The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will be provided with the funding for the Greater Rural Access and Highways to Accelerate Mobility project in Graham County being implemented on behalf of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), the project sponsor, to construct one of the last sections of the Appalachian Development System, a roughly 12-mile portion of Corridor K. The corridor connects local communities and visitors to the Nantahala National Forest, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, and the Great Smoky National Park.  

As part of the project, NCDOT will modernize the 12-mile segment, which currently is limited in capacity with many roadways having steep grades, sharp curves, and narrow shoulder widths, impairing mobility and constraining travel for private vehicles, freight, and emergency services. NCDOT will also expand active transportation access by constructing new sidewalks in Robbinsville and a new land bridge to allow pedestrians and wildlife to cross North Carolina Highway 143.  The project is located within, and provides access to, National Tribal Transportation Facilities owned by the EBCI.