U.S. Route 70 in North Carolina
| U.S. Route 70 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by NCDOT | ||||
| Length: | 488 mi[1] (785 km) | |||
| Existed: | 1927 – present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end: | ||||
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| East end: | School Drive in Atlantic | |||
| Location | ||||
| Counties: | Madison, Buncombe, McDowell, Burke, Catawba, Iredell, Rowan, Davidson, Randolph, Guilford, Alamance, Orange, Durham, Wake, Johnston, Wayne, Lenoir, Jones, Craven, Carteret | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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U.S. Route 70 traverses approximately 488 miles (785 km) across North Carolina; from the Tennessee state line, near Hot Springs, to the community of Atlantic, along the Pamlico Sound coastline.[1][2]
Contents |
Route description[edit]
U.S. 70 enters North Carolina on a two-lane road, also signed as U.S. Route 25. The duplex is signed along a divided highway from Marshall to U.S. Route 19 north of Asheville where it splits off from U.S. 25. From here, U.S. 70 parallels Interstate 40. From the town of Ridgecrest at the top of the Blue Ridge, U.S. 70 merges with I-40. It splits from I-40 again at the bottom of the grade at Old Fort, then passing through the towns of Marion, Nebo, Morganton, Hickory, Conover, Statesville and Salisbury, where it changes course and heads northeast.
U.S. 70 parallels Interstate 85 to High Point, sharing a divided highway with U.S. Route 29. The two roads separate in Greensboro, and U.S. Route 70 joins Wendover Avenue out of the city and continues east along the Interstate 40 corridor. Halfway to the Research Triangle, US 70 passes through the major retail district for Burlington. It then becomes a two lane road until it reaches Durham where U.S 70 turns southeast as a divided highway. The road passes straight through downtown Raleigh, before heading back east and away from Interstate 40.
A divided highway from Raleigh to the Atlantic Coastal Plain, U.S. 70 traverses Eastern North Carolina in an east by southeasterly direction. As of 2008, the Clayton Bypass carries US 70 around Clayton, North Carolina. It is signed along as bypass roads around Smithfield (through Selma) and Goldsboro and a freeway around New Bern and is a divided highway again through the Croatan National Forest and Havelock, passing Atlantic Beach in Carteret County, the eastern terminus of NC 24. From here, U.S. 70 maintains a two-lane road with a widened shoulder, to the town of Sealevel and the southern terminus of NC 12. The last few miles of U.S. 70 are signed along a road from Sealevel to its eastern terminus in the town of Atlantic.
History[edit]
Clayton Bypass[edit]
The Clayton Bypass is a four-lane highway opened on June 9, 2008, in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States, that carries mainline U.S. Route 70 around the city of Clayton, North Carolina. It connects Interstate 40 near the southeastern corner of Wake County to US 70 just northwest of Smithfield. It is intended to reduce congestion on US 70 in the vicinity of Clayton, cutting an estimated 15 minutes of travel time for drivers traveling between Raleigh and the eastern part of the state,[3][4] but concerns have been expressed that it will increase congestion on a heavily traveled stretch of Interstate 40 in southeastern Wake County.[5]
Construction[edit]
The bypass was first planned in 1991, but several setbacks, including controversy over building a bridge through territory of an endangered mussel, held up beginning the project until 2005. Originally scheduled for completion in June 2009,[6] a severe drought in the area through most of 2007 and into the spring of 2008 allowed construction to proceed more rapidly than anticipated, and the highway was opened June 9, 2008.[4]
Specifications[edit]
The western end of the bypass connects to Interstate 40 approximately four miles southeast of the current I-40-US 70 interchange. The eastern end connects to the US 70 bypass and business routes northwest of Smithfield, North Carolina. The combination results in an effectively continuous business route passing through Clayton and Smithfield and an effectively continuous bypass passing south of Clayton and north of Smithfield (and east of the community of Cleveland). Drivers are thus able to bypass Clayton, Smithfield, or both.
The Clayton Bypass is a limited access freeway of two lanes in each direction, with interchanges at Interstate 40, North Carolina Highway 42, Ranch Road, and US 70 between Clayton and Smithfield, North Carolina. To complete the bypass and connect with U.S. 70 business, the US 70 bypass actually overlaps with I-40 for four miles (6 km) in southeastern Wake County southeast of Garner.
Electronic signs provide traffic information and estimates of travel time, a first in the area,[5] and cameras and pavement sensors provide traffic engineers real-time information about the number of vehicles and their speeds.
