U.S. Route 117 (US 117) is a north-south
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 ...
located completely within the
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
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 ...
. A spur route of
US 17, the highway runs for from the
Port of Wilmington, south of downtown
Wilmington, to
US 301 near
Wilson. From its southern terminus, US 117 runs along Shipyard Boulevard and College Road,
concurrent
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with
North Carolina Highway 132
North Carolina Highway 132 (NC 132) is a north-south North Carolina State Highway entirely in New Hanover County. The highway follows College Road for the duration of its route. The southern terminus of NC 132 begins at U.S. Ro ...
(NC 132) through Wilmington. US 117 intersects the eastern terminus 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 ...
(I-40) and parallels the interstate until reaching
Faison, passing through
Burgaw,
Wallace
Wallace may refer to:
People
* Clan Wallace in Scotland
* Wallace (given name)
* Wallace (surname)
* Wallace (footballer, born 1986), full name Wallace Fernando Pereira, Brazilian football left-back
* Wallace (footballer, born 1987), full name ...
, and
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
. The highway diverges from I-40 in Faison, running north-northeast through
Mount Olive,
Goldsboro, and
Pikeville to its northern terminus. US 117 meets the southern end of
I-795 in
Goldsboro, and parallels that route before reaching its northern terminus at US 301 south of Wilson.
The general alignment of US 117 was originally signed as NC 40, one of the original
North Carolina State Highways
The North Carolina Highway System consists of a vast network of Interstate, United States, and state highways, managed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. North Carolina has the second largest state maintained highway network in t ...
running from Fort Fisher to 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. Upon the creation of the United States Numbered Highway System in 1926, US 17-1 was assigned
concurrent
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with NC 40 from Wilmington to Virginia. US 17-1 was decommissioned in 1932 and US 117 was established, running from
Conway, South Carolina to Wilson via
Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...
and Wilmington. In 1939, US 17 replaced US 117 between Conway and Wilmington, truncating the southern terminus to Downtown Wilmington. US 117 has undergone several realignments since 1940, some of which have created special routes of US 117. In 2003, the southern terminus of US 117 was adjusted again, rerouting the highway along College Road and Shipyard Boulevard to the Port of Wilmington. Between 2006 and 2007, US 117 was routed onto a new freeway between Goldsboro and
US 264 in Wilson. The freeway was subsequently renumbered as I-795 and US 117 was placed on its original routing north of Goldsboro. A southerly extension of I-795 from Goldsboro to I-40 is planned along the US 117 corridor.
Route description
As the entire route is located within the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
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 ...
the
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is responsible for maintenance along the entirety of US 117.
NCDOT measures average daily traffic volumes along many of the roadways it maintains. In 2019, average daily traffic volumes along US 117 varied from 1,400 vehicles per day near Watson Road in
Wayne County and Great Swamp Loop in southern
Wilson County Wilson County is the name of four counties in the United States:
*Wilson County, Kansas
*Wilson County, North Carolina
*Wilson County, Tennessee
*Wilson County, Texas
Wilson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 202 ...
to 56,500 vehicles per day alongside the
University of North Carolina Wilmington
The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW or UNC Wilmington) is a public research university in Wilmington, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina System and enrolls 17,499 undergraduate and graduate students eac ...
in
Wilmington. US 117 is a part of
National Highway System, a network of highways in the United States which serve strategic transportation facilities, in two segments. The southern terminus of the first segment is located at the
Port of Wilmington in Wilmington and the northern terminus is at Holly Shelter Road in
Castle Hayne. The southern terminus of the second segment is located at the intersection with US 117 Connector near
Calypso and the northern terminus is located at an interchange with
US 13 and
US 70 in northern
Goldsboro. When it is not a part of the National Highway System, US 117 makes connects to it at
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 ...
(I-40) near
Wallace
Wallace may refer to:
People
* Clan Wallace in Scotland
* Wallace (given name)
* Wallace (surname)
* Wallace (footballer, born 1986), full name Wallace Fernando Pereira, Brazilian football left-back
* Wallace (footballer, born 1987), full name ...
and
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
, at
North Carolina Highway 24 Business (NC 24 Bus.) in Warsaw, and at
US 301 near
Wilson.
Wilmington to Wallace
US 117 begins at the Port of Wilmington at an intersection with River Road. The highway runs eastward along Shipyard Boulevard a four-lane divided highway. US 117 intersects
US 421 at Carolina Beach Road and continues along Shipyard Boulevard for until reaching
North Carolina Highway 132
North Carolina Highway 132 (NC 132) is a north-south North Carolina State Highway entirely in New Hanover County. The highway follows College Road for the duration of its route. The southern terminus of NC 132 begins at U.S. Ro ...
