U.S. Route 264 (US 264) is an east–west
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
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 sover ...
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 ...
, running for . Its western terminus is located at
Interstate 87 (I-87),
I-440, and
US 64 in
Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
. US 264 is a freeway between Raleigh and
Wilson
Wilson may refer to:
People
* Wilson (name)
** List of people with given name Wilson
** List of people with surname Wilson
* Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender
* Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Ro ...
, with segments running
concurrently with I-87,
I-587
Interstate 587 (I-587) can refer to two separate highways:
* Interstate 587 (New York)
* Interstate 587 (North Carolina)
Interstate 587 (I-587) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US state of North Carolina. The western terminus o ...
,
I-795, and US 64. The highway is largely parallel to I-587 between Wilson and
Greenville and primarily serves smaller communities such as
Saratoga and
Farmville
''FarmVille'' is a series of agriculture-simulation social network game developed and published by Zynga in 2009. It is similar to ''Happy Farm'' and ''Farm Town''. Its gameplay involves various aspects of farmland management, such as plowing l ...
. East of Greenville, US 264 is an important highway connecting communities such as
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...
,
Belhaven,
Swan Quarter, and
Engelhard
Engelhard Corporation was an American Fortune 500, ''Fortune'' 500 company headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, Iselin, New Jersey, United States. It is credited with developing the first production catalytic converter. In 2006, the German ec ...
. The eastern terminus of US 264 is located at US 64 in
Manns Harbor.
Prior to the establishment of US 264,
North Carolina Highway 91
North Carolina Highway 91 (NC 91) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina running from US 13, US 258, and NC 903 in Snow Hill to I-587 near Walstonburg, entirely in Greene County.
Route desc ...
(NC 91) running along the general corridor between Zebulon and Engelhard. In 1932, the
American Association of State Highway Officials
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway design and construction throughout the United St ...
(AASHO) approved the establishment of US 264 between Zebulon and Engelhard, running concurrently with NC 91. By 1935, the eastern terminus of NC 91 was truncated to Zebulon, removing the concurrency with US 264. US 264 was extended east to
Nags Head Nag's Head or Nags Head may refer to:
;In London
* Nag's Head, London, a locality in Holloway
** Nag's Head Market, a street market
* Nag's Head, Covent Garden, a pub
;Elsewhere in the United Kingdom
* Nag's Head Island, Abingdon-on-Thames
* ...
by 1951, running along its own routing between Engelhard and Manns Harbor and concurrently with US 64 from Manns Harbor to Nags Head. Improvements to the highway were gradually made, including the creation of a freeway between Zebulon and Greenville. The freeway was completed by 2003 with the final segment opening near
Sims
Sims, sims or SIMS may refer to:
Games
* ''The Sims'', a life simulation video game series
** ''The Sims'' (video game), the first installment, released in 2000
** ''The Sims 2'', the second installment, released in 2004
** '' The Sims 3'', th ...
. US 264 was extended west from Zebulon to Raleigh in 1997, with the new routing completely concurrent with US 64. In 2021, I-587 was established running along the US 264 freeway between I-95 in Wilson and US 264 and
NC 11 Bypass in Greenville. US 264 was subsequently removed from the freeway between Wilson and Greenville and was placed along portions of its old routing and a concurrency with NC 11 Bypass.
Route description
Raleigh to Wilson
![US 264 West End](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/US_264_West_End.jpg)
The western terminus of US 264 is located at an interchange with
I-87
Interstate 87 may refer to either of two unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States:
* Interstate 87 (New York), a highway running from New York City north to the Canadian border in Champlain, New York.
* Interstate 87 (North Carolina) ...
,
I-440, and
US 64 in
Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
. Beyond the interchange, I-87, I-440, and US 64 travel south and west toward
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 ...
, while I-440 travels north and west toward
US 1. US 264 travels east
concurrently with I-87 and US 64 along a
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 ...
. The highways interchange with New Hope Road (exit 4) before crossing
Crabtree Creek and 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 No ...
. I-87, US 64, and US 264 continue east, meeting Hodge Road at exit 6 and the eastern terminus of
I-540 at exit 7. Beyond the interchange with I-540, the freeway travels to the south of
Knightdale. Interchanges with Smithfield Road, Wendell Falls Parkway, and
US 64 Business provide access to the town. The freeway briefly turns to the northeast between Smithfield Road and US 64 Business, but turns back to the east.
