U.S. Route 74

U.S. Route 74
Route information
Length:	515 mi (829 km)
Existed:	1927 – present
Major junctions
West end:	I-24 at Chattanooga, TN
	I-75 at Cleveland, TN US 23 / US 441 at Dillsboro, NC I-40 near Asheville, NC I-26 at Columbus, NC I-85 at Kings Mountain, NC I-77 / US 21 at Charlotte, NC US 1 in Rockingham, NC US 15 / US 401 / US 501 at Laurinburg, NC I-74 / I-95 / US 301 at Lumberton, NC US 701 at Whiteville, NC US 17 at Wilmington, NC
East end:	Wrightsville Beach, NC
Highway system
United States Numbered Highways List Bannered Divided Replaced ← SR-73 TN I-75 → ← NC 73 NC NC 75 →

U.S. Route 74 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 515 miles (829 km) from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

Route description

Tennessee

Established in 1987, US-74's signposted western terminus is exit 20 on I-75 in Cleveland. After 1.5 miles (2.4 km), it is overlapped with US-64 for the remaining 42.3 miles (68.1 km) in Tennessee before entering North Carolina (a total of 43.8 miles (70.5 km)).

Signage for US-74 is poor, as it appears more as an after-thought by TDOT. Most highways that cross US-74 will typically only mention US-64 instead; I-75 even ignores US-74 at their intersection, showing instead a connector to US-64.

According to the 2012 official Tennessee road map, US-74 follows I-75 southwest to the I-24 interchange in Chattanooga.

North Carolina

From the Tennessee state line, US 74 traverses across the southern portion of the state, connecting the cities Asheville, Charlotte, and Wilmington, for a total of 451.8 miles (727.1 km). US 74 is a major North Carolina highway between Asheville and Wilmington.

Western North Carolina

Great Smoky Mountains Expressway through Waynesville

Established in 1987, US 74 was overlapped on pre-existing highways in the region, specifically the: Appalachian Highway (at-grade expressway, except in the Nantahala Gorge) and the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway (controlled-access freeway, which is broken in three sections along the route). The alternating named highway (depending on grade of road) is considered the commercial back-bone and main truck route of Western North Carolina, connecting the cities of Murphy, Andrews, Bryson City, Cherokee, Sylva, and Waynesville. In or around October, the fall colors create an influx of more tourists in the region. In the winter months, the highway is the first to be salted and plowed; however, both the Nantahala Gorge and Balsam Gap tend to get the most snow and/or ice in the region and should be traveled with care.

At mile marker 108, it begins a 19 miles (31 km) overlap with I-40 till Asheville, where it switches partners with I-26 for an additional 36 miles (58 km) of interstate overlap. At Columbus, it separates with I-26, going east, on the Solon David Smart Memorial Highway, towards Shelby.

Metrolina

The Charlotte Skyline from Independence Freeway

I-277/US 74 directional signs at Stonewall Street, in Charlotte

In Cleveland County, the freeway downgrades to an expressway. US 74 then goes through the city of Shelby, notorious for its traffic tie-ups; and then nearby Kings Mountain, where it returns to freeway grade. After the Interstate 85 weave intersection, it downgrades again to an expressway through the city and downtown area of Gastonia where it is referred to as Franklin Blvd.. Entering Mecklenburg County, the highway becomes known as Wilkinson Boulevard; in Uptown Charlotte, it becomes the John Belk Freeway; then followed promptly as Independence Freeway/Boulevard before exiting Mecklenburg county. Between Matthews and Monroe, the highway is known for its chronic rush hour traffic tie-ups; this is where the proposed new toll road, the Monroe Bypass, will be established to alleviate the traffic problem. After the city of Monroe (more specifically after US 601), the highway quickly becomes less stressful; the cities of Wingate, Marshville, Peachland, Polkton, Wadesboro and Lilesville follow before crossing the Pee Dee River.