(NC 132) at South College Road. At the intersection, US 117 turns to the north, running
concurrently with NC 132. South College Road is a six-lane highway from Shipyard Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard, with two northbound lanes, three southbound lanes, and a central
turning lane
Turning is a machining process in which a cutting tool, typically a non-rotary tool bit, describes a helix toolpath by moving more or less linearly while the workpiece rotates.
Usually the term "turning" is reserved for the generation o ...
. US 117 and NC 132 meet
US 17 and
US 76 at an intersection with Oleander Drive. Following South College Road, the highway makes a slight bend to the northeast before widening to a six lane divided highway and intersecting Wilshire Boulevard. Access to the
University of North Carolina Wilmington
The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW or UNC Wilmington) is a public research university in Wilmington, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina System and enrolls 17,499 undergraduate and graduate students eac ...
(UNCW) is provided at intersections with Hurst Drive, Crews Drive, and Randall Parkway/Randall Drive. North of New Centre Drive, US 117 and NC 132 makes a slight turn to the northwest, before meeting
US 17 Business at a
partial cloverleaf interchange with Market Street.
![US117nNC132nRoadSigns (39245152335)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/US117nNC132nRoadSigns_%2839245152335%29.jpg)
North of Market Street, the road name switches from South College Road to North College Road. The highway meets
US 74 at an intersection with Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway along the Wilmington city limits. North of the intersection, the highway runs through the community of
Kings Grant before meeting the eastern terminus of I-40. The northbound lanes of US 117 run concurrently with I-40 for until reaching exit 420B. The southbound lanes utilize an on-ramp to the freeway and run concurrently with I-40 for at its eastern terminus.
North of I-40, US 117 and NC 132 follow northwestward along North College Road, a four-lane divided highway. The highway narrows to a two-lane road north of an intersection with Murraysville Road. The highway utilizes an overpass to cross over
I-140 but does not connect with the Interstate. Access to the North Campus of
Cape Fear Community College
Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) is a public community college in Wilmington, North Carolina. It enrolls nearly 23,000 students each year. The service area of Cape Fear Community College includes New Hanover and Pender counties with a main ca ...
is provided by utilizing Blue Clay Road, which intersects US 117. The highway crosses a railroad branch owned and operated by
CSX Transportation.
US 117 intersects
NC 133 at a
roundabout south of
Castle Hayne. The roundabout marks the northern terminus of NC 132, while NC 133 follows US 117 to the north. US 117 and NC 133 passes through downtown Castle Hayne before crossing the
Northeast Cape Fear River
Northeast Cape Fear River is a long 5th order tributary to the Cape Fear River in southeastern North Carolina.
Variant names
According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as:
* North East River
* No ...
and entering into
Pender County. North of the bridge, the highway briefly runs adjacent to the river, before reaching an intersection that marks the point where the US 117 and NC 133 overlap ends. US 117 travels north for until intersecting
NC 210 in
Rocky Point.
The highway exits Rocky Point to the north and is routed to the east of the communities of Ashton and
St. Helena
Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constit ...
. South of
Burgaw, US 117 Business splits from the mainline route at Walker Street. US 117 widens to a two-lane road with a central turning lane as it continues as a bypass of downtown Burgaw. The U.S. highway meets
NC 53 in a retail area, northeast of downtown Burgaw. US 117 continues northwest of NC 53 before reaching the northern terminus of US 117 Business at Timberlake Drive. The central turning lane ends at the US 117 Business intersection and the highway continues north of Burgaw along a two lane highway. Entering into a rural area of Pender County, US 117 makes a turn to the northeast north of the terminus of Old Savannah Road and subsequently crosses over I-40. US 117 runs to the east of I-40 for before meeting the Interstate at a
diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road.
Design
The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
(I-40 exit 390) south of Wallace. The highway briefly becomes a four-lane undivided road at the interchange but narrows to two-lanes on either side. US 117 meets
NC 11 northeast of I-40. NC 11 runs concurrently with US 117 for to the northwest until reaching the outskirts of Wallace. North of the NC 11 intersection, US 117 is renamed as Norwood Street, and enters Wallace from the south. The highway becomes a four-lane undivided road south of Medical Village Drive and runs through the central business district of Wallace. US 117 intersects
NC 41 at East Main Street in downtown Wallace. Exiting Wallace to the north, US 117 narrows to a two-lane road north of Stallings Road.
Wallace to Calypso
Beginning in downtown Wallace, US 117 begins to parallel the
W&W Subdivision
The W&W Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The line runs from just south of Wilson, North Carolina, to Wallace, North Carolina, for a total of 69.1 miles. At its north end the line conn ...
railroad, owned and operated by CSX Transportation.