![Knightdale Bypass Bridge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Knightdale_Bypass_Bridge.jpg)
I-87 ends at an interchange with Rolesville Road northwest of
Wendell. US 64 and US 264 travel to the north of Wendell and
Lizard Lick
Lizard Lick is an unincorporated community in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The community is located at the crossroads of Lizard Lick Road and NC 97. Lizard Lick has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.
The communi ...
paralleling
North Carolina Highway 97
North Carolina Highway 97 (NC 97) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina, connecting the cities of Zebulon and Rocky Mount with the vast rural coastal plains.
Route description
NC 97 begins at US 64 ...
(NC 97). The highway enters northern
Zebulon
Zebulun (; also ''Zebulon'', ''Zabulon'', or ''Zaboules'') was, according to the Books of Book of Genesis, Genesis and Book of Numbers, Numbers,Genesis 46:14 the last of the six sons of Jacob and Leah (Jacob's tenth son), and the founder of the ...
from the west, and meets
NC 96 at an interchange, before diverging from US 64 and travelling to the southeast. US 264 travels along the northern limits of Zebulon until meeting NC 97 at an interchange. East of the interchange, the highway leaves the town limits of Zebulon and travels southeast through rural
Wake County
Wake County is located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In the 2020 census, its population was 1,129,410, making it North Carolina's most-populous county. From July 2005 to July 2006, Wake County was the 9th-fastest growing county in the U ...
. It meets US 264 Alternate and
NC 39 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 ...
near
Five County Stadium
Five County Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Zebulon, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh. It is the home of the Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League. The ballpark, which was opened in 1991 and extensively renovated in 1999, has a capa ...
. US 264 continues southeast for until leaving Wake County, briefly entering
Johnston County, and then entering
Nash County
Nash County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 94,970. Its county seat is Nashville.
Nash County is now a part of the Rocky Mount, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, instead of the ...
.
Continuing into rural Nash County, US 264 largely parallels US 264 Alternate, located to its south. The highway travels to the north of
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...
and meets
NC 231 at an interchange north of the town. US 264 then crosses Turkey Creek and Big Branch before running north of
Bailey where it meets
NC 581. Approximately east of NC 581, US 264 leaves Nash County and enters into
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 ...
. The highway meets Green Pond Road east of the Nash County–Wilson County line. US 264 travels north of
Sims
Sims, sims or SIMS may refer to:
Games
* ''The Sims'', a life simulation video game series
** ''The Sims'' (video game), the first installment, released in 2000
** ''The Sims 2'', the second installment, released in 2004
** '' The Sims 3'', th ...
before turning further to the southeast and meeting US 264 Alternate at a
partial cloverleaf 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 bee ...
. The highway then crosses over a railroad owned and operated by the
Carolina Coastal Railway
Carolina Coastal Railway is a shortline railroad that operates several lines in North Carolina and one line in South Carolina.
History
CLNA was created in 1989 under the Thoroughbred Shortline Program of Norfolk Southern and was a subsidiary of ...
before meeting
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 ...
,
I-587
Interstate 587 (I-587) can refer to two separate highways:
* Interstate 587 (New York)
* Interstate 587 (North Carolina)
Interstate 587 (I-587) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US state of North Carolina. The western terminus o ...
, and
I-795 at a
cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which all turns are handled by slip roads. To go left (in right-hand traffic; reverse directions in left-driving regions), vehicles first continue as one road passes over or under the ...
.
I-587 and I-795 run concurrently with US 264 to the east. The highways travel along the western side of
Wilson
Wilson may refer to:
People
* Wilson (name)
** List of people with given name Wilson
** List of people with surname Wilson
* Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender
* Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Ro ...
and have interchanges with
NC 42 and Downing Road. I-795 diverges to the south towards
Goldsboro at exit 43C. The incomplete interchange only has access to I-795 south from I-587 east and US 264 east, while traffic along I-795 north can only access I-587 west and US 264 west at exit 43C. A nearby interchange with
US 301 provides further access to I-795 and to the northern terminus of
US 117. I-587 and US 264 turn to follow an easterly direction before crossing over two railroads owned and operated by
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
.
The highways meet Black Creek Road, Old Stantonsburg Road, and
NC 58 at interchanges south of Wilson. Additionally, I-587 and US 264 cross over the Carolina Coastal Railway between Old Stantonsburg Road and NC 58.