Future[edit]
A multi-county project called the "Super 70 Corridor" is currently in various stages of construction and planning in the following counties: Wake, Johnston, Wayne, Lenoir, Jones, Craven, and Carteret. Goal is to make US 70 from Raleigh to Morehead City into a limited-access freeway. The project also organizes all various projects in an order that is agreed to the counties involved.[7][8]
Projects currently involved:
- Goldsboro Bypass - 20.6-mile (33.2 km) bypass from west of NC 581 to east of SR 1323. Estimated cost $234 million; currently under construction.[9]
- Kinston Bypass - 12.4-mile (20.0 km) bypass south of Kinston. Estimated cost $181 million; currently in planning and environmental study.[10][11][12]
- Havelock Bypass - 9-mile (14 km) bypass west of Havelock. Estimated cost $140.4 million; acquisition purchases begin August, 2013, with construction planned for August, 2015.[13]
- Beaufort Bypass - 2.2-mile (3.5 km) bypass north of Beaufort. Estimated cost $73.4 million; construction scheduled to begin July, 2012.[14]
Junction list[edit]
| County | Location | Mile[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison |
State line | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||||
| Hot Springs | 5.8 | 9.3 | |||||
| Hurricane | 11.0 | 17.7 | |||||
| Walnut | 16.5 | 26.6 | West end of NC 213 overlap | ||||
| Marshall | 20.0 | 32.2 | |||||
| 22.3 | 35.9 | East end of NC 213 overlap | |||||
| 23.5 | 37.8 | ||||||
| 25.3 | 40.7 | ||||||
| Buncombe |
Weaverville | 32.0 | 51.5 | West end of I-26 overlap, north end of US 19/23 overlap | |||
| US 70 overlaps with Interstate 26 (exits 19 to 26) and Interstate 240 (exits 4A to 5B). | |||||||
| Buncombe |
Asheville | 41.5 | 66.8 | East end of I-240 overlap | |||
| 41.8 | 67.3 | To Blue Ridge Parkway | |||||
| 42.6 | 68.6 | ||||||
| 43.4 | 69.8 | East end of US 74A overlap | |||||
| 43.6 | 70.2 | Three-level diamond interchange | |||||
| 45.5 | 73.2 | ||||||
| 46.1 | 74.2 | Blue Ridge Parkway | |||||
| Black Mountain | 55.8 | 89.8 | |||||
| 56.5 | 90.9 | West end of I-40 overlap, eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |||||
| US 70 overlaps with Interstate 40 (exits 65 to 72). | |||||||
| McDowell |
Old Fort | 63.5 | 102.2 | East end of I-40 overlap, eastbound entrance and westbound exit | |||
| 73.0 | 117.5 | To Mount Mitchell State Park | |||||
| Marion | 74.8 | 120.4 | |||||
| 75.0 | 120.7 | North end of US 221 Business overlap | |||||
| 77.2 | 124.2 | South end of US 221 Business overlap | |||||
| Nebo | 82.2 | 132.3 | To Lake James State Park | ||||
| Burke |
Morganton | 96.2 | 154.8 | East end of US 64 overlap | |||
| 97.3 | 156.6 | West end of US 64 overlap | |||||
| 98.4 | 158.4 | ||||||
| 100.5 | 161.7 | ||||||
| Drexel | 104.0 | 167.4 | |||||
| Catawba |
Hickory | 118.5 | 190.7 | North end of US 321 Business overlap | |||
| 119.5 | 192.3 | ||||||
| 121.5 | 195.5 | Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard | |||||
| Conover | 126.5 | 203.6 | South end of US 321 Business overlap | ||||
| 127.8 | 205.7 | ||||||
| Catawba | 134.5 | 216.5 | |||||
| Iredell |
Statesville | 145.8 | 234.6 | ||||
| 148.0 | 238.2 | ||||||
| 149.2 | 240.1 | ||||||
| Rowan |
162.4 | 261.4 | South end of NC 801 overlap | ||||
| 164.0 | 263.9 | North end of NC 801 overlap | |||||
| Salisbury | 170.0 | 273.6 | North end of US 601 overlap | ||||
| 172.5 | 277.6 | ||||||
