North Carolina Highway 24

North Carolina Highway 24 (NC 24) is the longest primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling eastwest between the Charlotte metropolitan area and the Crystal Coast, connecting the cities of Charlotte, Fayetteville, Jacksonville and Morehead City.

North Carolina Highway 24 marker

North Carolina Highway 24

NC 24 in red, business routes in blue
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length279.4 mi[1] (449.7 km)
Existed1921–present
Tourist
routes
Pee Dee Valley Drive
Sandhills Scenic Drive
Major junctions
West end I-485 in Charlotte
Major intersections
East end US 70 in Morehead City
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountiesMecklenburg, Cabarrus, Stanly, Montgomery, Moore, Harnett, Cumberland, Sampson, Duplin, Onslow, Carteret
Highway system
US 23 US 25

Route description

Prior to the western terminus of NC 24 at Interstate 485 (I-485), the road begins as an unmarked street named W.T. Harris Boulevard at Mount Holly-Huntersville Road. The road was named for William Thomas Harris, better known as one of the founders of Harris Teeter. Along the way NC 24 provides access to I-77, U.S. Route 21 (US 21), NC 115, I-85, US 29, and NC 49. At NC 27 (Albemarle Road) NC 24 makes a sharp left turn and joins that route in a concurrency, while W.T. Harris Boulevard continues further south unmarked towards US 74.[2]

NC 24 is both one of the longest and most concurrent routes in the state. Besides the approximately 100-mile (160 km) concurrency with NC 27 between Johnsonville and Charlotte, this route also shares long stretches of pavement with:

All told, about half of the total length of NC 24 runs concurrent with other routes.

As a route, it is designated as a "High Priority Corridor" for North Carolina, and much of it is highly traveled, providing the most direct access between Charlotte, Fayetteville and Jacksonville. It passes near or through three major Military installations (Fort Liberty, Pope Field, and Camp Lejeune), as well as Morrow Mountain State Park, Lake Tillery and the Uwharrie National Forest. Most of the route east of I-40 is at least four lanes, with sections at or near freeway grade.

Along its eastern portions, NC 24 is known as Lejeune Boulevard thru Jacksonville, Freedom Way from the Camp Lejeune Main Gate to Swansboro, Corbett Avenue through Swansboro, Cedar Point Boulevard through Cedar Point, the W. B. McLean Highway through much of central Carteret County from JCT NC 58 to its terminus in Mansfield at US 70.

History

NC 24 western terminus at I-485 in Charlotte
  • 1922: NC 24 runs from Warsaw to Laurinburg, through Fayetteville. Most of this routing west of Fayetteville is now US 401.
  • 1925: NC 24's western terminus is extended to the South Carolina line and its eastern terminus is extended to Kenansville.
  • 1930: The route is extended east to Swansboro, using part of US 17. Also, NC 24 is rerouted through Kenansville, Beaulaville, Richlands, and Jacksonville; NC 24 still uses most of this route today. Furthermore, NC 24 is given a more direct route from Laurinburg to Wagram.
  • 1930s: NC 24 is rerouted numerous times after the introduction of new U.S. Highways to North Carolina.
  • 1941: NC 24 west of Fayetteville is truncated; NC 87 and NC 78 take control of the truncated route.
  • 1963: The western terminus of NC 24 is moved and extended to Charlotte; this produced the 106-mile (171 km) concurrency with NC 27.
  • Mid 1960s: NC 24 is routed around Clinton and its routing through Fayetteville changed.
  • Early 1970s: The construction of the Cape Fear River bridge at Fayetteville removed many zigzags of NC 24 in Fayetteville.
  • 1982: NC 24 is routed along a four-lane bypass around Vander to access the newly built I-95.
  • 2000: NC 24 is routed onto I-40 for a segment between exits 364 and 373 and onto NC 11 around Kenansville and Warsaw. The old route was signed as Business NC 24.
  • 2003: NC 24 splits from NC 27 in eastern Charlotte to follow Harris Boulevard to a new western terminus at I-77.
  • 2006: NC 24 is rerouted onto the Jacksonville Bypass US 17 for 4 miles (6.4 km). The old route is signed as Business Route 24.
  • 2008: NC 24 western terminus is extended from I-77 to I-485 on December 8, 2008. The extension added 1 mile (1.6 km) to the route.
  • 2015: NC 24 was removed with NC 87 from Bragg Blvd from the city of Spring Lake, south to the I-295, instead it was placed onto I-295 over to NC 210 then follows NC 210 north to Spring Lake.
  • 2017: NC 24 was placed on a bypass of Stedman leaving behind Clinton Rd through town.
  • 2018: NC 24 was placed on bypasses of Autryville and Roseboro, leaving behind NC 24 business routes.
  • 2019: NC 24 was placed on a bypass around Troy, leaving behind NC 24-27 business routes.