Beyond NC 58, the freeway makes an s-shaped curve before reaching a diamond interchange between Wilson and
Saratoga. US 264 exits the freeway at the interchange and turns to the southeast toward Saratoga. The eastern terminus of US 264 Alternate is also located at the interchange.
Wilson to Washington
From I-587, US 264 travels through rural Wilson County for until reaching the town limits of Saratoga and picking up the name Main Street. In the center of the town, US 264 intersects
NC 111 and
NC 222. US 264 continues southeast, leaving the town limits southeast of Shackleford Street. The highway continues through rural Wilson County for before crossing into
Greene County. As it approaches
Walstonburg, US 264 turns to the east and intersects
NC 91 north of the town. The highways travel concurrently for before NC 91 turns to the north toward I-587. US 264 continues for until intersecting
NC 121 west of
Farmville
''FarmVille'' is a series of agriculture-simulation social network game developed and published by Zynga in 2009. It is similar to ''Happy Farm'' and ''Farm Town''. Its gameplay involves various aspects of farmland management, such as plowing l ...
. At the intersection, US 264 turns southeast to run concurrently along NC 121 for approximately . NC 121 then turns to follow Wilson Street towards Farmville while US 264 continues southeast and enters into
Pitt County
Pitt County is a county located in the inner banks (northeastern part) of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 170,243, making it the fourteenth-most populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is ...
. The highway crosses the Carolina Coastal Railway at an at-grade crossing and begins to run along the southern limits of Farmville.
At Main Street, US 264 intersects
US 258 and
US 258 Business. US 258 follows concurrently with US 264 for approximately until turning to the northeast along Wesley Church Road.
Leaving Farmville to the southeast, US 264 travels for approximately southeast of US 258 before intersecting
US 13. At the intersection, US 13 and US 264 begin running concurrently towards Greenville. The route turns to the northeast and crosses over Little Contentnea Creek before reaching
NC 11 Bypass at a diamond interchange (NC 11 Bypass exit 119). At the interchange, US 264 turns to run concurrently along NC 11 Bypass to the north. US 264 and NC 11 Bypass meet I-587 and Stantonsburg Road at exit 73, a cloverleaf interchange. The highways continue north, meeting
NC 43 at a diamond interchange and then crossing over the
Tar River
The Tar River is a river that is approximately long, in northeast North Carolina flowing generally southeast to an estuary of Pamlico Sound. The Tar River becomes the tidal Pamlico River once it underpasses the U.S. Highway 17 Bridge in Washin ...
. North of the river, US 264 and NC 11 Bypass meet
NC 33 at a diamond interchange and then turn to the east. US 264 meets US 13,
NC 11, and
NC 903 at a partial cloverleaf interchange, marking the northern terminus of NC 11 Bypass and the end of the freeway. The highway continues as a non-controlled access divided highway through an industrial area of Greenville. It turns to the southeast and continues straight for approximately before turning to the south. US 264 then intersects US 264 Alternate and NC 33 at Pactolus Highway. US 264 turns to the east at the intersection travelling along a non-controlled access divided highway which somewhat parallels the Tar River.
As US 264 continues east on Pactolus Highway, it leaves the city of Greenville and reenters rural Pitt County. It passes to the south of Pactolus and intersects the southern terminus of
NC 30 east of the community. US 264 then turns to the south and travels approximately east of NC 30 until crossing Tranters Creek, a tributary of the Tar River, and entering
Beaufort County. The highway continues southeast and enters
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...
from the northwest, picking up the name 5th Street. US 264 meets
US 17 at a diamond interchange northwest of downtown Washington. It continues southeast along 5th Street and intersects
US 17 Business and the western terminus of
NC 92 at Bridge Street. US 264 and NC 92 run concurrently along Bridge Street to the southeast. The highway turns to the northeast west of an intersection with Harvey Street, and changes names to John Small Avenue at an intersection with 5th Street. It then turns to the east near Highland Drive, crosses Runyon Creek, and leaves Washington to the east.
Washington to Manns Harbor
US 264 and NC 92 continue to travel east from Washington through an
exurban area of Beaufort County. The highways intersect
NC 32 in the community of
Bunyan and then enter a rural area. Approximately east of Bunyan, NC 92 splits from US 264 and continues southeast towards
Bath
Bath may refer to:
* Bathing, immersion in a fluid
** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body
** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe
* Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities
Plac ...