| 173.5 | 279.2 | south end of US 29/601 overlap | |||||
| 174.3 | 280.5 | south end of US 29/601 overlap | |||||
| 175.5 | 282.4 | Innes Street | |||||
| Davidson |
183.0 | 294.5 | south end of I-85 and US 52 overlap, north end of NC 150 overlap Interchange closed because of reconstruction of Wil-Cox Bridge and new interchange; temp route via Andrews Street[15][16] |
||||
| US 70 overlaps with Interstate 85 (exits 83 to 87). | |||||||
| Davidson |
187.5 | 301.8 | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; south end of I-85 Business overlap | ||||
| 188.0 | 302.6 | 84 | To Davidson County Airport | ||||
| 188.8 | 303.8 | 85 | Green Needles Road | ||||
| Lexington | 190.0 | 305.8 | 86 | Salisbury Road – Downtown Lexington | |||
| 191.0 | 307.4 | 87 | North end of US 52 overlap; Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||
| 192.0 | 309.0 | Old US 64 | |||||
| 192.7 | 310.1 | West end of US 64 overlap | |||||
| 193.5 | 311.4 | ||||||
| 194.0 | 312.2 | East end of US 64 overlap | |||||
| Thomasville | 201.5 | 324.3 | Lexington Avenue – Thomasville | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |||
| 204.0 | 328.3 | ||||||
| 205.5 | 330.7 | To Piedmont Triad International Airport | |||||
| Randolph |
High Point | 207.0 | 333.1 | Old Thomasville Road – High Point | |||
| Guilford |
207.5 | 333.9 | Prospect Street | ||||
| 208.5 | 335.5 | West Green Drive | |||||
| 209.3 | 336.8 | Surrett Drive | |||||
| 210.0 | 338.0 | Main Street – High Point | |||||
| 211.0 | 339.6 | Brentwood Street has a separate exit northbound | |||||
| 212.0 | 341.2 | Baker Road | |||||
| 213.5 | 343.6 | Kivett Drive – East High Point | |||||
| Greensboro | 216.0 | 347.6 | Vickery Chapel Road / Guildford College Road – Jamestown | ||||
| 217.0 | 349.2 | South end of I-85 overlap | |||||
| US 70 overlaps with Interstate 85 (exits 118 to 120A). | |||||||
| Guilford |
Greensboro | 219.0 | 352.4 | 33 | North end of I-85 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance I-73/US421/Groometown Road access southbound only |
||
| 220.0 | 354.1 | 34 | Holden Road | ||||
| 221.0 | 355.7 | 35A | |||||
| 221.2 | 356.0 | 35B | No westbound exit | ||||
| 221.8 | 357.0 | 35C | Rehobeth Church Road / Vandalia Road | ||||
| 223.0 | 358.9 | 36 | West end of I-40 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||
| US 70 overlaps with Interstate 40 (exits 219 to 223). | |||||||
| Guilford |
Greensboro | 225.0 | 362.1 | East end of I-40 and north end of I-85 Business overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |||
| 225.8 | 363.4 | Florida Street | Eastbound exit and entrance only | ||||
| 226.5 | 364.5 | Lee Street | Two exits signed east and west | ||||
| 227.2 | 365.6 | Market Street | To North Carolina A&T State University | ||||
| 227.6 | 366.3 | Sullivan Street | Eastbound exit and entrance only | ||||
| 227.8 | 366.6 | Bessemer Street | |||||
| 228.0 | 366.9 | North end of US 29/220 overlap, two exits signed east and west | |||||
| 229.5 | 369.3 | Huffine Mill Road | |||||
| 232.0 | 373.4 | ||||||
| Whitsett | 240.0 | 386.2 | |||||
| 240.2 | 386.6 | ||||||
| Alamance |
Burlington | 246.0 | 395.9 | South end of NC 62 overlap | |||
| 247.8 | 398.8 | ||||||
| 248.2 | 399.4 | North end of NC 62 overlap | |||||
| Haw River | 252.8 | 406.8 | |||||
| Mebane | 257.5 | 414.4 | Brief .2 miles (0.32 km) concurrency | ||||
| Orange |
