U.S. Route 64 in North Carolina

U.S. Route 64
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length: 604 mi[1][2] (972 km)
Existed: 1932 – present
Major junctions
West end: US-64 / US-74 / SR-40 at the TN line near Ducktown, TN
  I-26 / US 25 / US 74 in Hendersonville
I-40 (numerous times)
US 52 in Lexington
I-85 near Lexington
I-73 / I-74 / US 220 in Asheboro
US 421 in Siler City
I-40 / I-440 / US 1 in Cary

I-440 / US 264 / US 64 Bus. in Raleigh
I-540 near Knightdale
I-95 near Rocky Mount
East end: US 158 / NC 12 in Nags Head
Location
Counties: Cherokee, Clay, Macon, Jackson, Transylvania, Henderson, Rutherford, McDowell, Burke, Caldwell, Alexander, Iredell, Davie, Davidson, Randolph, Chatham, Wake, Franklin, Nash, Edgecombe, Martin, Washington, Tyrell, Dare
Highway system

United States Numbered Highways
List • Bannered • Divided • Replaced

North Carolina Highway System

← NC 62 NC 67 →

U.S. Route 64 is the longest numbered route in the U.S. state of North Carolina, running 604 miles (972 km) from the Tennessee state line to the Outer Banks. The route passes through the westernmost municipality in the state, Murphy, and one of the most easternmost municipalities, Manteo, making US 64 a symbolic representation of the phrase "from Murphy to Manteo" which is used to refer to the expanse of the state. The highway is a major east-west route through the central and eastern portion of the state.

Contents

Route description

US 64 enters North Carolina in Cherokee County, west of Murphy. The highway serves the cities of Hendersonville, Brevard, Rutherfordton, Morganton, Lenoir, Statesville, Lexington, Asheboro, Siler City, Raleigh, Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Williamston, and Manteo.

The segment from Franklin to Highlands is a mountainous two-lane road limited to moderate-sized trucks. Large trucks are routed via Truck US 64 (US 23/441 and US 74) to Sylva, and Asheville.

Within the Raleigh city limits US 64 follows the southern section of the Beltline. In 2006 a major section known as the Knightdale Bypass opened to ease traffic. After it was completed, US 64 became a divided freeway between Cary and Williamston, and carries at least four lanes between Asheboro and Columbia.

US 64 serves as a gateway to the Outer Banks, ending at Nags Head where it meets U.S. Route 158 and NC 12.

Scenic byways

US 64 is part of four scenic byways in the state (indicated by a Scenic Byways sign).[3]

Waterfall Byway is an 98-mile (158 km) byway from Murphy to Rosman; it is known for its more than 200 waterfalls that surround the route. US 64 overlaps almost the entire route, except near Murphy, continues along Brasstown Road and Harshaw Road. This byway also connects to the Nantahala Byway (North of Murphy via US 19), Whitewater Way (NC 281 at Sapphire), and Forest Heritage Scenic Byway (NC 215 at Rosman). Tractor-Trailers are prohibited on this road and it is also not recommended for recreational vehicles or buses.[3]

Black Mountain Rag is an 31-mile (50 km) byway centered at Bat Cave that goes north to Black Mountain via NC 9, south to Edneyville via US 64, and east to Lake Lure via US 64/US 74A. It is named after old fiddle tune, the Black Mountain Rag, for its full of twists, turns, ups and downs. Chimney Rock State Park and Hickory Nut Falls are also located along the byway. This byway also connects to Drovers Road byway by taking west on US 74A at Bat Cave. This byway is not recommended for recreational vehicles or buses.[3]

Alligator River Route is an 71-mile (114 km) byway from New Holland to Manteo; it is known for its expansive wetlands, open farmlands, and Lake Mattamuskeet. US 64 overlaps 36 miles (58 km), from Columbia to Manteo. This byway also connects to the Pamlico Scenic Byway on US 264 in Manns Harbor.[3]

Roanoke Voyages Corridor is an 9-mile (14 km) byway on Roanoke Island; it is known for Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (site of the first English settlement in North America), the North Carolina Aquarium, and Roanoke Island Festival Park. US 64 and US 64 Business overlaps the entire route. This byway also connects to the Outer Banks Scenic Byway in Nags Head.

