U.S. Route 74 | |
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Highway system | |
United States Numbered Highways |
Several bannered routes of U.S. Route 74 exist. In order from west to east they are as follows.
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U.S. Route 74A | |
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Location: | Asheville–Forest City, North Carolina |
Length: | 60 mi[1] (96.6 km) |
Existed: | 1994–present |
U.S. Route 74A, established in 1994, replaced the old mainline US 74 route when US 74 was moved onto the Solon David Smart Memorial Highway and Interstate 26. The alignment of US 74A varies greatly from the current parent route. US 74A traverses through downtown Asheville, goes through the mountain resort communities of Chimney Rock and Lake Lure, continues to Ruth, passes between the towns of Rutherfordton and Spindale, and bypasses Forest City to the south. US 74, however, joins I-40 eastbound west of Asheville, and switches onto I-26 eastbound through Fletcher, bypassing most of urban Asheville. Continuing along a southeasterly course, the parent US 74 passes by Hendersonville and splits from I-26 at Columbus; after passing south of Rutherfordton, US 74 meets the eastern terminus of US 74A.[2]
US 74A is concurrent with US 64 from Ruth in the east through Lake Lure, where NC 9 joins, and Chimney Rock, and separates to the south in Bat Cave. NC 9 also splits in Bat Cave, but to the north; US 74A alone continues west from that point. In Asheville, NC 74A has many concurrencies; US 70 is concurrent with US 74A in east and downtown Asheville and I-26, I-240, US 19 and US 23 are concurrent with US 74A west of downtown. Near US 74A's western terminus, US 19 and US 23 are concurrent with US 74A. NC 81 shares pavement with US 74A for a short 1-mile (1.6 km) segment in southeast Asheville. Between Asheville and Gerton, NC 74A bears the street name Charlotte Highway. East of Gerton, the road is named the Gerton Highway until arriving at Bat Cave. Through towns and cities, the road takes various names including Main Street and Railroad Avenue.
US 74A is overlapped by two North Carolina scenic byways: Drovers Road (Asheville to Bat Cave) and Black Mountain Rag (Bat Cave to Lake Lure).[3]
County | Location | Mile[1] | Destinations | Notes |
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Buncombe | Asheville | 0 | I-40 / US 74 / US 19 south / US 23 south (Smokey Park Highway) – Knoxville, Statesville, Enka | NC 74 Alternate begins; south end of US 19 and US 23 overlap |
2 | US 19 Bus. / US 23 Bus. (Haywood Road) |
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3 | NC 63 north (Leicester Highway) – Leicester | |||
4 | I-26 east / I-240 west | East end of I-26 overlap, west end of I-240 overlap (Exit 3B) | ||
5 | I-26 west / US 19 north / US 23 north / US 70 west – Weaverville, Johnson City | West end of I-26 and US 70 overlap, north end of US 19 and US 23 overlap (Exit 4A) | ||
5.7 | US 25 (Merrimon Avenue) | South US 25 to Biltmore Estate, north US 25 to UNC Asheville (Exit 5A) | ||
6 | I-240 east (Billy Graham Freeway) | East end of I-240 overlap (Charlotte Avenue - Exit 5B) | ||
6.2 | NC 694 north (Town Mountain Road) | |||
8 | US 70 east (Tunnel Road) – Swannanoa | East end of US 70 overlap | ||
8.5 | NC 81 west (Swannanoa River Road) – Biltmore Forest | West end of NC 81 overlap | ||
9.5 | NC 81 east (Swannanoa River Road) – Swannanoa | East end of NC 81 overlap | ||
10 | I-240 west (Billy Graham Freeway) | West end of I-240 overlap (Exit 8) | ||
11 | I-40 / I-240 east – Knoxville, Statesville | East end of I-240 overlap (Unassigned Exit Number) | ||
11.5 | Blue Ridge Parkway | |||
Bat Cave | 28.3 | NC 9 north – Black Mountain | North end of NC 9 overlap | |
28.5 | US 64 west – Hendersonville | West end of US 64 overlap | ||
Rutherford | Lake Lure | 36 | NC 9 south – Mill Spring | South end of NC 9 overlap |
Rutherfordton | 51.5 | US 221 (Main Street) – Marion | ||
Ruth | 52 | US 64 east – Morganton | East end of US 64 overlap | |
Spindale | 54 | US 74 Bus. / US 221 Alt. (Charlotte Road) |
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Forest City | 60 | US 74 – Shelby, Columbus, Asheville | US 74 Alternate ends | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus • Closed/Former • Incomplete access • Unopened |
U.S. Route 74 Business |
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Location: | Rutherfordton–Forest City, North Carolina |
Length: | 21.5 mi[4] (34.6 km) |
U.S. Route 74 Business was established to replace the old mainline US 74 through Spindale and Forest City. In 1994, it was extended west through Rutherfordton then south along US 221 to the new US 74 freeway, in an effort to complete the loop (however, it is poorly signed).
