U.S. Route 264

U.S. Route 264 (US 264) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 215.7 miles (347.1 km) from Raleigh to Manns Harbor, completely in the state of North Carolina.

U.S. Highway 264
US 264 in red, US 264 Alt. in blue, US 264 Bus. in Belhaven in pink
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 64
Maintained by NCDOT
Length215.7 mi[1] (347.1 km)
Existed1932–present
Tourist
routes		 Pamlico Scenic Byway
Major junctions
West end
I-87 / I-440 / US 64 / US 64 Bus. in Raleigh
  I-540 near Knightdale
US 64 near Zebulon
I-95 / I-795 near Wilson
East end US 64 in Manns Harbor
Location
CountiesWake, Johnston, Nash, Wilson, Greene, Pitt, Beaufort, Hyde, Dare
Highway system
← NC 261→ NC 268

Route description

U.S. Route 264 begins at the Raleigh Beltline (which carries US 64 and Interstate 440 or I-440) and travels to the east from a directional T interchange, concurrently with both I-87 and US 64 along with it on a freeway alignment. It meets the eastern terminus of I-540, which features several unused stub ramps. The I-87 concurrency ends at the Rolesville Road interchange in Wendell. The route curves to the northeast, paralleling North Carolina Highway 97 (NC 97), until it passes by Zebulon. At the north side of town, US 64 continues to the northeast, while the US 264 freeway continues east through a long wooded stretch. It curves to the south just before it meets I-95/I-795, just west of Wilson.

As the freeway loops south of Wilson, the short concurrency of I-795 splits-off towards Goldsboro as US 264 continues east to Greenville. In Greenville, the freeway downgrades to expressway grade at the US 13/NC 11/NC 903 interchange. After completing the loop north around Greenville, it continues east, on Pactolus Highway, through a largely undeveloped area and passes through Washington and US 17.

The route continues east on a two-lane road, cutting through mostly farmland. It begins to curve to the northeast after meeting NC 99, entering Pantego on Main Street. Within the town, it curves to the east again and then south toward Belhaven, where it bypasses north of town while US 264 Business goes through it. After Belhaven, US 264 continues eastward once again entering Hyde county, passing south of Lake Mattamuskeet through an area dominated by farmland and through the community of Engelhard. Turning north, US 264 goes through the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge before finally reaching Manns Harbor, where US 264 ends at intersection with US 64.

Scenic byways

Pamlico Scenic Byway is an 127-mile (204 km) byway from Washington to Manns Harbor. US 264 overlap several sections of the byway. The byway is noted for its history, scenic views, and the three national wildlife refuges that the route goes through. Other roads and highways that make-up the byway are: NC 32, NC 45, NC 92, and NC 94.[2]

History
Exit 60 - NC 121/Farmville
End of former 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.[3]

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.[3]

Sometime between 1951-'52, US 264 was extended east from Engelhard to Manns Harbor, where it connected back with US 64. It continued east, overlapped with US 64, ending at Whalebone Junction with US 158 and NC 12.[3]

Sometime between 1953-'54, US 264 was bypassed Farmville and Greenville; the old routes became US 264 Alternate, eventually both were decommissioned by 1990. By 1958, US 264 was moved north around Swan Quarter, replaced by NC 45 and NC 94. In 1962-'63, US 264 was bypassed north around Belhaven, old route through town becoming US 264 Business.[3]

Between 1972-'78, US 264 was moved onto a Super-2 routing north of Sims, Bailey, and Middlesex. Much of the old route become US 264 Business, which is today part of US 264 Alternate. In 1979, the Super-2 was upgraded to freeway standards.[3]

Between 1987-'90, US 264 was moved onto new freeway south of Wilson; the old route along Ward Boulevard became part of the current US 264 Alternate route. Also during this time, US 264 was upgraded to freeway standards east of Farmville to Greenville. Between 1991-'93, US 264 was moved north onto new freeway, bypassing Farmville.[3]

Sometime between 1994 and 1999, US 264 was extended west from Zebulon, to the junction with I-440 in Raleigh. This would later change on July 8, 2005, when the Knightdale Bypass was completed.[3]

In August 2002, US 264 was truncated east at Manns Harbor.[3]

In 2004, US 264 was rerouted, between I-95 and NC 121, onto new freeway, south of Wilson. In 2007, part of this route was overlapped with I-795.[3]

In 2016, construction began on a bypass between U.S. 264 in Greenville, where it connects with the city's Stantonsburg Road, to North Carolina Highway 11 as it passes through Ayden.[4]

Future Interstate 587

Future Interstate 587
LocationZebulon–Greenville, NC
Length56 mi (90 km)

In January, 2013, the mayors of Greenville, Kinston, and Ayden announced that they would push to change the designation of US 264 between Wilson and Greenville to an interstate.[5][6]

On September 7, 2016, Gov. Pat McCrory said he would ask for the section of US 264 between Zebulon and Greenville to be designated an interstate highway. Justification for interstate was that Greenville was the tenth largest city in the state and had no interstate connecting it.[7] On November 14, AASHTO approved the Future I-587 designation; followed by FHWA approval on November 21.[8][9][10] In April 2017, NCDOT began posting Future I-587 signs along the length of the route.[11]