History

US 64 was established in 1932; from Tennessee, following NC 28 to Old Fort, overlapping with US 70/NC 10 to Statesville, then finally NC 90 to end at Fort Landing, in Tyrrell County. In late 1934, NC 28, NC 10, and NC 90 were dropped along the route.[4]

Wake County

Originally, US 64 followed Salem Road, north of Apex; near Cary, it followed Chatham Street and Hillsborough Street before meeting NC 54 on Western Boulevard, after which both go into Raleigh via Hillsborough Street. In central Raleigh, US 64 used Salisbury Street, Edenton Street, East Street, and finally New Bern Avenue. The final section followed the current US 64 Business to Wendell and Zebulon. Between 1950-53, US 64 was removed from central Raleigh and followed then US 70 Alternate via Western Boulevard (in Cary) east to Boylan Avenue, then northeast to South Street before ending back on New Bern Avenue.[4]

In 1960, US 64 was placed on a bypass around Wendell; the old route became US 64 Business. In 1965, US 64 was given its modern routing from Apex to US 1; after concurrency, US 64 followed US 1 north around Raleigh to New Bern Avenue. In 1984, US 64 was removed from the northern arc of the beltline, migrating south to the completed southern arc. [4]

Knightdale Bypass

The Knightdale Bypass is a six-lane freeway in Wake County, North Carolina that was finished in July 2005. It is also frequently called the "64 Bypass", although it is only signed as such at the intersection of old US-64 (current US-64 business) and I-440. The 11-mile (18 km) freeway bypasses the town of Knightdale, North Carolina, allowing traffic to flow easier in and out of the Raleigh metropolitan area. U.S. Highway 64 and U.S. Highway 264 have been rerouted onto the Knightdale Bypass which traverses from Raleigh's Inner Loop (Interstate 440) to the US 64/264 freeway in Wendell, North Carolina. An interchange with the eastern segment of Raleigh's Outer Loop (Interstate 540) opened in January 2007. This interchange makes the Knightdale Bypass a key connector between Raleigh's two loops.[5]

US 64 and US 264's previous alignment has been given the designation Business US 64; a business route of US 264 was not included. It travels from I-440 in Raleigh eastward through the town of Knightdale, crossing US 64 in Wendell and rejoining it at the business route's eastern terminus in Zebulon. In order for the business route to be a complete loop, it must share a short one-mile (1.6 km) segment with I-440; however, there are no signs that indicate this concurrency.

