U.S. Route 64 in North Carolina
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U.S. Route 64 (US 64) is the longest
numbered route A route (or road) number, designation or abbreviation is an identifying numeric (or alphanumeric) designation assigned by a highway authority to a particular stretch of roadway to distinguish it from other routes and, in many cases, also to indica ...
in the U.S. state of
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, running from the
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
state line to the
Outer Banks The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating ...
. The route passes through the westernmost municipality in the state,
Murphy Murphy () ( ga, Ua Murchadha) is an Irish surname and the most common surname in the Republic of Ireland. Origins and variants The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac ...
, and one of the most easternmost municipalities, Manteo, making US 64 a symbolic representation of the phrase "from Murphy to Manteo" which is used to refer to the expanse of the state. The highway is a major east-west route through the central and eastern portion of the state.


Route description

US 64 enters North Carolina in
Cherokee County Cherokee County is the name of eight counties in the United States: * Cherokee County, Alabama * Cherokee County, Georgia * Cherokee County, Iowa * Cherokee County, Kansas * Cherokee County, North Carolina * Cherokee County, Oklahoma * Cherokee Cou ...
, west of
Murphy Murphy () ( ga, Ua Murchadha) is an Irish surname and the most common surname in the Republic of Ireland. Origins and variants The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac ...
. The highway serves the cities of Hendersonville, Brevard, Rutherfordton, Morganton,
Lenoir Lenoir may refer to: Locations: * Lenoir, North Carolina, United States * Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States * Lenoir City, Tennessee In Universities: * Lenoir-Rhyne University * Lenoir Dining Hall, a dining hall at the University of N ...
, Statesville, Lexington,
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 ...
, Siler City,
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 ...
, Rocky Mount,
Tarboro Tarboro is a town located in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Rocky Mount Rocky Mount metropolitan area, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 ...
, Williamston, and Manteo. The segment from
Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...
to
Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Albania * Dukagjin Highlands Armenia * Armenian Highlands Australia *Sou ...
is a mountainous two-lane road limited to moderate-sized trucks. Large trucks are routed via Truck US 64 (US 23/441 and US 74) to Sylva, and
Asheville Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...
. The route passes through Hendersonville,
Chimney Rock State Park Chimney Rock State Park is a North Carolina state park in Chimney Rock, Rutherford County, North Carolina in the United States. The park is located southeast of Asheville, North Carolina, and is owned and managed by the state of North Carolin ...
, and Forest City before turning in a more northerly direction towards Morganton, where it crosses
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 ...
for the first time. The route goes more north into the city of
Lenoir Lenoir may refer to: Locations: * Lenoir, North Carolina, United States * Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States * Lenoir City, Tennessee In Universities: * Lenoir-Rhyne University * Lenoir Dining Hall, a dining hall at the University of N ...
where it crosses
US 321 U.S. Route 321 (US 321) is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It runs for from Hardeeville, South Carolina to Lenoir City, Tennessee; with both serving as southern termini. It reaches its northernmost point at Elizabethton, Tennessee. Because o ...
. Leaving Lenoir, heading east towards Statesville, it crosses I-40 for a second time. After crossing I-40 again in Mocksville, U.S. 64 makes a southerly bypass of the
Piedmont Triad The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, North Carolina, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem, and H ...
region. U.S. 64 is the primary east-west route through
Randolph County Randolph County is the name of eight counties in the United States: *Randolph County, Alabama *Randolph County, Arkansas *Randolph County, Georgia *Randolph County, Illinois *Randolph County, Indiana *Randolph County, Missouri *Randolph County, Nort ...
and Chatham County, connecting the cities 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 ...
, Siler City and Pittsboro. In Asheboro, the route divides, a newer bypass route carrying US 64 follows a freeway south of the city while the older section signed as U.S. 64 Business just bypasses the center of the city also bypassing an unsigned earlier stretch going through town. In Pittsboro, the route also divides, a newer bypass route carrying US 64 as freeway north of the city while the older section goes through the center of the city along city streets, passing the
Chatham County Courthouse The Chatham County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located at Pittsboro, Chatham County, North Carolina. It sits at the center of town in the middle of a traffic circle. It was built in 1881 for $10,666 and is a two-story rectangular brick ...
and is designated as Business U.S. 64. After Pittsboro, U.S. 64 crosses
Jordan Lake B. Everett Jordan Lake is a reservoir in New Hope Valley, west of Cary and south of Durham in Chatham County, North Carolina, in the United States; the northernmost end of the lake extends into southwestern Durham County. Part of the Jordan ...
in the community of Wilsonville before entering Wake County. In Wake County, a divided
expressway Expressway may refer to: * Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic. * Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road. *Expressway, the fictional s ...
carries U.S. 64 through
Apex The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe * Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe *Apex ...
and
Cary Cary may refer to: Places ;United States * Cary, Illinois, part of the Chicago metropolitan area * Cary, Indiana, part of the Indianapolis metropolitan area * Cary, Miami County, Indiana * Cary, Maine * Cary, Mississippi * Cary, North Carolina ...