The W&W Subdivision is a former part of the historic
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
The Wilmington and Weldon Railroad (W&W) name began use in 1855, having been originally chartered as the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad in 1834. At the time of its completion in 1840, the line was the longest railroad in the world with of track ...
.
US 117 enters into a residential area on the eastern side of
Teachey and travels east of the downtown area. A central turning lane is added to the roadway at Rosemary Road and continues as US 117 continues north. The highway enters
Rose Hill from the south, running along Sycamore Street. Southeast of downtown Rose Hill, US 117 intersects Charity Road which provides access to
Greenevers and I-40. The roadway widens to a four-lane undivided roadway between Charity Road and Ridge Street. North of Ridge Street, the roadway narrows to a two-lane road. US 117 exits Rose Hill to the north and runs through a rural area between Rose Hill and
Magnolia
''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendro ...
. Approaching Magnolia from the south, US 117 widens to a four-lane undivided roadway. The highway travels through central Magnolia and meets
NC 903 at an intersection with Main Street. As the highway progresses north, the roadway narrows to two-lanes at Pickett Street and leaves Magnolia. US 117 travels north of Pickett Street before meeting I-40 and
NC 24 at an
folded diamond interchange
A partial cloverleaf interchange or parclo is a modification of a cloverleaf interchange.
The design has been well received, and has since become one of the most popular freeway-to-arterial interchange designs in North America. It has also be ...
(I-40 exit 369). The highway continues to the north, paralleling the railroad to the east. The highway enters into Warsaw along Pine Street and runs through a residential area south of downtown. US 117 meets NC 24 Business and
NC 50 at an intersection with College Street. The intersection marks the southern end of the concurrency between US 117 and NC 50. Both highways run to the north along Pine Street and exit Warsaw.
North of Warsaw, US 117 primarily runs through a rural area until reaching
Faison. The highway briefly runs through the community of
Bowdens, located between Warsaw and Faison. US 117 and NC 50 enter into Faison along Center Street. On the southern side of the town, the highway begins to make a gradual turn to the northeast. US 117 intersects
NC 403 and NC 50 in the downtown area of Faison. NC 50 turns west to run concurrently with NC 403, marking the northern end of the US 117 and NC 50 concurrency. The highway completes its northeastern turn as it exits Faison, paralleling both the railroad and US 117 Connector located to the north. Nearing
Calypso, the highway widens to a four-lane
divided highway
A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...
and makes a turn to the north. US 117 crosses over the railroad and runs along the western side of Calypso. The highway then makes a turn to the northwest and meets US 117 Connector at an intersection. At the intersection, US 117 turns to the northeast, following the four-lane divided highway toward
Mount Olive.
Calypso to Wilson
North of the intersection with US 117 Connector, US 117 follows a four-lane divided highway to the north. The highway is routed to the west of Mount Olive but provides access to the town through several intersecting roads. US 117 meets
NC 55 at a diamond interchange north of downtown Mount Olive. The interchange marks the beginning of a freeway which US 117 follows for . Two interchanges, at Country Club Road and Oberry Road, are located between Mount Olive and
Dudley
Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...
. US 117 is routed to the west of
Brogden, and no interchanges provide access to the town. North of Brogden, US 117 meets US 117 Alternate at an at-grade intersection, marking the end of the freeway. The U.S. highway continues north, intersecting
US 13 east of
Mar-Mac. US 13 runs in concurrency with US 117 from the intersection until northern Goldsboro.
US 117 turns to the northeast, crossing the
Neuse River
The Neuse River ( , Tuscarora: Neyuherú·kęʔkì·nęʔ) is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in ...
to the south of Goldsboro. The highway lanes briefly split and US 117 intersects
NC 581 at Arrington Bridge Road. NC 581 begins to run concurrently along US 117 and US 13 to the north. Beyond NC 581, the highway makes a turn from the northeast to a slightly northwestward direction. It meets the southern terminus of US 117 Business at George Street which continues toward downtown Goldsboro. Beginning at the intersection, US 117 runs along the western side of the downtown area of Goldsboro. US 117 and US 13 diverge from NC 581 at an intersection in western Goldsboro. NC 581 continues north, providing access to the southern terminus
I-795 via.
NC 581 Connector. Turning to the northeast, US 117 and US 13 begin to run along a freeway outside of downtown Goldsboro. The highway has an interchange with Ash Street before meeting
US 70 and
US 70 Business at an interchange with Grantham Street. US 70 runs in concurrency with US 117 and US 13 to the east along the freeway. At an incomplete
trumpet interchange
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, usi ...
, US 117 exits the freeway and follows a four-lane divided highway to the north. Beginning at the interchange, the highway once again begins to parallel a railroad operated by CSX Transportation.
