Ever since rumors of a new interstate through Western North Carolina began circulating a few weeks ago, curious residents have spent hours studying maps and debating the optimum route that will likely be chosen by federal road planners conducting the feasibility study.

The casual debate over the potential route will likely rage on for months as there is no obvious “best” choice.

A bill introduced in Congress in 2004 called for an “interstate highway extending from Savannah, Georgia, to Knoxville, Tennessee, following a route generally defined through Sylvania, Waynesboro, Augusta, Lincolnton, Elberton, Hartwell, Toccoa, and Young Harris, Georgia; and Maryville, Tennessee.”

The route in that intial bill is full of ambiguity between Young Harris and Maryville — avoiding naming a single town in all of Western North Carolina — perhaps purposely avoided due to the complexity of routing an interstate through the region.

A potential route was refined two months ago, however, by U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Georgia, the lead I-3 proponent. Norwood said I-3 will enter WNC south of Hayesville, then turn west along U.S. 64, turn northeast just before Murphy, follow U.S. 19 to Andrews, then head northwest toward Robbinsville, and follow U.S. 129 around Santeetlah Lake into Tennessee. Opponents balk at the zigzag route not typically seen in interstates.

“It seems consistent with the politicians sitting down with a highlighter and saying ‘these roads link up,’” said D.J. Gerken, attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center.

The word “preliminary” cannot be emphasized enough when talking about the route, said John Stone, spokesman for Norwood.

“Nobody knows what the final proposed route is going to be,” said Stone. “There are lots of options.”

Stone said the route could shift to the east and enter WNC along the U.S. 441 corridor through Franklin, or it could shift west of Murphy and wind up completely in Tennessee.

The Transportation Bill calls for the feasibility report to be completed by the end of this year, but it will most likely be next summer, Stone said.

“We would rather have a good report with three or four different alternatives than a rushed one,” Stone said.

Some I-3 opponents are cautioning against a potential decoy route, a bait and switch of sorts. That’s why Joe Gatins, a lead organizer in the opposition movement, is urging opponents to avoid the “not in my backyard” mentality.

“Everyone needs to pull together to oppose the road where ever it might end up. If it is in the Southern Appalachians, it’s a problem,” Gatins said.