Sandhills

In Rockingham, US 74 meets up with Future I-74 at mile marker 311; it will continue along the same route till Bolton. Majority of the highway in the Sandhills region is at freeway grade; however only the American Indian Highway, a 19 miles (31 km) section, is at Interstate standards allowing a true concurrency I-74. This is one of only two instances (along with proposed I-41 in Wisconsin) of similarly-numbered U.S. and Interstate routes being designated on the same road.

Cape Fear

After Lumberton, the US 74 overlaps with US 76, which will continue mostly together till Wrightsville Beach, where US 74 will dead-end north and US 76 will dead-end south. The highway connects the cities and towns of Whiteville, Lake Waccamaw, and Wilmington. The road through the Cape Fear region is flat, surrounded by parts of the Green Swamp.

Scenic byways

Nantahala Byway is an 43-mile (69 km) byway from Marble to Whittier; it is known for its scenic views of the Nantahala Gorge, The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, and the whitewater rafting on the Nantahala River . US 74 overlaps 38 miles (61 km) of the byway from Marble to Bryson City. The byway also overlaps with US 19 and US 129.

Alternate names

A section of US 74 in Monroe, named in honor of U.S. Senator Jesse Helms

Though the highway is commonly known as "US 74" throughout the state of North Carolina and "US-64" (or ignored) in Tennessee, the highway does have other known names it uses locally in areas.

• American Indian Highway - official North Carolina name of the 19 miles (31 km) section of I-74/US 74 in Robeson County (mile marker 191-213). It is named to honor the large American Indian population in Robeson County.
• Andrew Jackson Highway - official North Carolina name of US 74 throughout the state, except in Robeson County (it is still named along the old sections of US 74 now called US 74 Business and Alternate). It was established to honor of the seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson (approved: April 4, 1963). Signage is found throughout the entire route, overlapping other official North Carolina dedicated sections.
• Appalachian Highway - road name of the expressway sections in Cherokee, Graham, Swain, Jackson, and Haywood counties.
• Causeway Drive - road name on Harbor Island in Wrightsville Beach.
• Eastwood Road - road name in Wilmington.
• G R Kindley Freeway - official North Carolina name of US 74/I-74 along the Rockingham-Hamlet bypass. It is named in honor of the former mayor of Rockingham (approved: September 8, 2000).
• Great Smoky Mountains Expressway - Road name of the freeway sections in Swain, Jackson, and Haywood counties.
• Independence Boulevard/Freeway - Road name east of Uptown to Mecklenburg county line, named after nearby Independence Park.
• James Arthur Callahan Freeway - official North Carolina name of a 2.7-mile (4.3 km) section of US 74/I-26 in Rutherford County (approved: May 10, 1992).
• John Belk Freeway - official North Carolina name of US 74/I-277, from I-77/US 21 to Independence Boulevard, in Uptown Charlotte. It is named in honor of John M. Belk, who was mayor of Charlotte from 1969-1977 (approved: September 11, 1981).
• Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway - road name in Wilmington.
• Laurinburg Bypass - road name of freeway that bypasses around Laurinburg.
• Lumina Avenue - road name in Wrightsville Beach.
• Roosevelt Boulevard - road name in Monroe.
• Salisbury Street - road name connecting Causeway Drive and Lumina Avenue in Wrightsville Beach.
• Solon David Smart Memorial Highway - official North Carolina name of highway in Polk and Rutherford Counties (approved: December 1, 2000).
• W Cliff Martin Highway - official North Carolina name of US 74 from Union County line to Wadesboro, in Anson County (approved: May 2, 1997).
• Wilkinson Boulevard - road name west of Uptown to Mecklenburg county line.

History

Established as an original U.S. Route in late 1926, US 74 traversed from Asheville to Chadbourn, in North Carolina. It was extended eastward in late 1934 to Wilmington, replacing an old alignment of US 17.

In 1936, US 74 was extended eastward again from Wilmington, via Market Street, to Wrightsville Beach, then going north on Lumina Avenue to its current eastern terminus. US 74 also spawned two alternate routes the same year, the first and shortest (0.14 miles (0.23 km)) in Leland, and a second in Shelby; which eventually replace all of US 74 through the downtown area by 1949 (later renamed US 74 Business in 1960).