US 117 meets the northern terminus of US 117 Business at an intersection with William Street. The U.S. highway turns northward to follow William Street. On the outskirts of Goldsboro, US 117 meets
US 70 Bypass at an interchange and begins to parallel I-795 as it continues to the north.
![NC 44-Exit 356](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/NC_44-Exit_356.jpg)
Exiting Goldsboro to the north, US 117 runs north along a two-lane highway toward
Pikeville. The highway provides access to
Wayne Executive Jetport
Wayne Executive Jetport is a public use airport three miles north of Goldsboro, North Carolina, Goldsboro, in Wayne County, North Carolina. The airport is owned by Wayne County, North Carolina, Wayne County. It was formerly Goldsboro-Wayne Munici ...
through an intersection with Airport Road. Entering into Pikeville from the south, US 117 runs along Goldsboro Street and runs through downtown. In the central business district of Pikeville, US 117 intersects Main Street, which runs west to I-795. North of Pikeville, the highway makes a
reverse curve
In civil engineering, a reverse curve (or "S" curve) is a section of the horizontal alignment of a highway or railroad route in which a curve to the left or right is followed immediately by a curve in the opposite direction.
On highways in the ...
, crossing over the railroad it runs parallel with. The highway enters
Fremont from the south, running along Wilson Street. US 117 meets
NC 222 at Main Street. The highways run concurrently for between Main Street and Carolina Street. At Carolina Street, NC 222 turns to the west toward
Kenly. US 117 turns slightly further northward and exits Fremont. The highway diverges from the railroad while still running roughly along a similar alignment. North of Fremont, US 117 primarily runs through rural areas of Wayne County and Wilson County. The highway is routed to the west of
Black Creek. Nearing its northern terminus, US 117 makes a slight turn to the northwest crossing over a pair of railroad tracks operated by CSX Transportation.
North of the railroad, the highway makes a gradual turn westward. US 117 reaches its northern terminus at an intersection with
US 301 south of
Wilson. The terminus lies between I-795 freeway and the
I-587 and
US 264 freeway, both of which have interchanges with US 301.
History
A transportation corridor between Wilmington and Wilson was established in 1840 with the completion of the
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
The Wilmington and Weldon Railroad (W&W) name began use in 1855, having been originally chartered as the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad in 1834. At the time of its completion in 1840, the line was the longest railroad in the world with of track ...
.
The railroad generally followed the US 117 corridor from Wilmington to Wilson, running through Wallace, Warsaw, Mount Olive, and
Goldsboro. The railroad then continued northeast, generally following the
US 301 corridor to
Weldon.
A 1916 commission proposed a system of state highways in North Carolina, consistent with the
Federal Aid Road Act of 1916
The Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 (also known as the Bankhead–Shackleford Act and Good Roads Act), , , was enacted on July 11, 1916, and was the first federal highway funding legislation in the United States. The rise of the automobile at the star ...
. Among this proposed system was a highway generally running along the railroad from Wilmington to Wilson, via.
Kenansville and Goldsboro. The highway then continued further north to
Halifax and
Roanoke Rapids
Roanoke Rapids () is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 15,754 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area, and is also an anchor city of the Rocky Mo ...
, before eventually ending at the
North Carolina-Virginia state line. Much of the road was unimproved at the time. The only improved section was in
New Hanover County
New Hanover County is one of 100 counties located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 225,702. Though the second-smallest NC county in land area, it is one of the most populous, as its county seat, Wilm ...
.
Predecessor highways
Upon the creation of the
North Carolina State Highway System
The North Carolina Highway System consists of a vast network of Interstate, United States, and state highways, managed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. North Carolina has the second largest state maintained highway network in t ...
in 1921, the route between Wilmington and Virginia was assigned as NC 40.
NC 40 began in downtown Wilmington and ran northeast to
Castle Hayne. The highway ran through Burgaw and was routed to the east of both
Wallace
Wallace may refer to:
People
* Clan Wallace in Scotland
* Wallace (given name)
* Wallace (surname)
* Wallace (footballer, born 1986), full name Wallace Fernando Pereira, Brazilian football left-back
* Wallace (footballer, born 1987), full name ...
and
Teachey. While approaching Kenansville, the highway did not enter the town limits. West of the town, it turned to the west and was routed to Warsaw where it met NC 24. In Warsaw, the highway turned to the north until reaching
Faison where it turned to the northeast. NC 40 ran through
Mount Olive and
Dudley
Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...
before reaching Goldsboro. North of Goldsboro, NC 40 ran to the north, intersecting NC 22 southwest of Wilson. NC 40 then turned to the northeast, running through Wilson,
Rocky Mount, and Halifax. North of Halifax, the highway turned to the northwest, following the
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River ( ) runs long through southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Ap ...
to Roanoke Rapids. The highway crossed the river near Roanoke Rapids and continued northwest to the Virginia state line. Three sections of the highway were paved in 1924. These sections were between Wilmington and Burgaw, Warsaw and Goldsboro, and Fremont and
Elm City
Elm City is a town in Wilson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,298 in 2010.