Termini

In March 2003, The state DOT rerouted the west end of NC 24 from US 74 to I-77 (Exit 18). This was facilitated by following Harris Boulevard in east Charlotte instead of following NC 27. This added nearly 15 miles (24 km) onto the highway's length. On December 8, 2008, Interstate 485 opened in Northwest Mecklenburg County; at that same time NC 24 was extended again by 1 mile (1.6 km) to the new freeway (Exit 21) along West WT Harris Boulevard.

Before this rerouting, NC 24 was extraneous west of Johnsonville. It was concurrent with NC 27 over its entire length to its terminus at US 74, at which point NC 27 continued while NC 24 did not.

NC 24's eastern terminus is at US 70 in Morehead City. This eastern segment leading to the terminus provides access to communities on the mainland side of the Bogue Sound.

North Carolina Highway 243

North Carolina Highway 243 marker

North Carolina Highway 243

LocationHubertSwansboro
Length6.5 mi[3] (10.5 km)
Existed1931–1934

North Carolina Highway 243 (NC 243) appeared in 1931 as a renumbering of NC 24 from Hubert to Swansboro; which NC 24 went northeast to Stella then east towards Morehead City. In 1934, NC 243 was reverted to NC 24 when the White Oak River bridge was completed in Swansboro.

North Carolina Highway 605

North Carolina Highway 605 marker

North Carolina Highway 605

LocationTramwayJonesboro
Length4.0 mi (6.4 km)
Existed1932–1936

North Carolina Highway 605 (NC 605) was established in 1932 as a new primary route between US 1/US 15/NC 50/NC 75, in Tramway, and US 421/NC 60, in Jonesboro. In 1936, NC 24 was extended northwest from Fayetteville to Tramway, replacing NC 605.

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
MecklenburgCharlotte0.00.0 I-485 Pineville, HuntersvilleWestern terminus; Exit 21 (I-485)
1.11.8 I-77 Charlotte, StatesvilleExit 18 (I-77)
1.52.4 US 21 (Statesville Road)
2.84.5 NC 115 (Old Statesville Road)
7.311.7 I-85 Charlotte, ConcordExit 45 (I-85)
8.012.9 US 29 (North Tryon Street)
8.613.8 NC 49 (University City Boulevard)To UNC Charlotte
9.615.4Old Concord Road
16.326.2
NC 27 west (Albemarle Road)
West end of NC 27 overlap
Mint Hill21.134.0 I-485 Pineville, HuntersvilleExit 41 (I-485)
22.335.9
NC 51 south (Blair Road)
CabarrusMidland30.248.6 US 601 Monroe, Concord
StanlyLocust34.655.7 NC 200 Stanfield, Monroe, Concord
Red Cross38.862.4
NC 205 south Oakboro
Albemarle49.479.5

US 52 / NC 73 west (Aquadale Road) to NC 138 Wadesboro, Salisbury
West end of NC 73 overlap
49.679.8
US 52 Bus. (Second Street)
51.582.9
NC 740 north Badin
Pee Dee River57.592.5James B. Garrison Bridge
Montgomery57.792.9
NC 73 east Mount Gilead
East end of NC 73 overlap
65.7105.7
NC 109 south Mount Gilead
South end of NC 109 overlap
Troy69.1111.2

