ToMount Mitchell State Park | ||
| 58.3 | 93.8 | US 221 Bus. south (Main Street) | ToLake James State Park | ||
| | 60.3 | 97.0 | Toms Creek Road | ||
| Woodlawn | 64.6 | 104.0 | US 221 north –Linville | North end of US 221 overlap | |
| | 65.8 | 105.9 |  NC 226A north | ||
| | 69.8 | 112.3 | NC 226A south –Little Switzerland | ||
| Mitchell | | 69.9 | 112.5 |  Blue Ridge Parkway | |
| Spruce Pine | 74.5 | 119.9 |  US 19E north –Newland,Cranberry | North end of US 19E overlap | |
| 75.3 | 121.2 | US 19E south –Estatoe,Burnsville | South end of US 19E overlap | ||
| | 78.1 | 125.7 | Penland Road –Penland | ||
| | 81.8 | 131.6 | NC 226A north (Mine Creek Road) | ||
| Bakersville | 84.7 | 136.3 |  NC 261 north –Roan Mountain | ||
| Loafers Glory | 87.2 | 140.3 | NC 226A south –Micaville | ||
| Red Hill | 90.2 | 145.2 |  NC 197 south –Burnsville | South end of NC 197 overlap | |
| 90.4 | 145.5 | NC 197 north –Erwin | North end of NC 197 overlap | ||
| | 101.0 | 162.5 | SR 107 west –Erwin | Continuation intoTennessee; crosses through Iron Mountain Gap | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Media related toNorth Carolina Highway 226 at Wikimedia Commons