265.0 | 426.5 | South end of NC 86 Truck overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||
| Hillsborough | 266.8 | 429.4 | |||||
| 267.2 | 430.0 | North end of NC 86 Truck overlap | |||||
| 271.0 | 436.1 | ||||||
| Eno | 274.0 | 441.0 | South end of I-85 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||
| US 70 overlaps with Interstate 85 (exits 170 to 178). | |||||||
| Durham |
Durham | 282.0 | 453.8 | 285 | North end of I-85/US 15 overlap | ||
| 283.0 | 455.4 | 286 | Cheek Road | ||||
| 284.0 | 457.1 | ||||||
| 284.8 | 458.3 | Westbound exit and Eastbound entrance | |||||
| Wake |
Raleigh | 292.0 | 469.9 | 292 | |||
| 292.5 | 470.7 | 293 | Lumley Road / Westgate Road | ||||
| 299.0 | 481.2 | North end of NC 50 overlap | |||||
| 300.0 | 482.8 | ||||||
| 303.0 | 487.6 | North end of US 401 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |||||
| 303.6 | 488.6 | Peace Street | |||||
| 305.0 | 490.8 | Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard / Western Boulevard | |||||
| 306.0 | 492.5 | ||||||
| 307.0 | 494.1 | Wilmington – Downtown Raleigh | |||||
| Garner | 308.0 | 495.7 | South end of US 401 overlap; to Wake Tech College | ||||
| 310.0 | 498.9 | Vandora Springs Road | |||||
| 311.0 | 500.5 | ||||||
| 313.0 | 503.7 | West end of I-40 overlap | |||||
| US 70 overlaps with Interstate 40 (exits 306 to 309). | |||||||
| Wake |
317.6 | 511.1 | 318 | East end of I-40 overlap | |||
| Johnston |
320.0 | 515.0 | 320 | ||||
| 323.0 | 519.8 | 323 | Ranch Road | ||||
| 326.0 | 524.6 | 326 | |||||
| 333.0 | 535.9 | 333 | Buffalo Road | ||||
| 334.0 | 537.5 | 334 | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||
| Selma | 335.0 | 539.1 | |||||
| 335.6 | 540.1 | ||||||
| 335.9 | 540.6 | ||||||
| 336.2 | 541.1 | 336 | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||
| 338.0 | 544.0 | ||||||
| 344.0 | 553.6 | ||||||
| Wayne |
353.0 | 568.1 | |||||
| Goldsboro | 356.5 | 573.7 | |||||
| 357.0 | 574.5 | South end of US 13/117 overlap | |||||
| 357.5 | 575.3 | North end of US 117 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance; to Gov. Charles B. Aycock Birthplace | |||||
| 358.0 | 576.1 | North end of NC 111 overlap | |||||
| 359.0 | 577.8 | Wayne Memorial Drive | |||||
| 360.7 | 580.5 | Cuyler Best Road / Spence Avenue | |||||
| 361.5 | 581.8 | North end of US 13 overlap; to Seymour Johnson AFB | |||||
| 363.0 | 584.2 | ||||||
| 364.0 | 585.8 | South end of NC 111 overlap; to Cliffs of the Neuse State Park | |||||
| Lenoir |
La Grange | 372.0 | 598.7 | ||||
| Kinston | 381.7 | 614.3 | North end of US 258 overlap; to North Carolina Global TransPark | ||||
| 382.0 | 614.8 | ||||||
| 384.5 | 618.8 | ||||||
| 385.0 | 619.6 | South end of US 258 overlap, north end of NC 58 overlap | |||||
| 386.0 | 621.2 | South end of US 58 overlap | |||||
| Jones |
393.0 | 632.5 | Old US Highway 70 – Dover | ||||
| Craven |
402.0 | 647.0 | |||||
| 408.0 | 656.6 | Tuscarora-Rhems Road | |||||
| 411.0 | 661.4 | 409 | Clark Road | ||||
| 411.5 | 662.2 | 411 | South end of US 17 overlap | ||||
| 412.8 | 664.3 | 412 | |||||
| New Bern | 415.0 | 667.9 | Glenburnie Road | To Craven Community College | |||
| 416.0 | 669.5 | ||||||
| 417.7 | 672.2 | 416 | Country Club Road | ||||
| 419.0 | 674.3 | 417 | Signed as exits 417A (south) and 417B (north) | ||||
| Havelock | 435.0 | 700.1 | |||||
| Carteret |
Morehead City | 449.0 | 722.6 | ||||