, with a mixture of grade-separated interchanges and at-grade intersections along this segment. In Cary, U.S. 64 joins
U.S. 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, ...
forming the heavily traveled U.S. 1-64 freeway which connects Cary and southwestern Wake County to Raleigh, the I-440 Beltline and I-40. Within the Raleigh city limits US 64 follows
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 ...
. In 2006 a major section known as the Knightdale Bypass opened to ease traffic. After it was completed, US 64 became a continuous freeway as far east as Williamston, going through the communities of
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
, Rocky Mount, and
Tarboro Tarboro is a town located in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Rocky Mount Rocky Mount metropolitan area, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 ...
. Closely paralleling this freeway segment, older alignments of US 64, following country roads and city streets, are known variously as Alternate US 64 (usually outside of city limits) and Business U.S. 64 (when inside of incorporated city limits). In Williamston, after forming a concurrency with both US 13 and US 17, it follows an exit ramp to become a four-lane undivided boulevard from Williamston to
Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...
. In 2017,
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) ...
was established along the Knightdale Bypass, with Future I-87 assigned to US 64 as far as Williamston. Between Plymouth and Columbia, the route is once again a freeway. From Columbia to its eastern junction with US 264 it is a two lane undivided highway through the swamps of
Tyrrell County Tyrrell County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,245, making it the least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Columbia. The county was created in 1729 as Tyr ...
. The route splits in Manns Harbor as Bypass US 64 uses the newer and wider
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 ...
to cross
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 ...
, bypassing Manteo to the south. The mainline route follows the older, narrower
William B. Umstead Bridge The William B. Umstead Bridge is a two-lane automobile bridge spanning the Croatan Sound, between Manns Harbor and Roanoke Island, in Dare County, North Carolina. The bridge carries US 64 and is utilized by local and seasonal tourist traf ...
and goes through the community of Manteo before rejoining the bypass route to access a series of bridges and causeways that connect
Roanoke Island Roanoke Island () is an island in Dare County, North Carolina, Dare County, bordered by the Outer Banks of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke (tribe), Roanoke, a Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the ar ...
to
Bodie Island Bodie Island ( ) is a long, narrow barrier peninsula that forms the northernmost portion of the Outer Banks. The land that is most commonly referred to as Bodie Island was at one time a true island, but in 1811 Roanoke Inlet, which had separated i ...
on the
Outer Banks The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating ...
. US 64 terminates at
Whalebone Junction Whalebone Junction is an area within Nags Head, North Carolina where three major highways converge. The junction marks the eastern terminus of both U.S. 64 and U.S. Route 158, while NC 12 traverses the junction from north to south. The junction ...
, a location in
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 * ...
that forms the three-way confluence of US 64, US 158 and NC 12. US 64 also make up part of
Corridor A The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historic ...
in the
Appalachian Development Highway System The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historical ...
(ADHS). Corridor A connects I-285, in
Sandy Springs, Georgia Sandy Springs is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia and an inner ring suburb of Atlanta. The city's population was 108,080 at the 2020 census, making it Georgia's seventh-largest city. It is the site of several corporate headquarters, i ...
, to
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 ...
, near
Clyde Clyde may refer to: People * Clyde (given name) * Clyde (surname) Places For townships see also Clyde Township Australia * Clyde, New South Wales * Clyde, Victoria * Clyde River, New South Wales Canada * Clyde, Alberta * Clyde, Ontario, a tow ...
, it overlaps of US 64, between Hayesville and
Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...
. ADHS provides additional funds, as authorized by the U.S. Congress, which have enabled US 64 to benefit from the successive improvements along its routing through the corridor. The white-on-blue banner "Appalachian Highway" is used to mark the ADHS corridor. Between Raleigh and Williamston, US 64 is either already, or scheduled to be, upgraded to interstate status.
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) ...
is already signed from I-440 to Rolesville Road along the Knightdale Bypass, with "Future I-87" signed along the US 64 to I-95, near Rocky Mount. Extending towards Williamston and beyond along US 17, the route is scheduled to become part of I-87, which will eventually connect the Research Triangle region with the Hampton Roads region. US 64 overlaps with four state scenic byways: the Waterfall Byway, between
Murphy Murphy () ( ga, Ua Murchadha) is an Irish surname and the most common surname in the Republic of Ireland. Origins and variants The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac ...
and Rosman, Black Mountain Rag, centered at
Bat Cave The Batcave is a subterranean location appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It is the headquarters of the superhero Batman, whose secret identity is Bruce Wayne and his partners, consisting of caves beneath his persona ...
, Alligator River Route, between Columbia and
Roanoke Island Roanoke Island () is an island in Dare County, North Carolina, Dare County, bordered by the Outer Banks of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke (tribe), Roanoke, a Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the ar ...
, and Roanoke Voyages Corridor, located on Roanoke Island.