U.S. Route 74 Business |
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Location: | Shelby, North Carolina |
Length: | 6.2 mi[5] (10.0 km) |
Existed: | 1960–present |
U.S. Route 74 Business was established in 1960 as a renumbering of US 74A. It goes through downtown Shelby, via Marion Street.[2]
U.S. Route 74 Business |
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Location: | Kings Mountain, North Carolina |
Length: | 5.3 mi[6] (8.5 km) |
U.S. Route 74 Business was established along the old mainline US 70 route through Kings Mountain.
U.S. Route 74 Business |
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Location: | Rockingham–Hamlet, North Carolina |
Length: | 15 mi[7] (24.1 km) |
Existed: | November, 2000–present |
U.S. Route 74 Business was established in November, 2000, replacing the old mainline US 74 through Rockingham and Hamlet.
U.S. Route 74 Business |
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Location: | Laurinburg–Maxton, North Carolina |
Length: | 12.4 mi[8] (20.0 km) |
U.S. Route 74 Business was established to replace the old mainline US 74 through Laurinburg and Maxton.
U.S. Route 74 Alternate |
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Location: | Maxton–Lumberton, North Carolina |
Length: | 15.5 mi[9] (24.9 km) |
Existed: | 2008–present |
U.S. Route 74 Alternate was established on September 19th, 2008 when main US 74 and I-74 were realigned to a new freeway south of the old route, between Maxton to near Lumberton.[10] The route, just south of the banks of the Lumber River, goes through mostly farmland. In between, NC 710 connect travelers to Pembroke, where the University of North Carolina at Pembroke is located. Highway signs along the route are bannered "Alternate" or "ALT" above US 74; as oppose to US 74A, which is used in Western North Carolina.
County | Location | Mile[9] | Destinations | Notes |
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Robeson | 0 | I-74 / US 74 / US 74 Bus. west – Maxton, Laurinburg |
NC 74 Alternate begins | |
5 | NC 710 – Pembroke, Rowland | Also to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke | ||
15.5 | I-74 / US 74 – Whiteville, Wilmington | NC 74 Alternate ends | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus • Closed/Former • Incomplete access • Unopened |
U.S. Route 74 Business |
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Location: | Chadbourn–Whiteville, North Carolina |
Length: | 12 mi[11] (19.3 km) |
U.S. Route 74 Business was established to replace the old mainline US 74 through Chadbourn and Whiteville.
U.S. Route 74A | |
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Location: | Shelby, North Carolina |
Length: | 6.2 mi[5] (10.0 km) |
Existed: | 1952–1960 |
U.S. Route 74A was established in 1952, replacing the old mainline US 74 through downtown Shelby, via Marion Street. In 1960 it was renumbered to US 74 Business.[2]
U.S. Route 74A | |
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Location: | Monroe, North Carolina |
Existed: | 1952–1960 |
U.S. Route 74A was established in 1952, replacing the old mainline US 74 through downtown Monroe, via Franklin Street and Charlotte Avenue. In 1953, it was rerouted along Skyway Drive going into downtown Monroe. In 1960 it was renumbered to US 74 Business.[2]
U.S. Route 74 Business |
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Location: | Monroe, North Carolina |
Existed: | 1960–? |
U.S. Route 74 Business was established in 1960, as a renumbering of US 74A through Monroe, via Skyway Drive and Franklin Street. It was decommissioned at an unknown date.[2]