| 453.0 | 729.0 | To Fort Macon State Park | |||||
| Beaufort | 458.0 | 737.1 | |||||
| 467.0 | 751.6 | Harkers Island Road – Harkers Island | To Cape Lookout Lighthouse | ||||
| Smyrna | 469.0 | 754.8 | Marshallberg Road – Marshallberg | ||||
| Sea Level | 483.0 | 777.3 | |||||
| Atlantic | 488.0 | 785.4 | School Drive – Cedar Island | East end of US 70; road ends 2,500 feet (760 m) at Little Port Brook | |||
See also[edit]
References[edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: U.S. Route 70 in North Carolina |
- ^ a b c Google Inc. Google Maps – US 70 in NC (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=US-25+S%2FUS-70+E&daddr=35.5982809,-82.5434614+to:35.60126,-82.3995+to:35.68874,-82.07746+to:35.7321689,-81.7414953+to:35.74621,-81.57666+to:35.72225,-81.38083+to:35.70256,-81.18344+to:35.779586,-80.926067+to:35.72261,-80.6643+to:35.6538203,-80.4951492+to:35.69564,-80.42121+to:35.87084,-80.15929+to:36.08748,-79.74771+to:36.0806,-79.54097+to:36.0925888,-79.2498238+to:36.0792877,-79.0755804+to:35.93879,-78.8186+to:35.81539,-78.65327+to:35.7409971,-78.6493217+to:Seashore+Dr&hl=en&ll=35.384572,-79.716797&spn=3.748059,7.13562&sll=35.538652,-82.248802&sspn=0.233832,0.445976&geocode=FRAQJAIdrdsO-w%3BFcgvHwIdm3wU-ymXhLmLoPRZiDHcWdnXh1DfeQ%3BFWw7HwId9K4W-ynzatk_RfdZiDGjdTUoOq_CuA%3BFSSRIAId7Jgb-ymJvZemBK1QiDHq7vpX3SODxw%3BFcg6IQIdSbkg-ylV0gccj85QiDHiPYmQ-KfCrg%3BFaJxIQIdLD0j-ym74YM_4dZQiDH-flK7dYCoag%3BFQoUIQIdIjom-ylv-0HhWC5RiDEWTH6Ku6Wmdw%3BFSDHIAIdMD0p-ylPEveRPzZRiDFofar3kBhokA%3BFQL0IQIdjSot-ym3XbhXT1pRiDFwNjpZlkAWBA%3BFXIVIQIdFCkx-yl_YUK2zfpTiDET1aBStdptIA%3BFbwIIAId070z-yl1v4dgCfNTiDFdaSK_EwacCw%3BFRisIAIdpt40-ylBnBPgb41TiDG3D-0liyjGYg%3BFXhYIwIdxt04-yld7KEx3aFTiDHymeiiG5Q8KQ%3BFbimJgIdgiU_-yk5ByXMUx9TiDHY3fh1gvZF9g%3BFdiLJgIdFk1C-ykjfK9AuShTiDF45JJWFOJfwQ%3BFay6JgIdYb5G-ynryzAAUtasiTFfzHyLWqPZ2g%3BFbeGJgIdBGdJ-yn3_FvSEd-siTGUyWLrtTE97A%3BFeZhJAId2FJN-ymnK2NbwfqsiTFXdSS8WyNxaQ%3BFd5_IgIdqthP-ymZZjO2q1isiTGuA7jAOVH4hw%3BFUVdIQIdF-hP-ymdciba81-siTG9RFtIgCjAjg%3BFbpPFAIdakBz-w&mra=dpe&mrsp=2&sz=12&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19&t=p&z=8. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
- ^ "NCRoads.com Annex: U.S. 70". Retrieved 2011-01-30.
- ^ newsobserver.com | U.S. 70 bypass to open in '08
- ^ a b Bypass will speed trip east of Raleigh on U.S. 70, I-40 :: WRAL.com
- ^ a b newsobserver.com | Clayton Bypass completion is in sight
- ^ "US 70 Clayton Bypass". NCDOT. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ^ "NCDOT: US 70 Corridor". Retrieved 2011-11-24.
- ^ "NCDOT: US 70 Corridor Study Area". Retrieved 2011-11-24.
- ^ "NCDOT Project R-2554". Retrieved 2011-11-24.
- ^ "NCDOT Project R-2553". Retrieved 2011-11-24.
- ^ "NCDOT: Kinston Bypass Project Map". Retrieved 2011-11-24.
- ^ "NCDOT: Kinston Bypass Project". Retrieved 2011-11-24.
- ^ "NCDOT Project R-1015". Retrieved 2011-11-24.
- ^ "NCDOT Project R-3307". Retrieved 2011-11-24.
- ^ "NCDOT: I-85 Corridor Improvement Project". Retrieved 2011-06-19.
- ^ "SalisburyPost.com: Safety concerns lead to closing of Wil-Cox Bridge; no timeframe on reopening". Retrieved 2011-02-18.
External links[edit]
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- Transportation in Lenoir County, North Carolina
- Transportation in Jones County, North Carolina
- Transportation in Craven County, North Carolina
- Transportation in Carteret County, North Carolina
- U.S. Route 70