Junction list

County Location Mile[2] Exit Destinations Notes
Cherokee 12 NC 294 – Suit, Hiwassee Dam
14 NC 60 – Culberson
15 US 19 south (Blairsville Highway) / US 129 south – Blairsville South end of US 19/129 overlap
Murphy 20
US 19 Bus. north (Hiwassee Street)
20.5 US 19 north / US 74 east / US 129 north – Andrews, Bryson City North end of US 19/129 overlap, east end of US 74 overlap
24.5 NC 141 north – Marble
Clay Hayesville 33
US 64 Bus. east – Hayesville
33.5 NC 69
34
US 64 Bus. west – Hayesville
Elf 38.5 NC 175 south
Macon 63 Patton Road To Nantahala Lake
Franklin 66.5
US 23 south / US 441 south / US 441 Bus. north – Clayton, Atlanta		 South end of US 23/441 overlap
69 US 23 north / US 441 north / NC 28 north – Sylva North end of US 23/441 and NC 28 overlap
Highlands 85.5 NC 106 south – Dillard
86 NC 28 south – Walhalla South end of NC 28 overlap
Jackson Cashiers 96 NC 107 – Glenville, Sylva, Walhalla To Western Carolina University
Transylvania 106 NC 281 south South end of NC 281 overlap; to Whitewater Falls
109 NC 281 north – Lake Toxaway North end of NC 281 overlap
116 NC 215 north
117 US 178 east – Rosman, Pickens
Brevard 124.5
US 64 Bus. east (Caldwell Street)
125 US 276 east (Main Street) East end of US 276 overlap
125.5
US 64 Bus. west (Caldwell Street)		 Brevard College at intersection
Pisgah Forest 128 US 276 west / NC 280 east – Asheville, Waynesville West end of US 276 overlap
Henderson Hendersonville 145
US 25 Bus. (Church Street/King Street)
147 I-26 / US 25 / US 74 – Asheville, Columbus, Spartanburg
Bat Cave 160 US 74A / NC 9 – Asheville, Black Mountain West end of US 74A overlap and north end of NC 9 overlap
Rutherford Lake Lure 167 NC 9 south – Mill Spring South end of NC 9 overlap
Rutherfordton 183 US 221 (Main Street) – Marion
Ruth 183.5 US 74A east – Spindale East end of US 74A overlap
McDowell 200 NC 226 – Marion, Shelby
Burke Morganton 214 I-40 – Asheville, Statesville
214.5
US 70 east / US 64 Bus. east		 East end of US 70 overlap
215
US 70 west / US 70 Bus. east – Marion		 West end of US 70 overlap
216.5 NC 181 – Linville, Newland
218
US 64 Bus. / NC 18		 South end of NC 18 overlap
Caldwell Lenoir 233 US 321 / NC 90 west West end of NC 90 overlap
234 NC 18 – Wilkesboro North end of NC 18 overlap
Alexander 248 NC 127 south – Hickory
Taylorsville 251 NC 90 east East end of NC 90 overlap
254 254 NC 16 – Taylorsville, Conover
Iredell Statesville 270 NC 90 west (Taylorsville Highway) – Stony Point, Taylorsville West end of NC 90 overlap
270.5 I-40 – Hickory, Winston-Salem
272 NC 90 east (West End Avenue) East end of NC 90 overlap
274 US 21 south / NC 90 west (Water Street) / NC 115 (Center Street) US 64 zig-zags through downtown Statesville; south end of US 21 overlap
275 US 21 north (Sullivan Avenue) – Harmony North end of US 21 overlap
277 I-40 / Old Mocksville Road – Statesville, Winston-Salem Eastbound must take Old Mocksville Road to access I-40
Cool Spring 286 I-40 – Statesville, Winston-Salem
Davie 289 NC 901 north – Harmony, Union Grove
294 I-40 – Statesville, Winston-Salem
Mocksville 297 US 601 north – Yadkinville North end of US 601 overlap
298 US 158 east (Main Street) / US 601 south – Clemmons, Winston-Salem, Cooleemee, Salisbury South end of US 601 overlap
Fork 305 NC 801 – Advance, Cooleemee
Davidson Reeds Crossroads 312 NC 150 – Salisbury, Winston-Salem
Lexington 315 US 52 – Salisbury, Winston-Salem
316 I-85 Bus. south / US 29 south / US 70 west – Salisbury South end of I-85 Business/US 29 overlap, west end of US 70 overlap
317 NC 8 (Winston Road) – Lexington, Winston-Salem
318 I-85 Bus. north / US 29 north / US 70 east – Thomasville, High Point North end of I-85 Business/US 29 overlap, east end of US 70 overlap
321 I-85 – Greensboro, Salisbury, Charlotte
327 NC 109 – Thomasville, Denton
Randolph Asheboro 343 NC 49 – Richfield, Mount Pleasant South end of NC 49 overlap
343.5 I-73 / I-74 / US 220 – Greensboro, High Point, Rockingham
344 Fayetteville Street
344.5 NC 159 south (Zoo Parkway) To North Carolina Zoo
346 NC 42 – Coleridge
Ramseur 354 NC 22 – Franklinville, Coleridge Brief .2 miles (0.32 km) concurrency
355 NC 49 north – Liberty, Burlington North end of NC 49 overlap
Chatham Siler City 367 US 421 – Greensboro, Sanford
Pittsboro 378 378
US 64 Bus. east – Pittsboro
381 381 NC 87 – Pittsboro, Eli Whitney
383 383 US 15 / US 501 – Chapel Hill, Sanford, Carthage
386 386
US 64 Bus. west – Pittsboro
396 NC 751 north – Durham
Wake Apex 400 NC 55 (Williams Street) – Apex, Durham