History

US 64 was established in 1932, joining NC 28 from the
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
state line to Old Fort, US 70/ NC 10 between Old Fort and Statesville, and NC 90 between Statesville and Fort Landing. In late 1934, NC 28, NC 10, and NC 90 were dropped along the route. In 1937 or 1938, US 64 was rerouted east of Brasstown Creek, near Brasstown; its old alignment along Brasstown Road was downgraded to secondary road. In 1939 or 1940, US 64 was placed on new routing east of Hayesville; its old alignment along Myers Chapel Road was downgraded to secondary road. Between 1939-1944, US 64/US 70 was removed from Knobs Landing (SR 1620), in Icard; in Statesville, US 64 is rerouted to its current routing, leaving NC 90. In 1941, US 64 was placed on new bypass south of Franklinville; its old alignment becoming US 64A. Around 1942, US 64 was placed on new routing east of Hayesville to NC 175; most of the old route was abandoned when Chatuga Lake was formed. Between 1945-1949: US 64 is placed on its modern alignment from the Tennessee state line to Murphy. US 64 was removed from Old Quebec Road (SR 1316), near
Lake Toxaway Lake Toxaway is the largest privately held lake in North Carolina. The lake, developed by the Lake Toxaway Company, is man-made and covers , and the shoreline is . Water sources for the lake include multiple free-flowing mountain streams wit ...
. US 64 was placed on one-way splits in downtown
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 64 was rerouted onto Thomas Avenue in Rocky Mount, eliminating US 64A. In
Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...
, US 64 was placed on new bypass south of the downtown area. In 1949, US 64 was placed on new bypass north of Siler City; its old alignment becoming US 64A. In 1964, US 64 was removed along
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 ...
between
Conover Conover may refer to: People * Conover (surname) Places in the United States * Conover, Iowa, a ghost town * Conover, North Carolina, a city * Conover, Ohio, an unincorporated community * Conover, Wisconsin, a town * Conover (community), Wiscon ...
and Statesville; as a result, US 64 was rerouted along US 70 and replaced US 64 Bus. In 1971, US 64 was placed on two new bypass routes, south of Hayesville and south of Columbia; both old alignments became US 64 business loops. Same year, US 64 in Hendersonville was rerouted onto one-way streets (sixth and seventh avenues) through the downtown area. In 1974, US 64 was placed on new bypass east of
Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...
, in concurrency with US 23/ US 441; most of its former routing remain part of NC 28. Same year, was placed on new routing east of Pittsboro, its old alignment was abandoned to make way for
Jordan Lake B. Everett Jordan Lake is a reservoir in New Hope Valley, west of Cary and south of Durham in Chatham County, North Carolina, in the United States; the northernmost end of the lake extends into southwestern Durham County. Part of the Jordan ...
. In 1975, US 64 was placed on new freeway bypass north of
Eagle Rock Eagle Rock may refer to: Entertainment * "Eagle Rock" (song), a hit single in 1971 by Australian band Daddy Cool * "Eagle Rock", a song by Motörhead * Eagle Rock Entertainment, a record label Places * Eagle Rock (formation), in California * Eag ...
to NC 39, south of
Pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
; most of the old alignment became part of NC 97 and US 64 Bus., while the section going into Franklin County was downgraded to a secondary road. In 1976, US 64 was placed on new freeway bypass south of Pilot to NC 98/ NC 231; ending a brief concurrency with NC 39, the routing to NC 98 was downgraded to a secondary road. In 1979, US 64 was placed on new freeway between NC 98/NC 231 to the Nashville bypass; its old alignment was to become US 64 Business, but was instead approved as US 64 Alternate instead. Also same year, US 64 was placed on new routing between the
Clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...
- Macon county line to Franklin; its old alignment downgraded to a secondary road. In 1979, US 64 was placed on new bypass west of
Murphy Murphy () ( ga, Ua Murchadha) is an Irish surname and the most common surname in the Republic of Ireland. Origins and variants The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac ...