In 1937, US 74 was rerouted through Kings Mountain, replacing part of NC 7. Its old alignment became an alternate route, but was replaced a year later by both NC 161 and NC 274. This section would later become US 74 Business in 1984.

By 1949, US 74 was on its first bypass around Rutherfordton, via Ruth; its former route becoming an alternate route (later renamed US 74 Business in 1960). In 1952, the first Monroe Bypass was completed, leaving an short lived alternate route going through the downtown area. By 1953, the first bypass around Rockingham was completed, leaving a short lived alternate route through the downtown area.

In 1970, US 74 was placed on new freeway alignment bypassing Spindale, Forest City, Ellenboro, and Mooresboro; the old route was replaced by an extension of US 74 Business. In 1973, US 74 was realigned onto new road south of Lumberton. The following year, US 74 was placed on new freeway bypasses around Leland and Belville, and another around Chadbourn and Whiteville.

In 1985, Maxton was bypassed, replaced by an extension of US 74 Business. Around 1986-87, Hallsboro and Lake Waccamaw was bypassed; it's old alignment replaced by NC 214. By 1992, the bypass was extended around Bolton.

In 1987, US 74 was extended west from Asheville to Chattanooga, Tennessee. It followed US 19/US 23 to Lake Junaluska, where it replaced US 19A along the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway. South of Bryson City, it follows US 19 and later US 64 into Tennessee. From the state line, it continues in concurrence with US-64 to Cleveland, where it goes south to Chattanooga along I-75. It has been reported that in 1994 US-74 was truncated at I-75 in Cleveland but as of 2012 is still shown continuing with I-75.

In 1994, another major rerouting of US 74 occurred when it was placed on new freeway bypassing south of Rutherfordton to Columbus, where it then proceeded north in concurrency with I-26 to Asheville. The old alignment between Asheville to Forest City became US 74A. In 1998, US 74 was realigned west of Asheville to Clyde along I-40.

Late 2000, US 74 was placed on its second bypass around both Rockingham and Hamlet; renaming the old alignment US 74 Business. In 2005, US 74 was rerouted north of downtown Wilmington. In 2007, US 74 was placed on new freeway, in concurrency with I-74 from Maxton to just east of I-95; its old alignment becoming U.S. Route 74 Alternate.

Independence Boulevard

Independence Boulevard and Independence Expressway are two major interconnected roads in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina that carry US 74. Originally constructed in the 1940s and early 1950s, Independence Boulevard was the city of Charlotte's first expressway. The road has undergone numerous realignments, extensions, upgrades, truncations, and renamings since the mid-20th century.

Ben Douglas, former mayor of Charlotte and member of the North Carolina State Highway Commission, helped lead the push for the urban highway project in the 1940s that would become Independence Boulevard. In 1946, Charlotte voters passed a referendum in favor of a $200,000 bond issue to fund the project; this was coupled with over $2 million in federal funding. The expressway was to be named after Independence Park that was largely demolished to make way for the road; the name suggestion was coined by City Clerk Lillian Hoffman on May 4, 1949 after a previous suggestion naming it after the current mayor, Herbert Baxter, was rejected. Construction commenced in the late 1940s and the new expressway which traversed east–west along the southern part of the city opened in two parts; the first opened to traffic in 1949 and the other opened in 1950. US 74 and NC 27 were subsequently shifted from their central business district alignments to the new expressway.

Major changes to Independence Boulevard occurred in the 1980s. A portion of West Independence Boulevard was converted from expressway to limited-access freeway and made a part of the John Belk Freeway and Interstate 277. The portion west of Interstate 77 was renamed Wilkinson Boulevard. A new intersection with I-277 was constructed and the connecting freeway along with the updated portion of East Independence Boulevard was given the name Independence Freeway; US 74 was shifted to this new alignment. After the massive transportation revamp, a few disconnected segments of the original Independence Boulevard remained. These segments were later reorganized and given the names Carson Boulevard, Stonewall Street, and South Independence Boulevard; the latter was downgraded to a surface street and renamed Charlottetown Avenue in 2007 to prevent confusion with the unconnected East Independence Boulevard.