. US 264 turns to the northeast near the NC 92 intersection but soon returns to an easterly orientation. The highway continues to travel east through rural Beaufort County, crossing Tankard Creek and Pungo Creek. East of the Pungo Creek crossing, US 264 turns toward
Pantego following a northeasterly orientation. US 264 enters Pantego from the southwest where it picks up the name Main Street. The highway crosses a tributary of the
Pungo River
The Pungo River is a river in eastern North Carolina, United States. It originally began in the Great Dismal Swamp in Washington County, North Carolina; the upper part of the river has since been supplanted by the Pungo River Canal, dug in the 19 ...
before intersecting
NC 99 at Pungo Road. US 264 and NC 99 begin a concurrency and travel east along Main Street, crossing a branch of the Carolina Coastal Railway at an at-grade crossing. The highways then leave the town and turn to the southeast toward
Belhaven, roughly paralleling the railroad. US 264 and NC 99 enter Belhaven from the northwest and pick up the name Main Street. Northwest of downtown Belhaven, US 264 intersects NC 99 and US 264 Business, marking the end of the NC 99 concurrency. At the intersection, US 264 turns to the northeast, bypassing downtown Belhaven. The highway continues east, intersecting US 264 Business once more in a rural area northeast of Belhaven. US 264 continues east for until crossing another tributary of the Pungo River and entering into
Hyde County.
After entering Hyde County, US 264 travels for until intersecting
NC 45. At the intersection, NC 45 turns to follow concurrently with US 264, and the highways begin a turn to the southeast. US 264 and NC 45 continue southeast for until turning to the south and crossing the
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, then following th ...
along the
Walter B. Jones
Walter Beaman Jones Jr. (February 10, 1943 – February 10, 2019) was an American politician who served twelve terms in the United States House of Representatives as a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party for from 19 ...
Bridge.
The highways continue south for approximately through rural Hyde County passing the community of
Scranton
Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U ...
to the east. Near Hodges Road, the highways turn to the east and continue for approximately before turning to the southeast. US 264 and NC 45 continue for another until NC 45 diverges from the highway northwest of
Swanquarter, marking the end of the US 264 and NC 45 concurrency. The highway turns to the east, bypassing Swanquarter to the north. Northeast of Swanquarter, US 264 intersects
NC 94 at Main Street. US 264 and NC 94 run concurrently to the northeast toward
Lake Mattamuskeet
Lake Mattamuskeet is the largest natural lake in North Carolina. It is a shallow coastal lake, averaging 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m) feet in depth, and stretches long and wide. Lake Mattamuskeet lies on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula.
Lak ...
. As it approaches the lake, the highway turns to follow alongside its southern shoreline. US 264 intersects NC 94 west of
New Holland, marking the end of the US 264 and NC 94 concurrency. It then continues northeast through New Holland and Lake Landing toward
Engelhard
Engelhard Corporation was an American Fortune 500, ''Fortune'' 500 company headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, Iselin, New Jersey, United States. It is credited with developing the first production catalytic converter. In 2006, the German ec ...
. As it approaches the community, US 264 turns to the east near an intersection with Lake Road. The highway then enters Engelhard from the west and turns to the northeast at an intersection with Golden Road. US 264 crosses Far Creek which drains into the nearby
Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound ( ) is a lagoon in North Carolina which is the largest lagoon along the North American East Coast, extending long and 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) wide. It is part of a large, interconnected network of lagoon estuaries that in ...
and exits Engelhard to the north.
![Aerial View of Smoke Hovering Over Highway 264 (5754645331)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Aerial_View_of_Smoke_Hovering_Over_Highway_264_%285754645331%29.jpg)
Northeast of Engelhard, US 264 travels through rural Hyde County. It passes adjacent to the
Hyde County Airport
Hyde County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport in Hyde County, North Carolina, United States. It is located seven nautical miles (8 mi, 13 km) north of the central business district of Engelhard, North Carolina. This a ...
before making a turn to the north. US 264 travels in a northerly orientation for before turning back to the northeast for approximately . The highway then turns to the east and crosses the
Long Shoal River where it enters into
Dare County
Dare County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,915. Its county seat is Manteo. Dare County is named after Virginia Dare, the first child born in the Americas to English p ...