History
The Elm City Municipal Historic District, W. H. Langley House, and Webb-Barron-Wells House were listed on the National Register of His ...
. Much of the remaining route was either a gravel, sand, or topsoil road. Only the section between Roanoke Rapids and the Virginia border remained unimproved in 1924.
By 1926, NC 40 was rerouted north of Roanoke Rapids to run along an unimproved road to the northeast toward
Pleasant Hill. The highway met
NC 481 in Pleasant Hill and turned to the north until reaching the Virginia state line. Additionally, the highway was predominantly paved by 1926, with the exception of a segment between Halifax and Weldon, and between Roanoke Rapids and Pleasant Hill.
Upon the creation of the
United States Numbered Highway System
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 h ...
,
US 17-1 was assigned along the entirety of NC 40 between Wilmington and Virginia.
By 1929, NC 40 was extended south from Wilmington to
Carolina Beach. US 17-1 was not extended south alongside NC 40.
US 17-1/NC 40 was rerouted north of Weldon in 1930. The new route followed the former alignment of NC 481 through
Garysburg before running north to the Virginia state line. NC 481 was rerouted to follow the former alignment of NC 40 between NC 48 south of Rosemary to US 17-1/NC 40 in Pleasant Hill.
Establishment
US 117 was established in 1933 beginning at
US 701/
South Carolina Highway 38
South Carolina Highway 38 (SC 38) is a state highway that extends from Marlboro County near Hamlet, North Carolina to U.S. Route 501 (US 501) in Marion County. The highway travels generally north-to-south (but is signed as westâ ...
(SC 38) to US 301 southwest of Wilson.
US 17-1 was replaced by US 117 between Wilmington and Wilson, while US 301 replaced the highway between Wilson and Petersburg, Virginia. Beginning in Conway, the highway ran concurrently with SC 38 to the southeast, running through
Socastee, South Carolina
Socastee is a census-designated place (CDP) in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 19,952 at the 2010 census.
History
Socastee is an Indigenous American name referred to as "Sawkastee" in a 1711 land grant to Percival ...
to
Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...
. In Myrtle Beach, US 117 turned to the northeast to follow
SC 49 until reaching the North Carolina state line.
In North Carolina, the highway followed concurrently with
NC 30 to Wilmington. The highway generally followed modern-day US 17, running through
Shallotte
Shallotte is a town in Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,675 at the 2010 census. The Shallotte River passes through the town.
History
Shallotte was incorporated as a town in 1899.
A former Hardee's resta ...
,
Supply
Supply may refer to:
*The amount of a resource that is available
**Supply (economics), the amount of a product which is available to customers
**Materiel, the goods and equipment for a military unit to fulfill its mission
*Supply, as in confidenc ...
and
Bolivia before crossing a toll bridge into Wilmington. In Wilmington, the highway turned to the north to follow NC 40 along the former alignment of US 17-1. In Castle Hayne, US 117 used Old Bridgesite Road to cross the
Northeast Cape Fear River
Northeast Cape Fear River is a long 5th order tributary to the Cape Fear River in southeastern North Carolina.
Variant names
According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as:
* North East River
* No ...
. The highway continued north through Burgaw, Warsaw, and Goldsboro until reaching its northern terminus at US 301/NC 22 southwest of Wilson.
US 17 was rerouted to replace US 117 between Wilmington and Conway in 1935. As a result, the southern terminus of US 117 was moved to US 17 at Market Street in downtown Wilmington. The same year, NC 40 was decommissioned in favor of overlapping U.S. Highways. This marked the end of the US 117/NC 40 concurrency.
US 117 was placed on a new routing between Wallace and Warsaw in 1940. The new routing ran through Wallace and Magnolia before entering Warsaw from the south. The former alignment of US 117 between Wallace and Kenansville became part of NC 11, while the section between Kenansville and Warsaw removed a concurrency with NC 24.
Realignment and upgrades
Between 1949 and 1953, US 117 was placed onto its modern-day crossing of the Northeast Cape Fear River north of Castle Hayne.
In 1951, US 117 was rerouted onto a bypass along the western side of Goldsboro. The former alignment of US 117 along George Street, Ash Street, and William Street became US 117A.
The highway was rerouted onto another bypass east of Burgaw in 1952. The new routing used the current alignment of US 117 around the downtown area. The former alignment through downtown Burgaw became US 117A.
A bypass of Mount Olive and Calypso was constructed in 1960, with the former route becoming US 117 Business.