401 Salem Street – Apex Downtown
Cary 404 404 US 1 south / Tryon Road – Sanford South end of US 1 overlap; signed as exits 404A (US 1 south) and 404B (US 1 north/US 64)
406 99* Cary Parkway
407 101* Walnut Street, Buck Jones Road, Crossroads Boulevard Signed as exits 101A (Walnut Street) and 101B (Buck Jones Road, Crossroads Boulevard) westbound
408 1A** I-40 west / I-440 east / US 1 north – RDU Airport, Durham West end of I-40 overlap, north end of US 1 overlap
Raleigh US 64 overlaps with Interstate 40 (exits 293A to 301) and Interstate 440 (exits 16 to 14).
419 419
I-440 west / US 64 Bus. east – Wake Forest		 East end of I-440 overlap; west end of US 264 overlap
420 420 New Hope Road
Knightdale 422 422 Hodge Road
423 423 I-540 west – Wake Forest, RDU Airport
425 425 Smithfield Road
Wendell 427 427 Taylor Road
429 429
US 64 Bus. (Wendell Boulevard) – Knightdale
430 430 Rolesville Road – Rolesville Eastbound entrance and westbound exit
432 432 Lizard Lick Road – Wendell
Zebulon 435 435
US 64 Bus. west / NC 96 – Zebulon, Oxford
436 436 US 264 east to NC 97 – Wilson, Greenville East end of US 264 overlap
Franklin 439 439 NC 39 – Louisburg
442 SR 1737 (Tant Road)
Nash 447
NC 231 to NC 98 / US 64 Alt. east – Spring Hope, Middlesex, Wake Forest
451 NC 581 – Spring Hope, Bailey
453 Old Franklin Road – Momeyer
Nashville 458 458
US 64 Alt. west / US 64 Bus. east – Nashville, Momeyer		 Route is signed as US 64 Bypass until exit 461
459 459 NC 58 – Nashville, Castalia
461 461
US 64 Bus. west (Red Oak Road) – Nashville, Red Oak
463 463 Old Carriage Road – Red Oak
Rocky Mount 464 464 I-95 – Wilson, Fayetteville, Richmond Signed as exits 464A (south) and 464B (north)
466 466 Winstead Avenue
467 467
US 64 Bus. east (Buck Leonard Boulevard) / Sunset Avenue		 Route is signed as US 64 Bypass until exit 472
468 468A US 301 (Wesleyan Boulevard) – Wilson
468.5 468B NC 43 north (Benvenue Road) to NC 48 / Peachtree Street West end of NC 43 overlap
469 469
US 301 Bus. (Church Street)
Edgecombe 470 470 NC 97 (Atlantic Avenue)
472 472
US 64 Alt. east / US 64 Bus. west / NC 43 south – Rocky Mount		 East end of NC 43 overlap
478 478 Kingsboro Road
Tarboro 484 484 McNair Rd. – Edgecombe Community College
485 485
US 258 south / US 64 Alt. west / NC 111 south / NC 122 south – Tarboro, Farmville		 West end of US 258/NC 111/NC 122 overlap
Princeville 486 486 US 258 north / NC 111 north / NC 122 north (US 64 Alt. east) – Princeville, Scotland Neck Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; east end of US 258/NC 111/NC 122 overlap
487 487 NC 33 – Greenville
488 488 Shiloh Farm Road
491 491 SR 1524 (Chinquapin Road)
494 494 NC 42 – Ahoskie, Wilson
496 496 US 13 south / NC 11 – Bethel, Greenville South end of US 13 overlap
Martin 502 502 NC 903 – Robersonville, Hamilton
505 505 Robersonville Products Road
Everetts 507 507
US 64 Alt. – Everetts
512 512 NC 125 – Williamston
514 514
US 17 south / US 17 Bus. north – Williamston, Washington		 South end of US 17 overlap
515 515
US 64 Alt. west / US 13 north / US 17 north – Williamston, Windsor		 North end of US 13/US 17 overlap; ramp to stay on US 64 is signed as exit 515 in both directions
524
US 64 Bus. east
Jamesville 525 NC 171 – Washington
526
US 64 Bus. west
Washington Plymouth 533 NC 149 north (Ken Trowbridge Road)
536 NC 32 south (Washington Street) – Washington South end of NC 32 overlap
538 NC 45 – Colerain, Winton Brief .1 miles (0.16 km) concurrency
539 NC 32 north – Roper North end of NC 32 overlap
544 544 Mill Pond Road – Roper
548 548 Tyson Road
554 554 To NC 94 – Edenton
Creswell 557 557 Old US 64 – Creswell Eastbound exit only
558 558 Alligood Road – Creswell
Tyrrell 562 562 Travis Road
565 NC 94 north North end of NC 94 overlap
Columbia 566
US 64 Bus. east / NC 94 south – Fairfield		 South end of NC 94 overlap
566.5
US 64 Bus. west
Alligator 574 Old US 64
Dare East Lake 585 Lake Dr.
Manns Harbor 594 US 264 west – Stumpy Point, Engelhard
596
US 64 Bus. east – Manns Harbor
Manteo 602
US 64 Bus. west / NC 345 south – Manteo, Wanchese		 To Roanoke Island Festival Park
Nags Head 604 US 158 west – Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores, Duck
To NC 12 – Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Nags Head Beaches, Hatteras Island, Ocracoke Island		 US 64 ends at whalebone junction
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
     Concurrency terminus •      Closed/Former •      Incomplete access •      Unopened