. Approximately east of the Long Shoal River, US 264 turns to the southeast. It remains in a southeasterly orientation for before briefly turning to the east and then begins a gradual turn to the north. The remainder of the route largely parallels shoreline of the Pamlico or
Croatan Sound
Croatan Sound is an inlet in Dare County, North Carolina. It connects Pamlico Sound with Albemarle Sound, and is bordered to the east by Roanoke Island; Roanoke Sound is on the other side of the island. Its name comes from the Croatan Indians who ...
. In the vicinity of
Stumpy Point, the highway runs adjacent to the shoreline of
Stumpy Point Bay. On the north side of the bay, it intersects Bayview Drive which provides access to the community of Stumpy Point. US 264 continues north through the
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge
The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located in eastern North Carolina along the Atlantic Coast. It was established on March 14, 1984, to preserve and protect a unique wetland habitat type—the pocosin—a ...
for before turning to the northwest. The highway continues northwest for before making a final turn to the northeast. US 264 travels for an additional before intersecting its eastern terminus at US 64 west of
Manns Harbor in Dare County.
Scenic byways
Pamlico Scenic Byway is an byway from
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...
to
Manns Harbor. US 264 overlap several sections of the byway. The byway is noted for its history, scenic views, and the three national wildlife refuges that the route goes through. Other roads and highways that make-up the byway are:
NC 32,
NC 45,
NC 92, and
NC 94.
History
![I-495 South and US 264 West End](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/I-495_South_and_US_264_West_End.jpg)
Established in 1932, US 264 started from
US 64/
NC 90, in
Zebulon
Zebulun (; also ''Zebulon'', ''Zabulon'', or ''Zaboules'') was, according to the Books of Book of Genesis, Genesis and Book of Numbers, Numbers,Genesis 46:14 the last of the six sons of Jacob and Leah (Jacob's tenth son), and the founder of the ...
, to the community of
Engelhard
Engelhard Corporation was an American Fortune 500, ''Fortune'' 500 company headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, Iselin, New Jersey, United States. It is credited with developing the first production catalytic converter. In 2006, the German ec ...
, in
Hyde County. The route was overlapped entirely with
NC 91 and was paved west of
Swan Quarter. In 1934,
NC 91 was removed along the route; in 1935, US 264 was paved from
Swan Quarter to
Engelhard
Engelhard Corporation was an American Fortune 500, ''Fortune'' 500 company headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, Iselin, New Jersey, United States. It is credited with developing the first production catalytic converter. In 2006, the German ec ...
.
Sometime between 1948-'50, US 264 was moved south around
Wilson
Wilson may refer to:
People
* Wilson (name)
** List of people with given name Wilson
** List of people with surname Wilson
* Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender
* Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Ro ...
, on Ward Boulevard; the old route became US 264 Alternate, which later became US 264 Business in 1960 till 1980-'84.
Sometime between 1951-'52, US 264 was extended east from
Engelhard
Engelhard Corporation was an American Fortune 500, ''Fortune'' 500 company headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, Iselin, New Jersey, United States. It is credited with developing the first production catalytic converter. In 2006, the German ec ...
to
Manns Harbor, where it connected back with
US 64. It continued east, overlapped with US 64, ending at Whalebone Junction with
US 158 and
NC 12.
Sometime between 1953-'54, US 264 was bypassed
Farmville
''FarmVille'' is a series of agriculture-simulation social network game developed and published by Zynga in 2009. It is similar to ''Happy Farm'' and ''Farm Town''. Its gameplay involves various aspects of farmland management, such as plowing l ...
and
Greenville; the old routes became US 264 Alternate, eventually both were decommissioned by 1990. By 1958, US 264 was moved north around
Swan Quarter, replaced by
NC 45 and
NC 94. In 1962-'63, US 264 was bypassed north around
Belhaven, old route through town becoming US 264 Business.
Between 1972-'78, US 264 was moved onto a
Super-2
A super two, super two-lane highway or wide two-lane is a two-lane surface road built to highway standards with wide lanes and other safety features normally present on a freeway with more lanes, typically including partial control of access, o ...
routing north of
Sims
Sims, sims or SIMS may refer to:
Games
* ''The Sims'', a life simulation video game series
** ''The Sims'' (video game), the first installment, released in 2000
** ''The Sims 2'', the second installment, released in 2004
** '' The Sims 3'', th ...
,
Bailey, and
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...
