North Carolina Highway 143#Robbinsville business loop

File:NC TN CherohalaSkyway.jpg in early autumn]]

NC 143 begins at the Tennessee state line at Beech Gap, along the Unicoi Crest. For the next {{convert|18|mi|km|spell=in}}, known as the Cherohala Skyway, the highway stays along mostly the north-side of the Johns Knob, Little Haw Knob, Haw Knob, Hooper Bald, and Cedar Top, before descending at the Santeetlah Gap. The overall driving experience is similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway; it has the same maximum speed of {{convert|45|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, and during winter the road is not maintained against snow and ice.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}} At Snowbird Road, NC 143 Business begins going at a southerly route, through Milltown, into Robbinsville, as the mainline goes north.

The next {{convert|11|mi|km|spell=in}} of highway is completely different, as NC 143 goes along the southern banks of Lake Santeetlah, which has a lot of twist and turns, though not much on elevation changes. North of Robbinsville, it joins a concurrency with US 129 as it goes south into town. Within the town limits, the highway is called the Rodney Orr Bypass, named in honor of NASCAR driver Rodney Orr (approved on April 7, 1995).{{cite web|url=http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/traffic/TEPPL/Topics/N-01/Sorted%20by%20County.pdf|title=North Carolina Memorial Highways and other Named Facilities|accessdate=December 29, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519162756/http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/traffic/TEPPL/Topics/N-01/Sorted%20by%20County.pdf|archive-date=May 19, 2011|url-status=dead}} Meeting back with NC 143 Business, at Main Street, followed by US 129 split {{convert|1/2|mi|km|spell=in}} later continuing south towards Andrews; NC 143 continues east along Sweetwater Road out of town.{{cite map |publisher= North Carolina Department of Transportation |url= https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/imgdot/DOTCountyMaps/PDFs/Graham_CountyMap_Sheet02_Final_web.pdf |format= PDF |title= Enlarged Municipal and Suburban Areas, Graham County, North Carolina |date= August 2015 |accessdate= March 6, 2016}}

The last {{convert|3.6|mi|km}} of NC 143 feature steep elevation changes. From Orr Branch Road (elevation {{convert|2,300|ft|m}}), the road climbs ups the southwestern side of the Cheoah Mountains. At Stechoah Gap, the NC 143 peaks at an elevation of {{convert|3,165|ft|m}} (this is also where the Appalachian Trail meets). The highway goes north along the eastern side of the Cheoah Mountains, reaching NC 28 at Johnson Gap (elevation {{convert|2,523|ft|m}}).{{cite map |publisher= North Carolina Department of Transportation |url= https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/imgdot/DOTCountyMaps/PDFs/Graham_CountyMap_Sheet01_Final_web.pdf |format= PDF |title= Graham County, North Carolina |date= August 2015 |accessdate= March 6, 2016}}

NC 143 is part of one scenic byway in the state (indicated by a Scenic Byways sign).{{cite web |publisher= North Carolina Department of Transportation |url= http://www.ncdot.gov/download/travel/scenic_byways.pdf |title= North Carolina Scenic Byways |accessdate= March 6, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121020050049/http://ncdot.gov/download/travel/scenic_byways.pdf |archive-date= October 20, 2012 |url-status= dead }} Cherohala Skyway is an {{convert|18|mi|km|adj=on}} byway and National Scenic Byway in western Graham County. It is known as a connector between the Cherokee National Forest and the Nantahala National Forest, thus the name Cherohala. The entire route offers scenic views of unspoiled forested mountains in Western North Carolina.