Junction list
CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
WakeRaleigh0.00.03 I-87 south / I-440 / US 64 west (US 64 Bus. east) – Durham, Benson, Wake ForestSouth end of I-87 overlap and west end of US 64 overlap
0.81.34New Hope Road
Knightdale3.04.86Hodge Road
4.06.47 I-540 west – Wake Forest, RDU Airport
​6.310.19Smithfield Road
Wendell8.012.911Wendell Falls Parkway
9.815.813
US 64 Bus. (Wendell Boulevard) – Knightdale
10.216.414 I-87 end / Rolesville Road – RolesvilleNorth end of I-87 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
13.020.9432Lizard Lick Road – Wendell
Zebulon16.226.1435
US 64 Bus. west / NC 96 – Zebulon, Oxford
17.227.719 US 64 east – Nashville, Rocky MountEast end of US 64 overlap, future western terminus of I-587
18.029.020 NC 97 – Zebulon, Oxford
19.531.421
US 264 Alt. east / NC 39 – Selma, Louisburg
Johnston
 No major junctions
NashMiddlesex24.138.827 NC 231 – Middlesex
Bailey28.345.530 NC 581 – Bailey, Spring Hope
WilsonSims31.851.234Green Pond Road – Sims
​33.754.236
US 264 Alt. – Sims, Wilson		Signed as exits 36A (west) and 36B (east)
​35.857.638 I-95 – Benson, Rocky MountNorth end of I-795 overlap; signed as exits 38A (south) and 38B (north); Cloverleaf interchange with Collector/distributor lanes
​37.660.540 NC 42 – Wilson, Clayton
​39.363.242Downing Street – Wilson
​40.264.743C I-795 south – Goldsboro, KenlySouth end of I-795 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Wilson41.166.143 US 301 to US 117 – WilsonSigned as exits 43A (south) and 43B (north)
47.376.146Black Creek Road
​46.875.347Old Stantonburg Road
​48.678.249 NC 58 – Wilson, Kinston
​50.080.551
US 264 Alt. – Wilson, Saratoga
​52.484.353 NC 111 / NC 222 – Saratoga, Fountain
Greene​58.594.159 NC 91 – Walstonburg, Snow HillNorthern terminus of NC 91
​59.595.860 NC 121 north – FarmvilleSouthern terminus of NC 121
PittFarmville62.7100.963 US 258 north – Tarboro, Farmville
66.0106.266 US 258 south (Wesley Church Road)
Greenville70.4113.371Mozingo Road
73.0117.573
NC 11 Byp. south / Stantonsburg Road – Greenville Downtown		Signed as exits 73A (west) and 73B (downtown); south end of NC 11 Byp. overlap
74.7120.275 NC 43 – Greenville, Rocky Mount
77.2124.277 NC 33 – Tarboro, Greenville
80.0128.780
US 13 / NC 11 / NC 903 / NC 11 Byp. end – Greenville, Bethel		North end of NC 11 Byp. overlap, future eastern terminus of I-587
83.3134.1
US 264 Alt. west / NC 33 – Greenville
​90.3145.3 NC 30 west – BethelEastern terminus of NC 30
BeaufortWashington99.4160.0 US 17 – New Bern, Williamston
100.7162.1
US 17 Bus. – New Bern, Williamston		West end of NC 92 overlap
​107.1172.4 NC 32 – Plymouth
​110.0177.0 NC 92 east – BathEast end of NC 92 overlap
Pantego126.2203.1 NC 99 north – PlymouthNorth end of NC 99 overlap
Belhaven129.9209.1
US 264 Bus. east / NC 99 south – Bath		South end of NC 99 overlap
​132.3212.9
US 264 Bus. west – Belhaven
Hyde​139.2224.0 NC 45 north – PlymouthNorth end of NC 45 overlap
​154.4248.5 NC 45 south – Swan QuarterSouth end of NC 45 overlap
​156.5251.9 NC 94 south – Swan QuarterSouth end of NC 94 overlap
​163.5263.1 NC 94 north – ColumbiaNorth end of NC 94 overlap
DareManns Harbor215.7347.1 US 64 – Columbia, Nags Head
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Special routes

Middlesex-Greenville alternate route

U.S. Highway 264 Alternate
LocationMiddlesex-Greenville, North Carolina
Length64.3 mi[12] (103.5 km)
Existed1984–present

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.[13]