. Much of the old route become US 264 Business, which is today part of US 264 Alternate. In 1979, the
Super-2
A super two, super two-lane highway or wide two-lane is a two-lane surface road built to highway standards with wide lanes and other safety features normally present on a freeway with more lanes, typically including partial control of access, o ...
was upgraded to freeway standards.
Between 1987-'90, US 264 was moved onto new freeway south of
Wilson
Wilson may refer to:
People
* Wilson (name)
** List of people with given name Wilson
** List of people with surname Wilson
* Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender
* Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Ro ...
; the old route along Ward Boulevard became part of the current US 264 Alternate route. Also during this time, US 264 was upgraded to freeway standards east of
Farmville
''FarmVille'' is a series of agriculture-simulation social network game developed and published by Zynga in 2009. It is similar to ''Happy Farm'' and ''Farm Town''. Its gameplay involves various aspects of farmland management, such as plowing l ...
to
Greenville. Between 1991-'93, US 264 was moved north onto new freeway, bypassing
Farmville
''FarmVille'' is a series of agriculture-simulation social network game developed and published by Zynga in 2009. It is similar to ''Happy Farm'' and ''Farm Town''. Its gameplay involves various aspects of farmland management, such as plowing l ...
.
Sometime between 1994 and 1999, US 264 was extended west from
Zebulon
Zebulun (; also ''Zebulon'', ''Zabulon'', or ''Zaboules'') was, according to the Books of Book of Genesis, Genesis and Book of Numbers, Numbers,Genesis 46:14 the last of the six sons of Jacob and Leah (Jacob's tenth son), and the founder of the ...
, to the junction with
I-440 in
Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
. This would later change on July 8, 2005, when the Knightdale Bypass was completed.
In August 2002, US 264 was truncated east at
Manns Harbor.
In 2004, US 264 was rerouted, between
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 ...
and
NC 121, onto new freeway, south of
Wilson
Wilson may refer to:
People
* Wilson (name)
** List of people with given name Wilson
** List of people with surname Wilson
* Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender
* Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Ro ...
. In 2007, part of this route was overlapped with
I-795.
In 2016, construction began on a bypass between US 264 in Greenville, where it connects with the city's Stantonsburg Road, to
NC 11 as it passes through
Ayden.
On June 22, 2022,
I-587
Interstate 587 (I-587) can refer to two separate highways:
* Interstate 587 (New York)
* Interstate 587 (North Carolina)
Interstate 587 (I-587) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US state of North Carolina. The western terminus o ...
was officially established from I-95, near Wilson, to
NC 11 Bypass, in Greenville; as a result of the new designation, US 264 was realigned back to its former routing from north of
Saratoga to Greenville.
Junction list
Special routes
Middlesex–Greenville alternate route
Established around 1984, US 264 Alternate was a renumbering of the Middlesex business loop, which followed the original alignment of US 264 from
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...
to
Wilson
Wilson may refer to:
People
* Wilson (name)
** List of people with given name Wilson
** List of people with surname Wilson
* Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender
* Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Ro ...
. In 2004, it was extended east to
Greenville, absorbing US 264 alternate between
Farmville
''FarmVille'' is a series of agriculture-simulation social network game developed and published by Zynga in 2009. It is similar to ''Happy Farm'' and ''Farm Town''. Its gameplay involves various aspects of farmland management, such as plowing l ...
and
Greenville.
In June 2022, after approval from AASHTO in 2021 Annual Meeting, mainline US 264 was rerouted back along its former routing between north of Saratoga to Greenville with US 264 Alternate decommissioned along that section. The still existing portions of the alternate route are now two segments, with the Zebulon–Wilson western segment and the Greenville eastern segment.
Middlesex business loop
Established by 1978, it was a renumbering of mainline US 264, which was moved onto new routing north of
Bailey, Middlesex, and
Sims
Sims, sims or SIMS may refer to:
Games
* ''The Sims'', a life simulation video game series
** ''The Sims'' (video game), the first installment, released in 2000
** ''The Sims 2'', the second installment, released in 2004
** '' The Sims 3'', th ...
. Originally, US 264 business ran from
NC 581 to near
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
; it was extended west to
NC 39 in 1979. In 1984, the entire route was redesignated to US 264 Alternate.
Wilson business loop
U.S. Route 264 Business (US 264 Business) was a business route of US 264 through the city of Wilson.