The southern terminus of US 117 was adjusted on September 11, 1969. The highway was removed from its routing along Third Street in downtown Wilmington. Instead, it was routed to cross the Isabelle Holmes Bridge. Beyond the bridge US 117 turned to the south and ended at US 421/NC 133 in
Brunswick County. In August 1973, the southern terminus was adjusted slightly to the north. Instead of turning south after crossing the Isabelle Holmes Bridge, US 117 continued west along a former secondary road to US 421. The Mount Olive and Calypso bypass was extended north in November 1988, bypassing Dudley and Brogden to the west. US 117 was subsequently removed from its routing through the town and placed onto the new bypass, which is its current routing. US 117 Business decommissioned and the former route of US 117 between Calypso and Brogden became US 117 Alternate.
In February 2003, the northern terminus of US 117 was adjusted with the completion of a new freeway along the southside of Wilson. The pre-2003 alignment of US 117 at its northern terminus followed modern-day Dorthy Lane and Lattice Road to US 301. With the new construction, US 117 was rebuilt to turn to the west before reaching US 301. US 117 was subsequently routed concurrently with US 301 to the north until reaching US 264. At US 264, US 117 turned to the west, following the freeway to its new northern terminus at
I-95
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...
. On March 19, 2003, the southern terminus of US 117 was moved from US 421 in Brunswick County to the Port of Wilmington. South of Castle Hayne, the highway was removed from its concurrency with NC 133 along Castle Hayne Road and the Isabelle Holmes Bridge. US 117 was rerouted to run along College Road along a concurrency with NC 132. The highway then diverged from College Road at Shipyard Boulevard which it followed until reaching the port.
As early as 1993, North Carolina State Highway maps indicated a proposed freeway bypass of US 117 running between Goldsboro and Wilson.
Upon its completion in September 2006, US 117 was rerouted to follow the new freeway. The US 117/US 301 concurrency was eliminated and the US 117/US 264 concurrency was shorted to .
The former alignment of US 117 through Goldsboro, Pikeville, and Fremont became US 117 Alternate. Trucks larger than were not allowed to utilize the new freeway. The
Surface Transportation Assistance Act specifies that trucks over in length can utilize only
Interstate Highways and specific routes approved by the state. As a result, the
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) sought approval from the
(AASHTO) to sign the freeway as
I-795.
The original application to AASHTO detailed that US 117 would run concurrently with I-795 for its entire length.
The request was initially denied, as the freeway connected with US 264 before connecting with I-95. North Carolina appealed the decision, and on October 12, 2007, the
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program ...
designated I-795 along the freeway between Goldsboro and I-95.
The highway was officially redesignated as I-795 on April 22, 2009. US 117 was shifted onto its former alignment through Goldsboro and Pikeville, ending at its modern-day northern terminus at US 301.
In July 2017, NCDOT awarded a contract to ST Wooten to build two interchanges along US 117 at Country Club Drive and Oberry Road.
The project is part of a larger project to improve US 117 to
Interstate Highway standards between I-40 and Goldsboro.
The project was completed in the Spring of 2020.
Future
![Future Interstate Highways](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Future_Interstate_Highways.jpg)
NCDOT is planning to improve roughly of US 117 between I-40 in
Sampson County and I-795 in Goldsboro to Interstate Highway standards. The segment is proposed as a southern extension of I-795 and is listed as Federal High Priority Corridor 81.
As of December 19, 2020, four of the six project segments are currently funded in the 2020-2029 State Transportation Improvement Projects (STIP). Initial public meetings for the project occurred in November and December 2019.
Right of way
Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another.
A similar ''right of access'' also exists on land held by a gov ...
acquisition between Country Club Road and Genoa Road in Wayne County is expected to begin in 2024. In 2028, right of way acquisition will begin between Genoa Road and I-795.
The Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO) plans for four projects to occur along US 117 in New Hanover County. Project U-5792 and U-5881 would convert College Road (US 117/NC 132) to a freeway between I-40 and Oriole Drive. The project would include the construction of three new interchanges, at Kings Drive, US 74 (Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway), and Ringo Drive. Additionally, the interchange at US 17 Business (Market Street) would be redesigned. Construction of the US 74 interchange (Project U-5792) is expected to begin in 2026. The remainder of the project (Project U-5881) is expected to begin right of way acquisition in 2029. Project U-5704 would redesign the College Road (US 117/NC 132) and Oleander Drive (US 76) intersection and install access management between Shipyard Boulevard (US 117) and Wilshire Boulevard. The project is expected to begin right-of-way acquisition in 2029. A similar access management project (Project U-5702A) would install access management along College Road between Shipyard Boulevard and New Centre Drive.
