Topton – It is a meeting point for frequent carpoolers, three counties and all four cardinal directions of travel.
It is also in a location with no cell-phone reception, so when an accident occurs, help can often be delayed until a third party can go somewhere to call for emergency assistance.
In recent years, landslides inside the Nantahala Gorge have allowed crews with the N.C. Department of Transportation to become all-too-familiar with the U.S. 19/74/129 intersection in the Topton community, a kudzu-coated spot where Cherokee, Graham and Macon counties all converge. For travelers attempting to navigate the intersection, the challenge of limited sight make even a rudimentary turn more perilous than normal.
The DOT quietly installed a set of warning lights earlier this year, in order to help lower the possibility of an accident occurring. Nearby sensors help trigger the lights – both overhead and at road-level – for those approaching the intersection on any of the three highways. Each of the flashers remain dark until alerts are needed.
According to DOT communications officer David Uchiyama, the system was brought online Aug. 23 and came with a cost of $36,000 – a small price to pay for the countless amount of lives that will be saved.