North Carolina Highway 16 (NC 16) is a 143.8-mile (231.4 km) primary
state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
in the U.S. state of
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. Traveling in a north–south direction, it connects the cities and towns of
Charlotte
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
,
Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
,
Conover Conover may refer to:
People
* Conover (surname)
Places in the United States
* Conover, Iowa, a ghost town
* Conover, North Carolina, a city
* Conover, Ohio, an unincorporated community
* Conover, Wisconsin, a town
* Conover (community), Wisconsi ...
,
Taylorsville,
Wilkesboro and
Jefferson Jefferson may refer to:
Names
* Jefferson (surname)
* Jefferson (given name)
People
* Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States
* Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...
, linking the
Charlotte metropolitan area
The Charlotte metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as Metrolina, is a metropolitan area of the U.S. states of North and South Carolina, within and surrounding the city of Charlotte. The metropolitan area also includes the cities of Gastoni ...
with the mountainous
High Country. NC 16 is part of a three-state route 16 that connects the Charlotte region with northwestern
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
.
Route description
NC 16 is part of a three-state highway 16, that totals , from
Waxhaw, North Carolina to
St. Marys,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
.
NC 16 begins as a two-lane road in Waxhaw, from its intersection with
NC 75 (Main Street), it travels north along Broome Street to
Weddington, where it widens to four-lane and becomes Providence Road. After crossing the
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
-
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg (; nds, label=Low German, Mękel(n)borg ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schwerin ...
county line, it enters
Charlotte's city limit. Along Providence Road, NC 16 connects with
I-485 (exit 57) and
NC 51 (Pineville-Matthews Road). In the Cherry neighborhood, Providence Road becomes 3rd Street; at the intersection of Charlottetowne Avenue, northbound NC 16 changes over to 4th Street, while southbound remains on 3rd Street. As NC 16 enters
Uptown Charlotte
Uptown Charlotte, also called Center City, is the central business district of Charlotte, North Carolina. The area is split into four wards by the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets, and bordered by Interstate 277 and Interstate 77. The a ...
, it merges with
I-277/
US 74 (John Belk Freeway, exit 2A); southbound travelers will encounter an awkward u-turn at 3rd Street to get on over to 4th Street. Going counter-clockwise around Uptown Charlotte, John Belk Freeway becomes Brookshire Freeway (with US 74 leaving to follow
Independence Boulevard
U.S. Route 74 (US 74) is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Primarily in North Carolina, it serves as an important highway from the mountains to the ...
out of the city); at the
I-77
Interstate 77 (I-77) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the ...
/
US 21 interchange (exit 5/exit 11), NC 16's concurrency with I-277 ends and the highway becomes Brookshire Boulevard. In the Oakview Terrace neighborhood, NC 16 connects with
I-85
Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65, I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with Interstate 95, I ...
(exit 36). In the
Paw Creek neighborhood, NC 16 connects again with I-485 (exit 16) before leaving the Charlotte city limits. Crossing Rozzelles Ferry Bridge at
Mountain Island Lake
Mountain Island Lake is a lake northwest of Charlotte, North Carolina created in 1924 to coincide with the building of Mountain Island Hydroelectric Station. It is named after the mountain which appears as an island in the lake, and the surrounding ...
/
Catawba River
The Catawba River originates in Western North Carolina and flows into South Carolina, where it later becomes known as the Wateree River. The river is approximately 220 miles (350 km) long. It rises in the Appalachian Mountains and drains into ...
, NC 16 enters
Gaston County
Gaston County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 227,943. The county seat is Gastonia. Dallas served as the original county seat from 1846 until 1911.
Gaston County is included in the C ...
.
At
Lucia, NC 16 Business splits from mainline NC 16, where it travels through
Lowesville,
Triangle
A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC.
In Euclidean geometry, an ...
and
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, before merging back at
Killian Crossroads. NC 16 through Gaston,
Lincoln
Lincoln most commonly refers to:
* Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States
* Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England
* Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S.
* Lincol ...
and southeast
Catawba County
Catawba County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 160,610. Its county seat is Newton, and its largest city is Hickory. The county is part of the Hickory– Lenoir– Morganton, NC Metrop ...
is a four-lane
expressway
Expressway may refer to:
* Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic.
* Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road.
*Expressway, the fictional s ...
, with
superstreet
A superstreet, also known as a restricted crossing U-turn (RCUT), J-turn, or reduced conflict intersection (RCI), is a type of road intersection that is a variation of the Michigan left. In this configuration, in contrast to the Michigan left, t ...
design at some at-grade intersections. Speed limit is on this portion of highway. Between Killian Crossroads and
Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
, NC 16 drops down from four-lane to two-lane for . Near Newton, NC 16 Business splits and follows the old alignment through downtown Newton and
Conover Conover may refer to:
People
* Conover (surname)
Places in the United States
* Conover, Iowa, a ghost town
* Conover, North Carolina, a city
* Conover, Ohio, an unincorporated community
* Conover, Wisconsin, a town
* Conover (community), Wisconsi ...
, while mainline NC 16 travels along a four-lane bypass east of both cities. After crossing
I-40
Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
(exit 132), NC 16 Business rejoins mainline NC 16, continuing north as a two-lane rural highway. At Lookout Shoals Lake/Catawba River, NC 16 enters
Alexander County.
Traveling through
Millersville and
Isenhour Park, NC 16 connects with
US 64 and
NC 90 in
Taylorsville. Continuing north, the highway meanders through the
Brushy Mountains, entering
Wilkes County at Kilby Gap (). At
Moravian Falls
Moravian Falls is a waterfall in Wilkes County, North Carolina.
Geology
The waterfall is located on Moravian Creek, where it flows over a large bedrock to a lower plunge pool.
Natural history
The falls is privately owned by a campground who ha ...
,
NC 18 merges with NC 16 as the highway straightens out towards
Wilkesboro. At
US 421 (exit 286A), switches concurrency as NC 18 continues into downtown Wilkesboro. After , NC 16 splits with US 421, which continues towards
Boone. In a northwesterly direction, NC 16 travels through
Millers Creek and
Wilbar before ascending along Piney Ridge and entering
Ashe County at Horse Gap (, highest point along route).
Immediately entering Ashe County is the
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...
followed by
NC 163 towards
West Jefferson. Continuing north, through
Glendale Springs, NC 16 joins
NC 88 in
Index
Index (or its plural form indices) may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Index (''A Certain Magical Index''), a character in the light novel series ''A Certain Magical Index''
* The Index, an item on a Halo megastru ...
, then goes northeasterly to
Jefferson Jefferson may refer to:
Names
* Jefferson (surname)
* Jefferson (given name)
People
* Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States
* Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...
, where it switches concurrency with
US 221. After , NC 16 splits from US 221, which continues on towards
Sparta
Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referre ...
. Continuing north, it reaches the
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
state line near
Grassy Creek, where it continues on as
SR 16, towards
Mouth of Wilson.
History
NC 16 was established in 1921 as an original state highway, traveling from
SC 16, at the
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
state line, north through
Gastonia,
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
and
Lincolnton, to
NC 10, in
Conover Conover may refer to:
People
* Conover (surname)
Places in the United States
* Conover, Iowa, a ghost town
* Conover, North Carolina, a city
* Conover, Ohio, an unincorporated community
* Conover, Wisconsin, a town
* Conover (community), Wisconsi ...
.
In 1926, NC 16 was rerouted along Aspen Street in Lincolnton towards
High Shoals, removing it from a short concurrency with
NC 27 to
Boger City. In 1929, NC 16 was extended north through
Taylorsville and
Wilkesboro, replacing
NC 67; then northwest through
Jefferson Jefferson may refer to:
Names
* Jefferson (surname)
* Jefferson (given name)
People
* Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States
* Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...
and then west to the
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
state lane, replacing
NC 68. In 1930,
US 321 was assigned onto NC 16 between the South Carolina state line to Conover.