Major intersections
Special routes
Burgaw business loop
U.S. Route 117 Business (US 117 Business) is a business route of US 117 which runs through the town of
Burgaw. The highway runs for from US 117 southeast of downtown to US 117 north of downtown. US 117 Business shares a concurrency with
NC 53 between Wilmington Street and the Jacksonville Highway. The special route was originally established in 1952 as US 117A when US 117 was rerouted east of downtown Burgaw.
In 1960, NCDOT renumbered US 117A in Burgaw and Goldsboro to US 117 Business, establishing the current routing.
US 117 Business begins at an intersection with US 117 in southeastern Burgaw. From its southern terminus, the highway runs northwestward along Walker Street. Between Hayes Street and Satchwell Street, US 117 Business makes a slight curve, giving the highway a northern orientation. Entering into downtown Burgaw from the south, US 117 Business runs along the eastern side of the
Pender County Courthouse
Pender County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located at Burgaw, Pender County, North Carolina. It was built in 1936, and is a three-story, "H"-shaped, brick-veneered Georgian Revival style building. The building consists of a hipped roofed ma ...
. US 117 Business meets NC 53 at an intersection with Wilmington Street in downtown. Both highways run in concurrency to the northeast, exiting downtown Burgaw. At Bridgers Street, US 117 Business/NC 53 turns to the east to follow the street. East of Cowan Street, the business route makes a turn to the northeast. NC 53 diverges from US 117 Business at the Jacksonville Highway, marking the end of the concurrency through Burgaw. US 117 Business follows Timberly Lane to the north until reaching its northern terminus at US 117.
;Major junctions
Calypso Connector
U.S. Route 117 Connector (US 117 Conn) is a spur route of US 117 running from 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 ...
/ NC 403 to US 117 in Calypso. Despite being signed as north-south, the highway physically travels in an east-west direction. The highway shares a brief concurrency on its southern end with NC 403. East of the intersection, US 117 Connector continues along a four-lane divided highway. It meets NC 50 at an intersection north of Faison. NC 50 is the last intersection along US 117 Connector until it meets US 117 north of Calypso.[
The road which eventually became US 117 Connector was built in 1995 as a secondary road running from NC 403 to US 117. US 117 Connector was established on March 9, 2009 running from I-40 to US 117 north of Calypso. The new designation replaced the secondary road and created a concurrency with NC 403 along the southernmost of the highway.][
;Major junctions
]
Calypso–Mount Olive business loop
U.S. Route 117 Business (US 117 Business) was a business route of US 117 through the towns of Calypso and Mount Olive. The business route began at US 117 southwest of the central business area of Calypso. It then ran to the northeast, parallel with the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971. Eventually, the railroad was merged with its affiliate li ...
to the located to the east. The highway exited Calypso to the northeast and traveled through rural Duplin County before crossing into Wayne County. US 117 Business entered the town of Mount Olive from the southwest and continued to run in a northeastern orientation along Breazeale Avenue. It intersected NC 55 in the northernmost town limits of Mount Olive. US 117 Business continued northeast for before meeting its northern terminus at US 117.
US 117 was originally routed through the towns of Calypso and Mount Olive. In 1960, US 117 was placed onto a bypass to the west of both towns. The former routing was designated as US 117 Business. The highway lasted from 1960 to 1988 when the US 117 bypass was extended north to Brogden. US 117 Business was decommissioned and US 117 Alternate was signed along the entirety of former US 117 between Calypso and Brogden.
;Major junctions
Calypso–Brogden alternate route
U.S. Route 117 Alternate (US 117 Alt) is a alternate route
An official alternate route is a special route in the United States that provides an alternate alignment for a highway. They are loop roads and found in many road systems in the United States including the U.S. Highway system and various state a ...
of US 117 running through the towns of Calypso, Mount Olive, and Brogden. The highway travels from US 117 in Calypso to US 117 north of Brogden. US 117 Alternate was established on November 28, 1988. US 117 Alternate was a renumbering of US 117 Business through Calypso and Mount Olive, and a partial renumbering of US 117 between Mount Olive and Brogden. The routing of US 117 Alternate consists of the former routing of US 117 prior to the completion of a bypass around Calypso, Mount Olive, and Brogden.
The southern terminus of US 117 Alternate is located at an at-grade intersection with US 117 in Calypso. The highway runs northeast through Calypso along a two-lane highway, paralleling a CSX Transportation railroad to the east. Exiting Calypso to the northeast, the highway runs through a rural area between Calypso and Mount Olive. US 117 Alternate enters Mount Olive from the southwest, initially running through a residential area of the town. At Henderson Street, the highway widens to a five-lane undivided highway, with two lanes in each direction and a turning lane. US 117 Alternate meets NC 55 at an at-grade intersection in northern Mount Olive. North of Mount Olive, US 117 Alternate closely parallels US 117. The highway crosses through the western area of the unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
of Dudley
Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...