NC 109 north / NC 109 Bus. begin Denton
North end of NC 109 and south end of NC 109 Bus overlap
69.6112.0

NC 134 / NC 109 Bus. north (Main Street)
North end of NC 109 Bus overlap
Biscoe76.2122.6
US 220 Alt. (Main Street)
77.0123.9 I-73 / I-74 / US 220 Rockingham, AsheboroExit 49 (I-73)
Moore88.8142.9 NC 705 Robbins
94.0151.3
NC 22 north Ramseur, Greensboro
North end of NC 22 overlap
Carthage99.0159.3
NC 22 south (McNeill Street)
South end of NC 22 overlap
100.1161.1
US 15 / US 501 south Pinehurst, Aberdeen
South end of US 15/US 501 overlap
102.1164.3
US 15 / US 501 north Sanford
North end of US 15/US 501 overlap
Cameron108.7174.9
US 1 Bus.
110.5177.8 US 1 Southern Pines, Sanford
HarnettJohnsonville118.9191.4
NC 27 east Lillington
East end of NC 27 overlap
Spout Springs122.0196.3
NC 87 north Sanford
North end of NC 87 overlap
CumberlandSpring Lake128.6207.0
NC 690 west (Vass Road) Vass
130.8210.5
NC 210 north (Lillington Highway) Lillington
North end of NC 210 overlap
131.3211.3Bragg Boulevard Fort LibertyCivilian traffic to close May 2016[4]
Fayetteville132.9213.9Honeycutt Road Simmons AAF
134.7216.8
I-295 begin (Murchison Road) / NC 210 south
North end of I-295 and south end of NC 210 overlap; exit 23 (I-295)
136.0218.9 I-295 end / Bragg Boulevard Fort LibertySouth end of I-295 overlap; exit 21C (I-295)
138.4222.7 US 401 (Skibo Road / Pamalee Drive) Raeford, Lillington
142.2228.8

US 401 Bus. / NC 87 south (MLK Jr. Highway)
South end of NC 87 overlap
142.6229.5
NC 210 north (Murchison Road)
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; north end of NC 210 overlap
143.9231.6 I-95 BL / US 301 (Eastern Boulevard)
144.6232.7

NC 53 east / NC 210 south (Ceder Creek Road) White Lake
South end of NC 210 overlap
Vander147.4237.2 I-95 Lumberton, BensonExit 52AB (I-95); cloverleaf interchange with collector/distributor lanes
SampsonRoseboro165.4266.2 NC 242 (East Street) Elizabethtown, Salemburg
Clinton176.1283.4
US 421 / US 701 north (Faircloth Freeway) Dunn, Newton Grove
North end of US 421 / US 701 overlap
177.0284.9
US 421 / US 701 south (Faircloth Freeway) Wilmington, Elizabethtown
South end of US 421 / US 701 overlap
178.1286.6

US 701 Bus. south (Southeast Boulevard)
South end of US 701 Bus overlap
178.5287.3

US 701 Bus. north (Southeast Boulevard)
North end of US 701 Bus overlap
DuplinWarsaw188.7303.7


I-40 west / NC 24 Bus. east Benson, Warsaw
West end of I-40 overlap; exit 364 (I-40)
193.7311.7 US 117 WarsawExit 369 (I-40)
197.1317.2

I-40 east / NC 903 south Wilmington, Magnolia
East end of I-40 and south end of NC 903 overlap; exit 373 (I-40)
200.0321.9 NC 11 Kenansville
Kenansville202.2325.4 NC 50 Kenansville, Chinquapin
203.1326.9