In 1979, NC 143 was established as a new primary route between Robbinsville and Stecoah, on already existing roads. Topography maps of Graham County in the early 1990s show an incomplete Cherohala Skyway already numbered as NC 143; however, this was not official until October 12, 1996, when NC 143 was extended to a completed Cherohala Skyway and its current western terminus at the Tennessee state line.{{cite web|url=http://members.cox.net/ncroads/nc143.html |title=NCRoads.com: N.C. 143 |accessdate=January 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125135920/http://members.cox.net/ncroads/nc143.html |archivedate=November 25, 2010 }}{{self-published source|date=March 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.state-ends.com/ncends/state/143.html |title=NC State Highway 143 Ends |accessdate=January 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110123104131/http://www.state-ends.com/ncends/state/143.html |archivedate=January 23, 2011 }}

The Cherohala Skyway segment dates earlier than NC 143 (1962), but was not completed until 1996 with a total cost of $100 million over the whole 34 years of construction.{{cite web |url=http://www.cherohalaskyway.com/index.html|title=Cherohala Skyway|accessdate=January 7, 2011}}

In 2022, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for 'corridor K' improvement project of which NC 143 was a part of.{{Cite web |last=NCDOT |date=October 3, 2022 |title=Historic Day for Corridor K |url=https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-10-03-corridor-K.aspx |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=NCDOT |language=en-US}}

As a part of 'corridor K' improvements the NCDOT plans to construct road alignments, increase the shoulder width, add passing and climbing lanes on NC143. sidewalks are planned to be constructed next to NC 143 from Robbinsville High School to the U.S. 129 intersection. The plan also includes the construct a wildlife crossing for safe passage of wildlife at Stecoah Gap to offset any impact associated with the widening of NC 143.{{Cite web |last=NCDOT |title='Corridor K' Improvements |url=https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/corridor-k/Pages/default.aspx |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=NCDOT |language=en-US}}

{{Jcttop|state=NC|county=Graham|length_ref=}}

{{NCint

|location=none

|mile=0.0

|road={{jct|state=TN|Sec|165|dir1=west|name1=Cherohala Skyway}}

|notes=Tennessee state line

}}

{{NCint

|location=none

|mile=24.6

|road={{jct|state=NC|NC-Bus|143|dir1=east|dab1=Robbinsville|nolink1=yes|name1=Snowbird Road}}

|notes=Western terminus of NC 143 Bus.

}}

{{NCint

|type=concur

|location=none

|mile=28.1

|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|129|dir1=north|name1=Tapoco Road|city1=Tapoco|city2=Maryville}}

|notes=West end of US 129 overlap

}}

{{NCint

|location=Robbinsville

|lspan=2

|mile=29.1

|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC-Bus|143|dir1=west|dab1=Robbinsville|nolink1=yes|name1=Main Street}}

|notes=Eastern terminus of NC 143 Bus.

}}

{{NCint

|mile=29.5

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|129|dir1=south|name1=Rodney Orr Bypass}}

|notes=East end of US 129 overlap

}}

{{NCint

|location=Stecoah

|mile=38.3

|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|28|name1=Fontana Road|city1=Fontana|city2=Bryson City}}

}}

{{Jctbtm|keys=concur}}

{{infobox road small

|state=NC

|type=NC-Bus

|route=143

|location=Robbinsville

|formed=1997

|length_mi=3.4

|length_round=1

|length_ref={{google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/35.3161997,-83.8366631/35.32897,-83.80789/@35.3184183,-83.8305155,15z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m10!4m9!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-83.8134742!2d35.3162307!3s0x885ec428fb2a8bbd:0xec83bcfd70c116ab!1m1!4e1!3e0?hl=en |title=NC 143 Business - Robbinsville|accessdate=March 5, 2016}}

}}

NC 143 Business (NC 143 Bus.) is a business route of NC 143 established in February 1997. The {{convert|3.4|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} route begins west of the town at NC 143 and travels east along Snowbird Road and through downtown Robbinsville via Junaluksa Road and Main Streets. It meets back with NC 143 and US 129 on Rodney Orr Bypass. Historically, NC 143 has never been routed through Robbinsville; though US 129 did before the bypass.

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• [http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/nc143.html NCRoads.com: N.C. 143]

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Category:Transportation in Graham County, North Carolina