. In the center of the community, US 117 Alternate intersects Oberry Road and Sleepy Creek Road, which provide access to US 117. US 117 Alternate runs through western Brogden and exits the community to the northwest. Shortly before its northern terminus, the highway makes a slight turn to the north. US 117 Alternate reaches its northern terminus at US 117 between Brogden and Mar-Mac.
;Major junctions
Goldsboro business loop
U.S. Route 117 Business (US 117 Bus) is a business route of US 117 through the city of Goldsboro. The southern terminus of US 117 Business is located at an intersection with US 13/US 117/NC 581 on the south side of Goldsboro. The highway travels north along George Street through a commercial area of southwestern Goldsboro. US 117 Business meets US 70 Business at an intersection with Ash Street. The highway turns onto Ash Street to run concurrently with US 70 Business to the east. In downtown Goldsboro, US 117 Business intersects Center Street at a roundabout. US 117 Business continues east for until reaching Williams Street. At the intersection, US 117 Business turns to follow Williams Street to the north, marking the end of the US 70 Business concurrency. The highway meets US 13/US 70/ NC 111 at an interchange north of downtown Goldsboro. US 117 Business and NC 111 run concurrently for between the freeway and Patetown Road. The highway continues north of Patetown Road for until reaching its northern terminus at US 117.
The alignment of US 117 Business was once part of the route of US 117 prior to 1951. In 1951, US 117 was shifted onto a newly constructed bypass of Goldsboro, similar to the alignment it follows today. US 117A was established along the former routing through downtown Goldsboro. In 1960, US 117A was renumbered as US 117 Business alongside US 117A in Burgaw. Between 1960 and 1961, the highway shared a concurrency with NC 102 along George Street and Ash Street. NC 102 was decommissioned along much of its route west of Snow Hill, ending the concurrency.
;Major junctions
Goldsboro–Wilson alternate route
U.S. Route 117 Alternate (US 117 Alternate) was a alternate route of US 117 between Goldsboro and Wilson, North Carolina. The southern terminus of US 117 Alternate was located at an intersection with US 117/US 13/NC 581 on the west side of Goldsboro. US 117 Alternate ran along a freeway to the northeast concurrently with US 13. The highway met US 70/US 70 Business at an interchange with Grantham Street in northwest Goldsboro. From the interchange, US 70 began to follow concurrently with US 13 and US 117 Alternate to the east. US 117 Alternate exited the freeway at an incomplete trumpet interchange marking the end of the US 13/US 70 concurrency. The highway continued northeast until meeting US 117 Business, where it made a slight turn onto Williams Street. US 117 Alternate followed Williams Street to the north, leaving Goldsboro. US 117 Alternate ran through the downtown areas of Pikeville on Goldsboro Street. Continuing north, US 117 Alternate passed through the downtown area of Fremont along Wilson Street. The alternate route ran concurrently with NC 222 between Main Street and Carolina Street in downtown Fremont. North of Fremont, US 117 Alternate passed the town of Black Creek to the west. It intersected US 301 south of Wilson, and turned north to run concurrently with US 301 for . US 117 Alternate met US 264 at an interchange south of Wilson. At the interchange, US 117 Alternate turned west to follow concurrently with US 264. After , US 117 Alternate met its northern terminus at an incomplete interchange with US 117/US 264. US 117/US 264 continued to the west toward I-95.
US 117 Alternate was established on September 7, 2006 as a renumbering of mainline US 117 through Goldsboro, Pikeville, and Fremont. At the time, US 117 was placed onto a freeway routing along modern-day I-795. The alternate route continued to exist between 2006 and 2009 while US 117 was routed along the freeway. In April 2009, I-795 was officially designated, and US 117 was removed from its freeway routing between Goldsboro and I-795. US 117 was rerouted to follow its pre-2006 routing, along US 117 Alternate between Goldsboro and US 301. As a result, the entire alternate route was decommissioned on March 9, 2009.
;Major junctions
Notes
See also
* Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The base is named for U.S. Navy Lt. Seymour A. Johnson, a test pilot from Goldsboro who died in an airplane crash near Norbeck, Maryland, ...
* USS North Carolina (BB-55)
USS ''North Carolina'' (BB-55) is the lead ship of the of fast battleships, the first vessel of the type built for the United States Navy. Built under the Washington Treaty system, ''North Carolina''s design was limited in displacement and ...
References
External links
* {{commons category-inline
NCRoads.com: U.S. 117
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Transportation in New Hanover County, North Carolina
Transportation in Pender County, North Carolina
Transportation in Duplin County, North Carolina
Transportation in Wayne County, North Carolina
Transportation in Wilson County, North Carolina