The freeway and bus lanes of Independence Freeway were extended to Albemarle Road in 2005. The limited-access road extension has caused numerous businesses along the corridor to leave the area and vacate their commercial real estate, resulting in brownfield land.

"American Indian Highway" controversy

In Robeson County, the highway is designated "American Indian Highway", a name that was the brain child of Robert M. Chavis, the Wolfclan chief of the NC Tuscarora; Cherokee Indians of Robeson County, and Nottoway Nation, whom authored the name in the late 1990s. American Indian people of Robeson county NC had attempted to remove Andrew Jackson's name from the highway for some sixty years. Knowing that the new HWY 74 was to come Robert M. Chavis started a campaign to change the name to American Indian Highway. Mr. Chavis did this in honor of all the Indian people that had lost their lives along the Trail of Tears during the Indian Removal Act of the 1830s that was authored by Andrew Jackson. Robert M. Chavis was cited in many newspapers across North Carolina stating that the name should be changed, because that name on this section of road was tantamount to having a major road named Adolf Hitler that ran across a Jewish State or county. Robert Chavis with the help of the Tuscarora East of the Mountains obtained the information on how to attempt the name change from Rep. Ronnie Sutton and the NC-DOT. Then Robert Chavis presented orally the concerns, reasons for the name change to all the cities of Robeson county and the Robeson County Commissioners. Mr. Chavis' presentations convinced all these governmental bodies to sign on to the name change. Once he obtained approval from these entities he presented the name change to the NC-DOT. Rep. Ronnie Sutton supported the name change at the state level and the name change was approved by the NC-DOT. The new signs of American Indian Highway were placed on the new sections of I-74 once the highway construction was completed. in recognition of Jackson's anti-Indian policies.

Future

In addition to the expected concurrency with I-74 east of Rockingham, another controlled-access facility, called the Monroe Connector / Bypass, is also in the plans for U.S. 74. The bypass will run from Charlotte to Marshville in eastern Union County, to relieve traffic on the current alignment between these two cities, though property owners affected by road debate study conclusions. Several environmental issues have delayed this project for a number of years. The North Carolina Turnpike Authority has awarded the project and construction is scheduled to begin in October 2012.

There are also plans to build three new interchanges on Independence Boulevard. They will be located at Sharon-Amity Road, Idlewild Road and Conference Drive. Currently, all three junctions are signalized at-grade intersections.

A bypass of Shelby (west of Charlotte) is also planned. Once completed, U.S. 74 will be a continuous freeway from Waynesville (west of Asheville) to Kings Mountain and points east, pending the completion of those projects.

A 4-Lane Expressway with a tunnel and viaduct running from Almond in Swain County to Andrews around Robbinsville is in the planning stages. The road presently runs through Nantahala Gorge and is a bottleneck with two lanes, as on each end of the Gorge is a 4-lane highway presently, and the new highway would clear the bottleneck and make Robbinsville more accessible to the outside world and Cherokee County to the rest of North Carolina. This plan has been marked with controversy, however, as it would disrupt the environment, spoil some views, and be the first four-lane highway in Graham County.

Junction list

Mileposts reset at state line crossings.

Tennessee

For junctions along the I-75 overlap, see Interstate 75 in Tennessee, exits 2 through 20

County	Location	Mile	km	Destinations	Notes
Bradley		0.0	0.0	I-75 – Chattanooga, Knoxville	West end of hidden SR-311 overlap
	Cleveland	1.5	2.4	US-11 / US-64 west / US-64 Bus. east / SR-2 – Cleveland	West end of US-64 overlap
		3.7	6.0	Blue Springs Road
		5.0	8.0	SR-60 south / SR-311 east	East end of hidden SR-311 overlap; south end of SR-60 overlap
		5.5	8.9	SR-75
		6.7	10.8	US-64 Bus. west / SR-40 west / SR-60 north – Cleveland, Dayton	West end of hidden SR-40 overlap; north end of SR-60 overlap
Polk	Ocoee	14.2	22.9	US-411 / SR-33 – Benton
		18.7	30.1	SR-314 north (Parksville Road) – Benton
		23.7	38.1	SR-30 north – Reliance
	Ducktown	40.0	64.4	SR-68 – Copperhill
	State line	43.9	70.7	US 64 east / US 74 east	East end of hidden SR-40 overlap
Concurrency terminus       Closed/former       HOV only       Incomplete access       Tolled/ETC       Unopened

