NC 107
North Carolina Highway 107 is a primary state highway in the state of North Carolina. The highway runs north–south from the South Carolina state line, near Cashiers, to US 23 Business, in Sylva.
The highway is four lanes between Sylva and Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, and two lanes beyond. Between WCU and Cashiers (about 18 miles), 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 than today's 4-lane. 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.
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 between 1980-82, when NC 107 was rerouted onto a new four-lane bypass west of Cullowhee; the old route became Old Cullowhee Road/Old NC 107 (SR 1002).
Established around 1938 as a replacement of NC 112, it ran from US 19 (now US 74/US 441), near Whittier, to NC 107 (now US 19/US 441 Business), in Cherokee. In 1940, it was replaced by realignment of NC 107 (now US 441/US 441 Business).
East of Sylva, a new connector road between US 23/US 74 and NC 107 is currently in the development stage. The purpose is to alleviate traffic congestion between Sylva and Western Carolina University. The estimated cost is $132 million. Property acquisition is expected to start in 2016.
The entire route is in Jackson County.
