Murphy to Topton tops sad list
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Photos by Randy Foster/editor@cherokeescout.com U.S. 19/74 from Murphy to Topton had the highest number of serious and fatal crashes among local highways during a 10-year period ending Sept. 27, 2022, according to N.C. Department of Transportation statistics. -
Check out the N.C. Department of Transportation’s map outlining the toughest traffic areas on page 10A. -
This N.C. Department of Transportation map shows major fatal and non-fatal crashes in Cherokee and part of Clay counties over a 10-year period ending Sept. 27, 2022. Fatal crashes show up as dark red dots; major non-injury crashes appear as yellow dots.
The drive from Murphy to Topton is the most dangerous route in Cherokee County, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation’s 10-year data.
The 24-mile stretch of U.S. 19/74 from Murphy to Topton experienced the most numerous major traffic accidents as well as the most fatal crashes, according to DOT mapping data covering a 10-year period ending Sept. 27, 2022. There were 10 fatal crashes and 21 crashes that resulted in serious but non-fatal injuries on U.S. 19/74 from Murphy to Topton.
Murphy to Topton is a 24-mile stretch that includes a four-lane highway through Andrews with turn lanes and traffic signals but narrows to a two-lane winding road with sharp curves, residential driveways and intersections just outside Andrews to Topton.
The second most dangerous stretch of highway in Cherokee County is U.S. 64 from Murphy to the Tennessee state line, where there were six fatal crashes during that period and 16 crashes that resulted in serious but non-fatal injuries.
Murphy to Tennessee is a 20-mile stretch that is four lanes the entire route, with open highway over most of the route, and a more urban setting with street-level business parking entrances and cross streets as you enter the Murphy area.
During the 10-year period, the entire rest of Cherokee County experienced 27 traffic fatalities and 67 serious injury accidents.
Within Murphy town limits, there were 10 serious injury accidents and two fatal crashes.
In the Andrews area, there were three serious injury crashes but six fatal crashes, including two on Junaluska Road, two on Airport Road, and two on Main Street near Whitaker Lane.
In 2021, the latest year for which the N.C. Department of Transportation has rankings, Cherokee County ranked 64th of the state’s 100 counties for serious crashes, with first place being worst. It was a major improvement over the previous three years, when Cherokee County ranked 42nd in 2018, 37th in 2019 and 48th in 2020.
Rankings are based on several factors including reported crashes, crash severity, crash rates based on population, registered vehicles and estimated vehicle miles traveled. Rankings were calculated using 2019 Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and 2019, 2020 and 2021 crash data.
Among nearby North Carolina counties, Graham County ranked 12th worst in the state, due mainly to its winding, tourist-attracting mountain roads. Clay County ranked 57th, Jackson County ranked 39th and Swain County ranked 78th.
Among 452 North Carolina cities with populations under 10,000, Sylva ranked 16th worst, Franklin ranked 27th, Murphy ranked 77th, Robbinsville ranked 180th, Bryson City ranked 347th, Andrews ranked 358th and Hayesville ranked 368th.
Statewide, Robeson County in southeast North Carolina ranked worst in the state among counties. Whiteville, also located in southeast part of the state, ranked worst in the state for towns with populations of 10,000 or less. Greensboro, in North Carolina’s Piedmont region, ranked worst for towns larger than 10,000 population.