U.S. Route 264

U.S. Route 264 (US 264) is an east–west United States Highway located completely within the U.S. state of North Carolina, running for . Its western terminus is located at Interstate 87 (I-87), I-440, and US 64 in Raleigh. US 264 is a freeway between Raleigh and Wilson, with segments running concurrently with I-87, I-587, 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. East of Greenville, US 264 is an important highway connecting communities such as Washington, Belhaven, Swan Quarter, and Engelhard. 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 (NC 91) ran along the general corridor between Zebulon and Engelhard. In 1932, the American Association of State Highway Officials (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 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. 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

thumb|upright=0.667|A sign indicating the western terminus of US 264 in Raleigh

The western terminus of US 264 is located at an interchange with I-87, I-440, and US 64 in Raleigh. Beyond the interchange, I-87, I-440, and US 64 travel south and west toward I-40, while I-440 travels north and west toward US 1. US 264 travels east concurrently with I-87 and US 64 along a freeway. The highways interchange with New Hope Road (exit 4) before crossing Crabtree Creek and the Neuse River. 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.

Continuing into rural Nash County, US 264 largely parallels US 264 Alternate, located to its south. The highway travels to the north of Middlesex 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. The highway meets Green Pond Road east of the Nash County–Wilson County line. US 264 travels north of Sims before turning further to the southeast and meeting US 264 Alternate at a partial cloverleaf interchange. The highway then crosses over a railroad owned and operated by the Carolina Coastal Railway before meeting I-95, I-587, and I-795 at a cloverleaf interchange. 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. The highways continue south for approximately through rural Hyde County passing the community of Scranton 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. 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. 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 and exits Engelhard to the north.

History

thumb|right|Exit 60 for NC 121 and Farmville

thumb|right|End of former [[Interstate 495 (North Carolina)|I-495 and US 264, in Raleigh]]

Established in 1932, US 264 started from US 64/NC 90, in Zebulon, to the community of Engelhard, 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.

Sometime between 1948-'50, US 264 was moved south around Wilson, on Ward Boulevard; the old route became US 264 Alternate, which later became US 264 Business in 1960 till 1980-'84.

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 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

Established around 1984, US 264 Alternate was a renumbering of the Middlesex business loop, which followed the original alignment of US 264 from Middlesex to Wilson. In 2004, it was extended east to Greenville, absorbing US 264 alternate between Farmville 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.

Established by 1978, it was a renumbering of mainline US 264, which was moved onto new routing north of Bailey, Middlesex, and Sims. Originally, US 264 business ran from NC 581 to near Interstate 95; it was extended west to NC 39 in 1979. In 1984, the entire route was redesignated to US 264 Alternate. 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.

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 Dickinson Avenue and East 10th Street. In 1960, it was renumbered as US 264 Business.

Greenville 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.

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 and the mainland. Its main feature is the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge, which is a divided four-lane bridge crossing over the Croatan Sound. 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.

References

External links

Endpoints of U.S. Highway 264