The routing of US 264 Business was once part of US 264 prior to 1950. In 1950, US 264 was rerouted and the former alignment through downtown Wilson along Raleigh Road and Nash Street became US 264A. In 1960, US 264A was renamed to US 264 Business. The highway remained the same until 1972, when it was removed from Bynum Street, Vance Street, Pender Street, and parts of Raleigh Road and Nash Street. Instead, US 264 Business was routed to follow Hines Street between Raleigh Road Parkway and East Nash Street. In 1977, US 264 Business was decommissioned.
Farmville alternate route
Established around 1954 as a renumbering of mainline US 264, it traversed through downtown Farmville, via Wilson Street and Moye-Turnage Road. It was decommissioned by 1990 when US 264 bypassed north of Farmville and its former alignment south of Farmville became its alternate route.
NC 121 replaced the eastern half of the former route from US 264 Alt to Main Street.
Wilson–Greenville alternate route
Established around 1990 as a renumbering of mainline US 264; which traversed from Farmville to Greenville. In 2002, it was extended west of Farmville to Wilson, replacing part of
NC 121 and
NC 91. In 2004, it was absorbed by the Middlesex-Greenville alternate route.
Greenville alternate route
Established by 1954 as a renumbering of mainline US 264, it traversed through downtown Greenville via Dickenson Avenue and East 10th Street. In 1960, it was renumbered as US 264 Business.
The route of the
Greenville and Raleigh Plank Road, which was established in 1853, became part of the route of US 264 between Greenville and Wilson, North Carolina. Although no longer maintained after the company went bankrupt in 1861, the route was still used as an unpaved track and
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 ...
by horse and motor traffic. State senator
James Leonidas Fleming, who established
East Carolina University
East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university, public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina.
Founded on March 8, 1907, as a Normal school, teacher training school, East ...
in Greenville, was killed in an early automobile accident along the plank road in 1909.
Greenville business loop
Established in 1960 as a renumbering of US 264 Alternate, it remained unchanged till 1990, when it was decommissioned.
Belhaven alternate route
U.S. Route 264 Alternate (US 264A) was established around 1954-1957 as a renumbering of mainline US 264, it traversed through downtown Belhaven, via Main Street and Pamlico Street. In 1960, it was renumbered as US 264 Business.
Belhaven business loop
U.S. Route 264 Business (US 264 Bus) was established in 1960, the route follows the original US 264 alignment through downtown Belhaven, via Main Street and Pamlico Street.
Manns Harbor–Manteo Bypass
U.S. Route 264 Bypass (US 264 By-pass) was established in 1999 as a new primary routing bypassing Manns Harbor and Manteo, while also providing direct access between
Nags Head Nag's Head or Nags Head may refer to:
;In London
* Nag's Head, London, a locality in Holloway
** Nag's Head Market, a street market
* Nag's Head, Covent Garden, a pub
;Elsewhere in the United Kingdom
* Nag's Head Island, Abingdon-on-Thames
* ...
and the mainland. Its main feature is the
Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge
The Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge is a four-lane automobile bridge spanning the Croatan Sound, between Manns Harbor and Roanoke Island, in Dare County, North Carolina. The bridge carries US 64 Bypass and is utilized by local and seasonal ...
, which is a divided four-lane bridge crossing over the
Croatan Sound
Croatan Sound is an inlet in Dare County, North Carolina. It connects Pamlico Sound with Albemarle Sound, and is bordered to the east by Roanoke Island; Roanoke Sound is on the other side of the island. Its name comes from the Croatan Indians who ...
. Sharing a complete concurrency with
US 64 Bypass throughout its existence, it was removed in 2003 when US 264's eastern terminus was relocated further west.
See also
*
North Carolina Bicycle Route 2
The following is a List of bicycle routes in North Carolina. These routes are designated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Division.
State U.S. Bicycle Route 1
The North Carolina por ...
– Concurrent with US 264 between Pactolus and Latham, downtown Washington, Jessama, between Bellhaven and Swanquarter, and between Lake Comfort and its eastern terminus
References
External links
*
Endpoints of U.S. Highway 264
{{I-87 aux
64-2
64-2
Transportation in Wake County, North Carolina
Transportation in Nash County, North Carolina
Transportation in Wilson County, North Carolina
Transportation in Greene County, North Carolina
Transportation in Pitt County, North Carolina
Transportation in Beaufort County, North Carolina
Transportation in Hyde County, North Carolina
Transportation in Dare County, North Carolina
2
Historic Albemarle Tour
Interstate 87 (North Carolina)