North Carolina

County	Location	Mile	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Cherokee	State line	0.0	0.0		US-64 west / US-74 west / SR-40 west – Cleveland
		12.2	19.6		NC 294 west – Hiwassee	To Hiwassee Dam
		14.0	22.5		NC 60 south – Blue Ridge
		14.7	23.7		US 19 south / US 129 south (Blairsville Highway) – Blairsville	South end of US 19/US 129 overlap
	Murphy	19.9	32.0		US 19 Bus. north (Hiwassee Street)
		20.3	32.7		US 64 east – Hayesville, Franklin	East end of US 64 overlap
		23	37		US 19 Bus. south (Andrews Road)
	Marble	29	47		NC 141 south
	Andrews	34	55		US 19 Bus. north (Main Street) Airport Road – Western Carolina Regional Airport
		37	60		US 19 Bus. south (Main Street)
Graham	Topton	44	71		US 129 north (Tallulah Road) – Robbinsville	North end of US 129 overlap
Swain	Almond	59	95		NC 28 north (Mtn. Waters Scenic Byway) – Robbinsville, Fontana	North end of NC 28 overlap; also to Fontana Dam
	Lauada	62	100		NC 28 south – Franklin	South end of NC 28 overlap
		64	103	64	US 19 north (Alarka Road)	North end of US 19 overlap; begin of Great Smoky Mountains Expressway
	Bryson City	67	108	67	US 19 Conn. (Veterans Boulevard) – Bryson City, Great Smoky Mtns Nat'l Park
		69	111	69	Hyatt Creek Road – Ela
	Whittier	72	116	72	Whittier
Jackson		74	119	74	US 441 north – Cherokee	North end of US 441 overlap
		81	130	81	US 23 south / US 441 south – Dillsboro, Franklin, Atlanta	South end of US 19/US 441 overlap; eastbound listed as exit 81A Eastbound exit 81B has no signage, goes to Rufus Robinson Road
	Sylva	83	134	83	Sylva	Grindstaff Cove Road
		85	137	85	US 23 Bus. to NC 107 – Sylva	To Western Carolina University
Haywood	Balsam	94	151		Blue Ridge Parkway
	Waynesville	98	158	98	US 23 Bus. – Waynesville
		100	161	100	Hazelwood Avenue
		102	164	102	US 276 – Waynesville, Brevard
	Lake Junaluska	103	166	103	US 19 south – Maggie Valley	South end of US 19 overlap
		104	167	104
		105	169	105	West Jones Cove
	Clyde	106	171	106	US 19 north / US 23 north – Clyde	North end of US 19/US 23 overlap
		107	172	107	East Jones Cove
					I-40 west – Knoxville	West end of I-40 overlap; end of Great Smoky Mountains Expressway
US 74 overlaps with Interstate 40 (exits 27 to 46A) and Interstate 26 (exits 31B to 67)
Polk	Columbus	161	259	161	I-26 east to NC 108 – Tryon, Spartanburg	East end of I-26 overlap
		163	262	163	NC 108 – Columbus, Mill Spring
		167	269	167	NC 9 – Mill Spring, Lake Lure, Chimney Rock, New Prospect
		170	274	170	Pea Ridge Road
Rutherford		173	278	173	Union Road
		178	286	178	US 221 / US 74 Bus. – Rutherfordton, Spartanburg
	Forest City	181	291	181	US 74A to US 64 – Spindale
		182	293	182	US 221 Alt. – Forest City
		184	296	184	Old Caroleen Road
		187	301	187	Henrietta, Caroleen, Ellenboro
		189	304	189	NC 120
Cleveland	Mooresboro	191	307		US 74 Bus. west – Forest City
	Shelby	198	319		NC 226 north (Polkville Road) – Polkville, Marion	North end of NC 226 overlap
		199	320		US 74 Bus. east (Marion Street)
		201	323		To NC 18 to NC 150 – Gaffney	Signage only shows TO NC 18, ignoring NC 150 overlap