In 1934, NC 16 was truncated at
US 64/
US 70/US 321, in Conover; its former routing south replaced by US 321. In 1937, NC 16 was rerouted to its current alignment between
Millers Creek and
Glendale Springs, leaving behind secondary roads Old North Carolina Highway 16 (SR 1562 and SR 1559 in Wilkes County, SR 1648 in Ashe County) and Trading Post Road (SR 1632). Around 1940, NC 16 was extended south of Conover, via US 321 to
Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
, then southeast through
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
and
Charlotte
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, to its current southern terminus at
NC 75, in
Waxhaw; the new routing replaced part of
NC 73 and all of NC 271 and NC 262. In 1940, NC 16 was rerouted to its current northern terminus at the
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
state line, in
Grassy Creek, with continuation as
SR 92 to
Mouth of Wilson. Its old alignment, through Jefferson, to the Tennessee state line was replaced by
NC 88; while NC 16 replaced all of NC 681.
In 1954, NC 16 was rerouted in Wilkesboro, going west on
NC 268 and then on new primary road bypassing west of
North Wilkesboro
North Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States, approximately 80 miles north of Charlotte. The population was 4,131 at the 2020 US Census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvemen ...
. Its old alignment to North Wilkesboro continued on as
NC 18; while Boone Trail (SR 1500), to
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
, was downgraded. In 1958, NC 16 was placed on new primary road west from its former alignment, Old North Carolina Highway 16 (SR 1573), bypassing
Crumpler
Crumpler is an Australian bag brand and manufacturer with two separately held companies who design and supply different products to their respective markets. The company's Pacific headquarterers are in Melbourne, Australia, while its European ...
and Grassy Creek. In 1962, NC 16 was rerouted, in Charlotte, along Hawthorne Lane from Casewell Street. In 1969, NC 16 was rerouted onto the new bypass route east of
Moravian Falls
Moravian Falls is a waterfall in Wilkes County, North Carolina.
Geology
The waterfall is located on Moravian Creek, where it flows over a large bedrock to a lower plunge pool.
Natural history
The falls is privately owned by a campground who ha ...
; then added onto new
US 421 bypass, in Wilkesboro, going west then onto new primary routing north to
Millers Creek. The old alignment through Cricket were downgraded to secondary roads: Curtis Bridge Road (SR 1185) and Boone Trail (SR 1372). In 1970, NC 16 was converted to
one-way streets in Newton, with northbound on College Avenue and southbound on Main Street.
In 1974, NC 16 was rerouted, from Trade Street, onto North Graham Street then northwest onto the Northwest Freeway (future Brookshire Freeway); its old alignment along West Trade Street and Rozzelles Ferry Road were downgraded to secondary roads. In 1977, NC 16 was converted to one-way streets, with northbound along third street and Independence Boulevard, and southbound along Elizabeth Avenue and Hawthorne Lane.
Final configuration of NC 16 in
Uptown Charlotte
Uptown Charlotte, also called Center City, is the central business district of Charlotte, North Carolina. The area is split into four wards by the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets, and bordered by Interstate 277 and Interstate 77. The a ...
came in 1982, with its removal along Hawthorne Lane, Elizabeth Avenue and Trade Street, rerouted along 3rd/4th streets onto the John Belk Freeway then north on the Brookshire Freeway. In 1989, NC 16 was rerouted onto new Brookshire Boulevard in northwest Mecklenburg County; its former alignment along BellHaven Boulevard and Rozzelles Ferry Road were downgraded to secondary roads.
In 1990, NC 16 was placed on new four-lane
expressway
Expressway may refer to:
* Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic.
* Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road.
*Expressway, the fictional s ...
between
Mountain Island Lake
Mountain Island Lake is a lake northwest of Charlotte, North Carolina created in 1924 to coincide with the building of Mountain Island Hydroelectric Station. It is named after the mountain which appears as an island in the lake, and the surrounding ...
and
Lucia; part of its old alignment was downgraded to secondary road, while
NC 273 was extended along most of it. In 2007, NC 16 was extended on new four-lane
freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
between Lucia and
NC 73; its old alignment through
Lowesville become NC 16 Business.
In 2008, NC 16 was placed on new four-lane
boulevard
A boulevard is a type of broad avenue planted with rows of trees, or in parts of North America, any urban highway.
Boulevards were originally circumferential roads following the line of former city walls.
In American usage, boulevards may ...
bypass east of Newton; its old alignment becomes the second NC 16 Business loop.