, in concurrency with US 19/US 129; its old alignment through Murphy was partly replaced by US 19 Bus., while Peachtree Street was downgraded to a secondary road. Also same year, US 64 was placed on new bypass north of Rosman, with its old alignment to become US 64 Business; however, this was not approved by AASHTO, downgrading the former route to a secondary road. In 1984, US 64 was rerouted around Raleigh, from going north around, via the beltline, to south around after completion of the southern half of the beltline. Also same year, US 64 was placed on new freeway bypass north of Rocky Mount; its old alignment through downtown became US 64 Bus. In 1988, US 64 was rerouted between Morganton and Statesville, traversing north along NC 18 to
Lenoir Lenoir may refer to: Locations: * Lenoir, North Carolina, United States * Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States * Lenoir City, Tennessee In Universities: * Lenoir-Rhyne University * Lenoir Dining Hall, a dining hall at the University of N ...
and NC 90 through Taylorsville; the old route continues on as US 70, though a request was made, but withdrawn, to establish the old alignment as an alternate route. In 1991, US 64/US 601 were rerouted in Mocksville, downgrading Salisbury Street and Wilkesboro Street to secondary roads. Also in 1991, with the establishment of I-440, US 64 was removed from the beltline around Raleigh and rerouted through the city: eastbound via Western Boulevard, Dorothea Drive, South Street, Person Street and New Bern Avenue; westbound via New Bern Avenue, Edenton Street, Blount Street, Lenoir Street, Cabarrus Street and Western Boulevard. In 1992, US 64/NC 90 were rerouted onto new road towards Garner Bagnal Boulevard, downgrading part of Front Street. In 1993, US 64 was placed on new bypass south of Jamesville; its old alignment becoming US 64 Bus. In 1994, NCDOT reversed its decision of routing US 64 through Raleigh and officially routed it back along the southern half of the beltline; reason given was that despite the ordinance change in 1991, signage for the routing did not change and was preferred. In 1996, US 64 was placed on new
super-two 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 ...
between Taylorsville and Statesville; its former alignment remained NC 90. In 1997, US 64 was placed on new freeway between Princeville and Williamston; its former alignment was replaced by US 64 Alt. In 2003, US 64 was placed on new freeway between
Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...
and Columbia, leaving its concurrency alignment with NC 32 and NC 94. In 2005, US 64 was placed on a freeway bypass north of Pittsboro; its old alignment became US 64 Bus. In 2006, US 64/US 264 was placed on new six-lane freeway bypass south of Knightdale, from I-440 to existing US 64 freeway segment near Eagle Rock; its former routing through Knightdale became an extension of US 64 Bus., with a hidden concurrency along I-440. Also in the same year, NCDOT submitted a request, which was subsequently withdrawn to split-up US 64 through Brevard; instead US 64 Bus. was reestablished along Caldwell Street as a hidden route, signed instead as westbound US 64, eastbound US 64 remains along Broad Street. In 2009, US 64 was placed on new routing east of its intersection with US 19/74/129 in Murphy, next to the
Hiwassee River The Hiwassee River has its headwaters on the north slope of Rocky Mountain in Towns County in the northern area of the State of Georgia. It flows northward into North Carolina before turning westward into Tennessee, flowing into the Tennessee Riv ...
. Its old alignment was to become a new alternate route, but that request was denied by AASHTO. The old alignment instead was downgraded to secondary roads; NC 141 was extended south to meet the new route. In
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 ...
, a new US 64 Bypass was planned to go south around the city, with a new connector (an extension of NC 159 Spur) to the
North Carolina Zoo The North Carolina Zoo is a zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina, housing 1,800 animals of more than 250 species, primarily representing Africa and North America. It is one of two state-supported zoos in the United States, with the other being the Mi ...
. The proposed route was estimated to cost $370 million and scheduled to open in 2020. The NCDOT released an updated map on the project in January 2015 that eliminated the NC 159 interchange. Construction began in 2016 at an estimated cost of $348 million. In June 2017, NCDOT confirmed the new bypass will be signed as mainline US 64, with the old alignment becoming a business route. It opened to traffic on December 18, 2020, with the route through the city being signed as BUSINESS US 64.


