U.S. Route 311 is a
United States highway
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these hi ...
that runs for from
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in ...
to near
Danville,
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 ...
. It connects the
cities
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
of
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in ...
,
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
, and
Eden. The route runs northeast from Winston-Salem to Danville. By the numbering convention, it is an auxiliary route of
US 11, however except for a brief period shortly after the route was established, it has not connected to its parent route.
US 311 begins in Winston-Salem, at
US 52 (exit 110B) in the downtown area, and proceeds northeast of the city. Starting in the vicinity of Madison, US 311 follows a number of different North Carolina state highways in short succession along with another major US Highway,
US 220 before crossing the Virginia line. In Virginia, the route terminates shortly after crossing the border at the western end of the
Danville Expressway
U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a major north–south route in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It covers from the North Carolina border at the city of Danville to the Key Bridge in Washington, D.C. US 29 roughly bisects Virginia into eastern and ...
(
US 58).
In May 2018, North Carolina applied for, and received, permission from
AASHTO to remove US 311 from the southernmost of the route, being mostly redundant to
I-74
}
Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa (Quad Cities); the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchang ...
, bringing it to its current routing from Winston-Salem to Danville.
Route description
US 311 begins at exit 110B from the
US 52/
NC 8 freeway in
Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...
and leads into the downtown area. It follows N Martin Luther King Jr Dr for a short time before continuing northeast along New Walkertown Road. It travels northeast and intersects NC 66 at the edge of
Walkertown, which motorists can use to connect to nearby shopping centers situated along US 158 (Reidsville Road). Shortly after, US 311 then turns to follow Harley Drive and turns again to follow Main Street through town. North of Walkertown, the road takes the local name of Walnut Cove Road. At the southern edge of the town of
Walnut Cove NC 65 joins for a short concurrency. At the northern boundary of Walnut Cove, NC 89 has its terminus at US 311, and the highway turns northeast.
North Carolina Highway 772
North Carolina Highway 772 (NC 772) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. NC 772 is a two-lane rural highway that traverses from U.S. Route 311 (US 311) north of Pine Hall to NC 704 in Pres ...
terminates at US 311 near
Pine Hall and entering the town of
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
, US 311 takes an easterly route as Academy Street, meeting up with
NC 704 along the way. East of
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
, it leaves NC 704 and joins with the
Future Interstate 73/
US 220 by-pass, both routes traveling due north in a short concurrency to
Mayodan
Mayodan is a town in Rockingham County, North Carolina, Rockingham County, North Carolina, in the United States. It is a manufacturing site for Sturm, Ruger & Co., Bridgestone#Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, and General Tobac ...
. In Mayodan, US 311 then leaves the US 220 freeway, and proceeds easterly again, along
NC 135 towards
Eden. Three other NC routes join with 311 in Eden in short succession:
NC 770,
NC 87 and
NC 14
NC may refer to:
People
* Naga Chaitanya, an Indian Telugu film actor; sometimes nicknamed by the initials of his first and middle name, NC
* Nathan Connolly, lead guitarist for Snow Patrol
*Nostalgia Critic, the alter ego of Internet comedian D ...
, then the 4 joined routes cross the
Dan River
The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It rises in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it flows back int ...
along Van Buren Street in Eden. NC 14/NC 87 continue north on Van Buren, while US 311 exits Van Buren Street on a grade-separated interchange onto Meadow Road near the Eden Mall, heading northeast into a rural area before crossing into
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 ...
.
After the passing through the small communities of
Berry Hill and
Buford Buford may refer to:
Places
United States
*Buford, Arkansas
*Buford, Colorado, an unincorporated community
* Buford, Georgia
*Buford Highway corridor, in Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett Counties in Georgia
* Buford, North Dakota
*Buford, Ohio
*Bufo ...
, it turns due west joining
US 58 Business before the northern terminus of US 311 occurs at
US 58, west of
Danville at the western end of the
Danville Expressway
U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a major north–south route in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It covers from the North Carolina border at the city of Danville to the Key Bridge in Washington, D.C. US 29 roughly bisects Virginia into eastern and ...
.
The J.J. Webster Highway is the official North Carolina name of US 311/
NC 135 from
Mayodan
Mayodan is a town in Rockingham County, North Carolina, Rockingham County, North Carolina, in the United States. It is a manufacturing site for Sturm, Ruger & Co., Bridgestone#Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, and General Tobac ...
to
Eden.
History
![US 311 End-Randleman](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/US_311_End-Randleman.jpg)
Established as an original U.S. Route in 1927, it originally traversed from
West End, through
Asheboro
Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 25,012 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greensboro–High Point metropolitan area of the Piedmont Triad and is home of the sta ...
,
High Point,
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in ...
,
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
, and
Stoneville, before entering
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 ...
and continuing to
Roanoke, where it reached its parent route,
U.S. 11. The alignment followed part of what was
NC 70 and all of
NC 77, both of which were decommissioned in 1934.
In 1933, US 311 was extended south through
Pinehurst,
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
, and
Laurinburg
Laurinburg is a city in and the county seat of Scotland County, North Carolina, Scotland County, North Carolina, United States. Located in southern North Carolina near the South Carolina border, Laurinburg is southwest of Fayetteville, North Car ...
