Description

Study of constructing a new road from N.C. 107 to U.S. 23-74 east of Sylva in Jackson County.

News and Updates

The most recent public meeting occurred on Dec. 4th, 2008.

• Press Release: Transportation Board Approves Changes for Proposed Highway Project Near Sylva
• Citizens Informational Workshop Handout from 12/4/08 Meeting
• Citizens Informational Workshop Announcement

Project Overview and Purpose

The N.C. 107 Connector provides a way to improve traffic bottlenecks, address safety concerns and repair deficient road conditions along N.C. 107 in Jackson County.

In 2000, local officials requested that NCDOT perform a feasibility study for the “Southern Loop.” This study (FS-0114C) recommended a multi-lane roadway on new alignment connecting U.S. 23/441 south of Dillsboro to the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway (US 23/74) east of Sylva. The new roadway would divert through traffic away from the commercial corridor and central business districts, reducing traffic congestion in these areas. Upon completion of the feasibility study in 2003, the “Southern Loop” was added to the State Transportation Improvement Program, the department’s seven-year blueprint for transportation projects across the state. In 2008 at the request of the Southwestern Rural Planning Organization (RPO), NCDOT removed the western half of the proposed roadway (from U.S. 23/441 south of Dillsboro to N.C. 107) from the STIP and changed the name from “Southern Loop” to the N.C. 107 Connector.

Why is this action is needed?

Transportation-related issues along N.C. 107 were first recognized in the 1980s. Accident rates were among the highest in the state. The amount of traffic along N.C. 107 continued to increase throughout the 1980s and 1990s mainly due to residential and commercial development along the corridor. The absence of alternate parallel routes and the lack of connectivity between secondary roads compounded the issues.

With increased commercialization of property fronting N.C. 107, traffic began reaching critical points in the 1990s, prompting Jackson County Commissioners to request a change in the county’s thoroughfare plan. One of those changes included a “Southern Loop” so through traffic could bypass the central business districts of Sylva and Dillsboro.

Traffic conditions along N.C. 107 continue to worsen, and without some type of roadway improvements, accidents and congestion will become commonplace. Recent traffic counts have identified major trouble spots along N.C. 107, resulting in conjestion throughout the project study area. Inaction would result in an increase in congestion and increased accident potential along N.C. 107 and U.S. 23 Business.

Project Highlights

NCDOT is initiating an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this N.C. 107 Connector project. During the planning phase of this project, alternatives will not be limited to a multi-lane roadway on a new location. In addition to new location alternatives, other studied alternatives will include:

• Improving existing roadways;
• Traffic Systems Management (TSM), which could involve optimizing existing traffic signal timing or improving timing sequencing, widening intersections to add turn lanes, combining and eliminating driveway accesses, and other similar capacity improvements; and
• Multi-modal options.

The alternatives studied could also include a combination of these options (i.e. improving an existing roadway combined with a new roadway on new location or TSM combined with multi-modal).

Project Photos

Contact Information

Resources for Local Property Owners

In many cases, it is inevitable that a certain amount of private property must be acquired. The displacement of homes and businesses is minimized to the extent practicable. The following brochures will answer questions about this process.