		201.5	324.3		NC 226 south (Earl Road) – Grover	South end of NC 226 overlap
		203	327		NC 180 (Post Road) – Gaffney
		204	328		US 74 Bus. west (Marion Street)
	Kings Mountain	209	336		US 74 Bus. east (Shelby Road) – Moss Lake
		212	341		Oak Grove Road
		213	343		NC 216 (Piedmont Avenue) – Kings Mountain, Cherryville
		214	344		NC 161 (Cleveland Avenue) – Bessemer City
Gaston	Gastonia	215	346		US 74 Bus. west (King Street) – Kings Mountain I-85 / US 29 south – Spartanburg	Westbound entrance and eastbound exit South end of US 29 overlap; eastbound US 74 goes between I-85 for almost a mile
		220	354		NC 274 north (Bessemer City Road) – Bessemer City	North end of NC 274 overlap
		222	357		US 321 (Chester Street/York Street)	North-south US 321 divided on one-way streets
		223	359		NC 274 south (Broad Street)	South end of NC 274 overlap; train tracks in medium of road
		224	360		NC 279 (New Hope Road)
		224.5	361.3		Aberdeen Boulevard	To Cox Road/Shopping Mall
	Belmont	231	372		NC 7 (Main Street)	To Belmont Abbey College
		231.5	372.6		NC 273 (Park Street) – Mount Holly
		232	373		NC 7 west (Catawba Street)
Mecklenburg	Charlotte	235	378		I-485 – Pineville, Huntersville
		236	380		Little Rock Road – Charlotte/Douglas Int'l Airport
		237	381		Boyer Street/Billy Graham Pkwy – Charlotte/Douglas Int'l Airport
		239.5	385.4		US 29 north (Morehead Street)	North end of US 29 overlap
		240	386		I-77 / US 21 – Statesville, Columbia	South end of I-277 overlap
		US 74 overlaps with Interstate 277 (exits 1A to 2B)
		242	389	242	I-277 / NC 16 north (Brookshire Freeway)	North end of I-277/NC 16 overlap
		243	391	243	NC 27 west (Charlottetowne Avenue)	West end of NC 27 overlap This was originally a westward extension of Independence Boulevard until June 18, 2007
		244	393	244	Briar Creek Road – Bojangles' Coliseum	Exit also for Ovens Auditorium
		245	394	245A	Wendover Road
		245	394	245B	Eastway Drive
		246	396	246	NC 27 east (Albemarle Road)	East end of NC 27 overlap
	Matthews	252	406		NC 51 (Matthews Township Parkway) – Matthews, Mint Hill
		254	409		I-485 – Pineville, Concord
Union	Monroe	264.5	425.7		NC 200 (Dickerson Boulevard)	South end of NC 200 overlap
		265	426		Concord Avenue
		265.5	427.3		US 601 north / NC 207 south (Skyway Drive) – Fairview, Concord	North end of US 601 overlap
		266	428		NC 200 north – Unionville	North end of NC 200 overlap
		268	431		US 601 south – Pageland	South end of US 601 overlap
	Marshville	276	444		NC 205 (Elm Street/White Street) – New Salem	Brief NC 205 overlap
Anson	Polkton	285	459		NC 218 west (Williams Street) – New Salem, Mint Hill
	Wadesboro	285	459		US 52 north / NC 742 north – Albemarle, Anson County Airport	North end of US 52 and NC 742 overlap
		293	472		NC 109 (Greene Street) / NC 742 south – Mount Gilead	South end of NC 742 overlap
		295	475		US 52 south – Cheraw	South end of US 52 overlap
		304	489		NC 145 south – Morven, Chesterfield
Richmond	Rockingham	306	492	306	US 74 Bus. – Rockingham
		308	496	308	Galestown Rd. – Cordova
		311	501	311	US 1 to US 220 – Rockingham, Southern Pines, Cheraw	West end of Future I-74 overlap
