North Carolina Highway 694

NC Highway 694
Town Mountain Road
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length:	6.3 mi[1] (10.1 km)
Existed:	1932 – present
Major junctions
South end:	US 70 / US 74A in Asheville
North end:	Blue Ridge Parkway (milepost 377)
Location
Counties:	Buncombe
Highway system
North Carolina Highway System Interstate U.S. State Scenic ← NC 690 NC 700 →

North Carolina Highway 694 is a primary state highway in the state of North Carolina. This scenic highway serves as connector between Asheville and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Route description

NC 694 South (2011-07-16).

NC 694 is a 6.3-mile (10.1 km) two-lane scenic highway begins in downtown Asheville. Going northeast, it passes over I-240 as it quickly ascends Beaucatcher Mountain, eventually to the ridge line. From there it curves along the east-side of Sunset Mountain and Patton Mountain, then on the south-side of Rich Knob and Meadows Mountain, before going around the southeast side of Peach Knob. It meets-up with the Blue Ridge Parkway at Craven Gap, where it ends. The overall road is curvy, but manageable after the initial climb. There are no signage at the intersection with the Blue Ridge Parkway that indicates it as NC 694; visitors along the BRP will need to look for it at Craven Gap, near milepost 377.

For visitors that want to stay in the area, go north on the BRP to Bull Gap and take left onto Elk Mountain Scenic Highway (signage points to Vance Birthplace and Weaverville). From here, visitors can travel back to Asheville along the scenic route or take a right onto Ox Creek Road for a curvy four miles, then right onto Reems Creek Road to Vance Birthplace State Historic Site.^[2]

History

Established in 1932 as a new primary scenic route, NC 694 started at Poplar Street (US 70/US 74), going north on Oak Street then east on Woodfin Street, then north on Charlotte Street to Edwin Place, then northwest to Kimberly Avenue, continuing north. It then used Grifting Boulevard east to Patton Mountain Road, where it stayed till it reached Town Mountain Road. Continuing northeast, Town Mountain Road continues on what will later become part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It then turns west onto Elk Mountain Scenic Highway, following all the way back to Beaverdam Road, where it ends on Merrimon Avenue (US 19/US 23/US 25/US 70/NC 20).^[3] By the early 1940s, NC 694 was rerouted to go from Woodfin Street onto Town Mountain Road.^[4]

Around 1954, NC 694 was truncated to Woodfin Street, thanks to a realigned US 70. In 1961, it went back on Woodfin Street, to end at Market Street (US 19 Bus/US 23 Bus), thanks to another realignment of US 70 going onto the new expressway. By around 1980, NC 694 was truncated east at the Blue Ridge Parkway, dropping the Elk Mountain Scenic Highway into obscurity. Between 1981-1982, NC 694 was truncated west to its current location of Town Mountain Road at College Street; thanks again to another realignment of US 70 along Charlotte Street to College Street.^[4]

Originally, NC 694 was established in 1922, connecting Cranberry to Elk Park and then into Tennessee. This route was later replaced by NC 194 and US 19 in the mid-1920s.^[4]

Junction list

The entire route is in Buncombe County.

Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Asheville	0.0	0.0	US 70 / US 74A (College Street)
	6.3	10.1	Blue Ridge Parkway
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

Route map: Bing / Google

1. Google (2011-07-02). "NC 694" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2011-07-02.
2. "Blue Ridge Parkway Guide, Asheville". Retrieved 2011-07-02.
3. Google (2011-07-02). "NC 694 in 1932" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2011-07-02.
4. "NCRoads.com: N.C. 694". Retrieved 2011-07-02.