NC 903 north / NC 24 Bus. east Pink Hill, Benson, Kenansville
North end of NC 903 overlap
Beulaville213.1343.0 NC 41 / NC 111 (Jackson Street) Trenton, Wallace
Onslow223.7360.0
US 258 north (Kinston Highway) Kinston
North end of US 258 overlap
Catherine Lake232.3373.9
NC 111 north (Catherine Lake Road) Chinquapin, Wallace
Southern terminus of NC 111
Jacksonville237.3381.9

US 258 south (NC 24 Bus.) / NC 53 west Burgaw, Jacksonville Downtown
South end of US 258 and west end of NC 53 (hidden) overlap
238.4383.7
US 17 south (US 17 Bus.) Wilmington
South end of US 17 overlap
241.9389.3Montford Landing RoadEastbound entrance and westbound exit
242.5390.3
US 17 north (NC 24 Bus.) New Bern, Jacksonville Downtown
North end of US 17 overlap
243.2391.4Wilson Boulevard Camp Lejeune
233.9376.4
NC 53 east (Western Boulevard)
East end of NC 53 (hidden) overlap
246.2396.2Camp Lejeune Main Gate
Hubert252.8406.8
NC 172 south
Northern terminus of NC 172
CarteretCape Carteret263.2423.6 NC 58 Emerald Isle, Trenton
Morehead City279.4449.7 US 70 (Arendell Street) Havelock, BeaufortEastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Special routes

Troy business loop

Business plate.svg

North Carolina Highway 24 Business marker

North Carolina Highway 24 Business

LocationTroy, North Carolina
Length3.7 mi[5] (6.0 km)
Existed2019–present

North Carolina Highway 24 Business (NC 24 Bus) was established in 2019 when mainline NC 24, along with NC 27, was rerouted onto new routing bypassing south of Troy.

Autryville business loop

Business plate.svg

North Carolina Highway 24 Business marker

North Carolina Highway 24 Business

LocationAutryville, North Carolina
Length1.7 mi[6] (2.7 km)
Existed2018–present

North Carolina Highway 24 Business (NC 24 Bus) was established in 2018 when mainline NC 24 was rerouted onto new routing bypassing north of Autryville. The 1.7-mile (2.7 km) business route follows the original alignment of NC 24 along Clinton Road, Williams Street, and Autry Highway.

Warsaw–Kenansville business loop

Business plate.svg

North Carolina Highway 24 Business marker

North Carolina Highway 24 Business

LocationWarsawKenansville, NC
Length11.8 mi[7] (19.0 km)
Existed1999–present

North Carolina Highway 24 Business (NC 24 Bus) was established in March, 1999 when mainline NC 24 was rerouted overlapping I-40 and NC 903 (Kenansville Bypass); the old alignment through downtown Warsaw and Kenansville was redesignated as a business loop.[8]

Jacksonville business loop

Business plate.svg

North Carolina Highway 24 Business marker

North Carolina Highway 24 Business

LocationJacksonville, North Carolina
Length4.3 mi[9] (6.9 km)
Existed2006–present

North Carolina Highway 24 Business (NC 24 Bus) was established in January 2008 when mainline NC 24 was placed on new bypass south of Jacksonville. The business loop follows the old alignment through downtown Jacksonville, via Richlands Highway (in concurrency with US 258), Marine Boulevard (in concurrency with US 17 Business), Johnson Boulevard and Lejeune Boulevard.[10]

See also

References

  1. Google (February 28, 2016). "North Carolina Highway 24" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  2. Google (August 2, 2016). "North Carolina Highway 24" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  3. Google (June 28, 2014). "North Carolina Highway 243" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  4. "Route Change Request Form (NC 24/NC 87)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. June 2, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  5. Google (August 20, 2020). "NC 24 Business - Troy" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  6. Google (August 20, 2020). "NC 24 Business - Autryville" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  7. Google (February 28, 2014). "NC 24 Business - Warsaw–Kenansville, North Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  8. "Route Change (1999-03-26)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. March 26, 1999. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  9. Google (February 28, 2016). "NC 24 Business - Jacksonville, North Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  10. "Route Change (2006-11-01)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. November 1, 2006. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
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