Note – Exit numbers with one asterisk (*) are numbered by US 1; exit numbers with two asterisks (**) are numbered by I-440.

See also

References

  1. ^ American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, United States Numbered Highways, 1989 Edition
  2. ^ a b Google, Inc. Google Maps – US 64 (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=US-64+E%2FUS-74+E%2FKnightdale+Bypass+E&daddr=35.0696347,-83.9956211+to:35.08431,-83.18453+to:35.42071,-82.07558+to:35.7449723,-81.7067459+to:35.91453,-81.47559+to:35.7807798,-80.8936559+to:35.80909,-80.77792+to:35.9187788,-80.6515551+to:35.74232,-79.56381+to:US-158+W&hl=en&geocode=FcBjFgId4mr5-g%3BFcIeFwIdG1T--ilvpQHx4OFeiDGe7gwYtBTtTQ%3BFRZYFwIdbrQK-ymN8wSglB5ZiDG0PGyAo7otQA%3BFSZ6HAIdRKAb-yn3-_KHDltXiDHd0FBUVKrfsQ%3BFcxsIQIdB0Eh-ylVHruxO85QiDEnaK2aGTpYAA%3BFSIDJAId-sck-ylPKjwp_yBRiDFI4ErA9IeXPA%3BFav4IQIdKakt-ylx5iehhllRiDH-Rj2wD5JEGA%3BFUJnIgIdQG0v-ymp5Yf-OuJTiDFX8QiuSzow5w%3BFboTJAId3Vox-ylbDi8TQN1TiDFqLS4ROSNNfw%3BFXBiIQId3vNB-ynB3KY_GEZTiDEDbCcNZ5YS7w%3BFYrmIwIdiHF--w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=4&sz=14&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9&sll=35.749926,-81.690216&sspn=0.052035,0.111494&ie=UTF8&ll=35.110922,-80.013428&spn=6.711167,14.27124&z=7. Retrieved 2011-02-10. 
  3. ^ a b c d "NCDOT: Scenic Byways". http://www.ncdot.org/travel/scenic/. Retrieved 2011-03-01. 
  4. ^ a b c "NCRoads.com: U.S. 64". http://www.members.cox.net/ncroads/us064.html. Retrieved 2011-02-12. 
  5. ^ "Southeast Construction-North Carolina's Knightdale Bypass". http://southeast.construction.com/features/archive/0309_Feature3.asp. Retrieved 2011-02-12. 
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