	Hamlet	316	509	316	NC 177 – Hamlet
		319	513	319	NC 38 east – Bennettsville
		320	515	320	NC 381 – Hamlet, Gibson
		321	517	321	US 74 Bus. – Hamlet	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
Scotland	Laurel Hill	329	529		NC 144 east (Morgan Street)
US 74 overlaps with Interstate 74 (exits 181 to 213)
Robeson		373	600		NC 72 west (Wilmington Highway) – Lumberton, Red Springs
		374	602		NC 130 west – Fairmont	West end of NC 130 overlap
Columbus	Evergreen	380	612		NC 242 (Haynes Lennon Highway) – Bladenboro
	Chadbourn	385	620		US 74 Bus. east / NC 130 east / NC 410 – Chadbourn, Bladenboro	East end of NC 130 overlap
		387	623		US 76 west – Chadbourn, Fair Bluff	West end of US 76 overlap
		390	628		Union Valley Road – Union Valley
	Whiteville	392	631		US 701 – Whiteville, Clarkton
		395	636		US 74 Bus. west / US 76 Bus. west – Whiteville	Also to NC 214
	Bolton	410	660		NC 211 – Clarkton, Bolton, Supply
		413	665		NC 214 west – Bolton, Lake Waccamaw	Western terminus of NC 214
	Freeman	417	671		NC 11 north – Sandyfield	Southern terminus of NC 11
	Delco	422	679		NC 87 north – Riegelwood	North end of NC 87 overlap
	Maco	426	686		NC 87 south – Bishop	South end of NC 87 overlap
Brunswick	Leland	421	678		Lanvale Road – Leland
		435	700		US 17 south – Town Creek, Winnabow	South end of US 17 overlap
		436	702		NC 133 south – Belville, Southport	South end of NC 133 overlap
		438	705		US 76 east / US 421 south / US 17 Bus. south – Wilmington, Carolina Beach	East end of US 76 and south end of US 421 and US 17 Business overlap
New Hanover	Wilmington	439	707		US 17 / US 421 north – Clinton, Hampstead	North end of US 17 and US 421 overlap
		440	708		3rd Street – Downtown Wilmington
		441	710		McRae Street	Eastbound exit only
		441.5	710.5		NC 133 north – Hightsville	North end of NC 133 overlap
		442	711		23rd Street/Airport Boulevard – Wilmington International Airport
		444	715		Kerr Avenue
		445	716		US 117 / NC 132 north to I-40 – Castle Hayne, Burgaw US 117 / NC 132 south to US 421 – Port of Wilmington, Carolina Beach
		446	718		US 17 Bus. (Market Street) – Wilmington, Ogden
		448	721		US 76 west (Military Cutoff Road) – Wilmington	West end of US 76 overlap
	Wrightsville Beach	449	723		US 76 east (Causeway Drive)	East end of US 76 overlap
		450	724		Lumina Avenue	End of US 74 is 1.8 miles (2.9 km) from intersection, north on Lumina Avenue
Concurrency terminus       Closed/former       HOV only       Incomplete access       Tolled/ETC       Unopened

In popular culture

U.S. Route 74 was the inspiration for the song "Distraction #74," by the North Carolina band The Avett Brothers.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Bannered routes of U.S. Route 74
• Broad River
• Cape Fear River
• Catawba River
• Crowders Mountain State Park
• French Broad River
• Hiwassee River
• Lake Wylie

• Lumber River
• Lumber River State Park
• Nantahala Gorge
• Nantahala National Forest
• Nantahala River
• Pee Dee River
• Qualla Boundary
• USS North Carolina (BB-55)

External links

• NCRoads.com: US 74
• NCRoads.com Annex: US 74-A