, to
Rowland, overlapping
NC 241. A year later,
US 220 was established and replaced US 311 south of
Asheboro
Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 25,012 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greensboro–High Point metropolitan area of the Piedmont Triad and is home of the sta ...
and north of
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
, severing the connection with its parent route. Sections further south were replaced by
NC 2 (today's
NC 211) and
US 501. Later in 1966, US 311 was truncated in
Randleman; by 1973, US 311 southern terminus was moved to
US 220 Bypass, in
Randleman.
By 1952, US 311 was rerouted west of downtown
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in ...
, following Waughtown Road, Stadium Drive, Claremont Avenue and 7th Street, to New Walkertown Road. In the mid-1980s, US 311 was moved onto new freeway through southeast
Forsyth County. Part of the freeway shortly became a stretch of
Interstate 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 ...
, eventually running concurrent with the interstat. In 1996, the route through
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in ...
changed again, this time also going north along
US 52/
NC 8 to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive then east onto New Walkertown Road.
In 1997, the first section of the East Belt was opened in
High Point, rerouting US 311 onto the new freeway to Eastchester Drive then back into downtown
High Point with concurrency with
North Carolina Highway 68. The old alignment along North Main Street became US 311 Business. On November 20, 2004, the second section of the "East Belt" was opened, rerouting US 311 to
I-85 Bus./
US 29
U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington ...
/
US 70. On November 22, 2010, the third and final section of the "East Belt" was completed, linking
Interstate 85
Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, ...
; Also
Interstate 74
}
Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa (Quad Cities); the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange ...
was established as an concurrency of US 311 from Cedar Square Road to North Main Street.
In September 2003, US 311 was extended north from
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
to
NC 14/
NC 87/
NC 770 in
Eden, via
US 220 and
NC 135. The extension was finally signed in August 2011.
The route was approved by
(AASHTO) in November 2012, after an initial request by officials in Eden, to be extended to
US 58 in
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 ...
; which in January 2013,
NCDOT signed off on extending the route and replacing parts of
NC 700 and
NC 770. US 311 was signed in the field in Virginia, from Danville south to the state line (replacing secondary State Route 863) in September 2013.
Since 2003, a project called the "US 311 Connector" has been planned by NCDOT and the city of Winston-Salem. Estimated at $23.5 million (2003 dollars), the four-lane
urban 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 ...
would connect between I-40 (exit 196) and I-40 Business (exit 8) (now US 421, exit 230), linking US 311 with US 158 (Reidsville Road); it also included a landscaped medium with walking/bicycle trails parallel to it. By 2016, the project has ceased appearing in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), though still part of the Winston-Salem 2035 Transportation Plan.
In May 2018, AASHTO approved a request by NCDOT to eliminate between Randleman and Winston-Salem, moving the southern terminus from I-73 in Randleman to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard in Winston-Salem, as all but of this section is freeway which already has other primary designations; those non-redundant sections would be reassigned secondary North Carolina routes. In January 2019, NCDOT officially eliminated the section.
North Carolina Highway 897
North Carolina Highway 897 (NC 897) was an original state highway that traversed from
NC 60/
NC 65, in Winston-Salem, to
SR 33 at the Virginia state line. Going north on Liberty Street, from 4th Street, in Winston-Salem, it went at a northeasterly route along Old Walkertown Road and Pine Hall Road to
Pine Hall. Continuing northeasterly, it connects
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
,
Mayodan
Mayodan is a town in Rockingham County, North Carolina, Rockingham County, North Carolina, in the United States. It is a manufacturing site for Sturm, Ruger & Co., Bridgestone#Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, and General Tobac ...
,
Stoneville and
Price, North Carolina
Price is an unincorporated community in northern Rockingham County, North Carolina, United States, located on U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220 (US 220) is a spur route of US 20. It runs in a north–south layout in the eastern Uni ...
before reaching the Virginia state line. In 1925, it was renumbered as part of
NC 77. Today, all of the
Forsyth Forsyth may refer to:
Places Oceania
* Forsyth Island, Queensland, Australia, one of the West Wellesley Islands (aka Forsyth Islands)
* Forsyth Island, Tasmania, Australia
* Forsyth Island (New Zealand), in the outer Marlborough Sounds of South I ...
and
Stokes section of NC 897 have been downgraded to secondary roads; while the Pine Hall to Madison section is part of US 311 and the Madison to Stoneville is part of
US 220 Business.
Junction list
Special routes
High Point business loop
Established in 1997, when mainline US 311 was placed on new freeway east of
High Point, it was long following North Main Street from US 311 to Eastchester Drive. In December 2005, US 311 Business was extended south, through the downtown area, to
I-85 Bus./
US 29
U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington ...
/
US 70. However, on November 23, 2009, US 311 Business was decommissioned, a couple of years before the completion of the "East Belt."
References
External links
*
Endpoints of U.S. Highway 311
{{Piedmont Triad
11-3
11-3
11-3
Transportation in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Transportation in Randolph County, North Carolina
Transportation in Guilford County, North Carolina
Transportation in Forsyth County, North Carolina
Transportation in Stokes County, North Carolina
Transportation in Rockingham County, North Carolina
U.S. Route 311
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