Wake County

Originally, US 64 followed Salem Road, north of
Apex The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe * Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe *Apex ...
; near
Cary Cary may refer to: Places ;United States * Cary, Illinois, part of the Chicago metropolitan area * Cary, Indiana, part of the Indianapolis metropolitan area * Cary, Miami County, Indiana * Cary, Maine * Cary, Mississippi * Cary, North Carolina ...
, it followed Chatham Street and Hillsborough Street before meeting NC 54 on Western Boulevard, after which both go into
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 ...
via Hillsborough Street. In central Raleigh, US 64 used Salisbury Street, Edenton Street, East Street, and finally New Bern Avenue. The final section followed the current US 64 Business to Wendell and
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 ...
. Between 1950-53, US 64 was removed from central Raleigh and followed then US 70A via Western Boulevard (in Cary) east to Boylan Avenue, then northeast to South Street before ending back on New Bern Avenue. In 1960, US 64 was placed on a (non-freeway) bypass around Wendell; the old route became US 64 Business. A second (freeway) bypass in the Wendell/
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 ...
area was added in 1975, the first bypass was added on to the western end of NC 97. In 1965, US 64 was given its modern routing from Apex to US 1; after concurrency, US 64 followed US 1 north around Raleigh to New Bern Avenue. In 1984, US 64 was removed from the northern arc of the beltline, migrating south to the completed southern arc.


Junction list


See also

*
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 ...
* Special routes of U.S. Route 64 *
Catawba River The Catawba River originates in Western North Carolina and flows into South Carolina, where it later becomes known as the Wateree River. The river is approximately 220 miles (350 km) long. It rises in the Appalachian Mountains and drains into ...
*
Chatuge Dam Chatuge Dam is a flood control and hydroelectric dam on the Hiwassee River in Clay County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The dam is the uppermost of three dams on the river owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built t ...
*
Chimney Rock State Park Chimney Rock State Park is a North Carolina state park in Chimney Rock, Rutherford County, North Carolina in the United States. The park is located southeast of Asheville, North Carolina, and is owned and managed by the state of North Carolin ...
*
French Broad River The French Broad River is a river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It flows from near the town of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee, where its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville forms ...
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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 ...
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Jordan Lake B. Everett Jordan Lake is a reservoir in New Hope Valley, west of Cary and south of Durham in Chatham County, North Carolina, in the United States; the northernmost end of the lake extends into southwestern Durham County. Part of the Jordan ...
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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 ...
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Nantahala National Forest The Nantahala National Forest ( /ˌnæntəˈheɪlə/), is the largest of the four national forests in North Carolina, lying in the mountains and valleys of western North Carolina. The Nantahala is the second wettest region in the country, after the ...
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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 ...
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Pisgah National Forest Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is complet ...
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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 ...
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Yadkin River The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, po ...


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* {{DEFAULTSORT:U.S. Route 64 In North Carolina 64 Transportation in Raleigh, North Carolina Transportation in Cherokee County, North Carolina Transportation in Clay County, North Carolina Transportation in Macon County, North Carolina Transportation in Jackson County, North Carolina Transportation in Transylvania County, North Carolina Transportation in Henderson County, North Carolina Transportation in Rutherford County, North Carolina Transportation in McDowell County, North Carolina Transportation in Burke County, North Carolina Transportation in Caldwell County, North Carolina Transportation in Alexander County, North Carolina Transportation in Iredell County, North Carolina Transportation in Davie County, North Carolina Transportation in Davidson County, North Carolina Transportation in Randolph County, North Carolina Transportation in Chatham County, North Carolina Transportation in Wake County, North Carolina Transportation in Franklin County, North Carolina Transportation in Nash County, North Carolina Transportation in Edgecombe County, North Carolina Transportation in Martin County, North Carolina Transportation in Washington County, North Carolina Transportation in Tyrrell County, North Carolina Transportation in Dare County, North Carolina Freeways in North Carolina North Carolina Historic Albemarle Tour Interstate 87 (North Carolina)