In 2012, NC 16 was placed on new four-lane expressway, from NC 73 to
Killian Crossroads; its old alignment through Denver becomes an extension of NC 16 Business from Lowesville.
North Carolina Highway 262
North Carolina Highway 262 (NC 262) appeared in 1930 as new primary routing from
NC 25, in Waxhaw, to
US 74/
NC 20 (7th Street), in Charlotte.
[ In 1940, it was entirely replaced by an extension of NC 16.][
]
North Carolina Highway 271
North Carolina Highway 271 (NC 271) appeared in 1926 running from Thrift to NC 20 near Charlotte
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
.[ In 1931 the road was extended north to NC 10 in ]Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
. The next year the original section of NC 271 was renumbered as part NC 27A. Two years later NC 271 was truncated to Triangle
A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC.
In Euclidean geometry, an ...
with the routing from Triangle to Newton becoming a part of NC 73. In 1940 the rest of the road was renumbered as part of NC 16.[
]
North Carolina Highway 681
North Carolina Highway 681 (NC 681) was established in 1928 as a renumbering of part of NC 68; traveling from NC 68/ NC 69, in Jefferson, to the Virginia state line, at Grassy Creek.[ In 1931, Virginia established SR 139 to connect with NC 681 at the state line, which continued to Mouth of Wilson. In 1940, the route was decommissioned in favor of NC 16.][
]
Future
NC 16, from Tower Road (SR 1895), near Killian Crossroads, to Claremont Road (SR 1801), near Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
, is to be widened to a four-lane expressway, using the superstreet
A superstreet, also known as a restricted crossing U-turn (RCUT), J-turn, or reduced conflict intersection (RCI), is a type of road intersection that is a variation of the Michigan left. In this configuration, in contrast to the Michigan left, t ...
design. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2021 on the project.
Major intersections
Special routes
Lowesville–Denver business loop
North Carolina Highway 16 Business (NC 16 Bus) was established in December 2007 when NC 16 was placed on new construction between Lucia and Lowesville, its old alignment becoming a business loop. In March 2012, NC 16 Business was extended north to its current terminus at Anderson Mountain
Anderson Mountain is a summit east of Pilot Knob in Iron County, Missouri, in the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United ...
, north of Killian Crossroads, after mainline NC 16 was moved onto new construction bypassing Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. NC 16 Business also connects the communities of Triangle
A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC.
In Euclidean geometry, an ...
and Westport, along the western banks of Lake Norman
Lake Norman is the largest man-made body of fresh water in North Carolina. It was created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy.
Geography
Lake Norman is fed by the Catawba River, and drains i ...
.[
]
Newton–Conover business loop
North Carolina Highway 16 Business (NC 16 Bus) was established in January 2008 when NC 16 was placed on new construction east Newton andConover, its old alignment becoming a business loop. In Newton, it traverses along Charlotte Highway, D Street, College Street (northbound only) and Main Street. In Conover, it traverses completely on 1st Avenue. In November, 2012, a new overpass was built over I-40
Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
; the old overpass was originally connected to the I-40 (exit 131) before exit 132 was built.
Newton truck route
North Carolina Highway 16 Truck (NC 16 Truck) provides a different routing along NC 16 Business for truck drivers, bypassing downtown Newton. The route begins west on D and C Streets (overlap with NC 10), then north on Southwest Boulevard (overlap with US 321 Bus) and finally east on 20th Avenue, reconnecting with NC 16 Business.
Taylorsville truck route
North Carolina Highway 16 Truck (NC 16 Truck) provides truck drivers, that are passing through, a different route that bypasses the downtown area of Taylorsville, via US 64 and Liledoun Road.
References
External links
*{{commons category-inline, North Carolina Highway 16
NCRoads.com: N.C. 16
016
Transportation in Charlotte, North Carolina
Transportation in Union County, North Carolina
Transportation in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Transportation in Gaston County, North Carolina
Transportation in Lincoln County, North Carolina
Transportation in Catawba County, North Carolina
Transportation in Alexander County, North Carolina
Transportation in Wilkes County, North Carolina
Transportation in Ashe County, North Carolina