CountyLocationmi[12]kmDestinationsNotes
WakeZebulon0.00.0 US 264 / NC 39 – Raleigh, Wilson, Emit, BunnBrief overlap with NC 39
Johnston
 No major junctions
NashMiddlesex4.57.2 NC 231 (Nash Street) – Emit
Bailey9.415.1 NC 581 – Kenly, Spring Hope
Wilson​15.024.1 US 264 – Raleigh, Greenville
Wilson16.326.2 I-95 – Smithfield, Rocky Mount
21.033.8 NC 42 east (Ward Boulevard)East end of NC 42 overlap
21.835.1 NC 42 west (Tarboro Street)West end of NC 42 overlap
23.337.5 US 301 south – Kenly, SmithfieldSouth end of US 301 overlap
25.040.2 US 301 north / NC 58 (Ward Boulevard) – Elm City, Rocky MountNorth end of US 301 and NC 58 overlap
26.542.6 NC 58 south (Martin Luther King Jr Parkway) – StantonsburgSouth end of NC 58 overlap
​31.550.7 US 264 – Raleigh, Farmville
Saratoga31.550.7 NC 111 / NC 222 (Church Street) – Stantonsburg, Fountain
GreeneWalstonburg39.363.2 NC 91 south (Wilson Street) – Walstonburg, Snow HillSouth end of NC 91 overlap
​40.164.5 NC 91 north (Bell Road)North end of NC 91 overlap
​41.666.9 NC 121 south to US 264 west – WilsonSouth end of NC 121 overlap
​42.167.8 NC 121 north (Wilson Street) – FarmvilleNorth end of NC 121 overlap
PittFarmville45.573.2 US 258 (Main Street) – Snow Hill
​49.479.5 US 13 south – Snow HillSouth end of US 13 overlap
​54.988.4
NC 11 Byp. – Greenville, Kinston		Exit 119 of NC 11 Bypass
Greenville56.290.4 US 13 north (Dickinson Avenue) – GreenvilleNorth end of US 13 overlap
58.093.3 NC 11 / NC 43 north / NC 903 (Memorial Drive) – KinstonNorth end of NC 43 overlap
58.093.3 NC 43 south (Charles Boulevard) – VanceboroSouth end of NC 43 overlap
62.5100.6 NC 33 east (10th Street) – Simpson, Grimesland, ChocowinityEast end of NC 33 overlap
64.3103.5 US 264 (Greenville Boulevard) / NC 33 west (Pactolus Highway) – Farmville, Tarboro, WashingtonWest end of NC 33 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Middlesex business loop

U.S. Highway 264 Business
LocationMiddlesex, North Carolina
Length15.0 mi[14] (24.1 km)
Existed1978–1984

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.[3]

Wilson alternate route

U.S. Highway 264A
LocationWilson, North Carolina
Length2.0 mi[15] (3.2 km)
Existed1950–1960

Established around 1950, it was a renumbering of mainline US 264 through downtown Wilson, via Raleigh Road and Nash Street. It was renumbered in 1960 to US 264 Business.[13]

Wilson business loop

U.S. Highway 264 Business
LocationWilson, North Carolina
Length2.0 mi[15] (3.2 km)
Existed1960–1984

Established in 1960 as renumbering of US 264 Alternate, it remained unchanged till 1984, when it was decommissioned.[3]

Farmville alternate route

U.S. Highway 264A
LocationFarmville, North Carolina
Length8.3 mi[16] (13.4 km)
Existed1954–1990

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.[13]

Wilson–Greenville alternate route

U.S. Highway 264 Alternate
LocationWilson–Greenville, NC
Length37.8 mi[17] (60.8 km)
Existed1988–2003

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.[18][19][20][21]

Greenville alternate route

U.S. Highway 264A
LocationGreenville, North Carolina
Length6.2 mi[22] (10.0 km)
Existed1954–1960

Established by 1954 as a renumbering of mainline US 264, it traversed through downtown Greenville via Dickenson Avenue and East 10th Street. In 1960, it was renumbered as US 264 Business.[13]

The route of the Greenville and Raleigh Plank Road, which was established in 1853, became part of the route of US 264 between Greenville and Wilson, North Carolina. Although no longer maintained after the company went bankrupt in 1861, the route was still used as an unpaved track and Right of way by horse and motor traffic. State senator James Leonidas Fleming, who established East Carolina University in Greenville, was killed in an early automobile accident along the plank road in 1909.[23]

Greenville business loop

U.S. Highway 264 Business
LocationGreenville, North Carolina
Length6.2 mi[22] (10.0 km)
Existed1960–1990

Established in 1960 as a renumbering of US 264 Alternate, it remained unchanged till 1990, when it was decommissioned.[3]

Belhaven alternate route

U.S. Highway 264A
LocationBelhaven, North Carolina
Length2.9 mi[24] (4.7 km)
Existed1957–1960

U.S. Route 64 Alternate (US 64A) was established around 1954-1957 as a renumbering of mainline US 264, it traversed through downtown Belhaven, via Main Street and Pamlico Street. In 1960, it was renumbered as US 264 Business.[13]

Belhaven business loop

U.S. Highway 264 Business
LocationBelhaven, North Carolina
Length2.9 mi[24] (4.7 km)
Existed1960–present

U.S. Route 64 Business (US 64 Bus) was established in 1960, the 2.9-mile (4.7 km) route follows the original US 264 alignment through downtown Belhaven, via Main Street and Pamlico Street.[3]

The entire route is in Beaufort County.

Locationmi[24]kmDestinationsNotes
Belhaven0.00.0 US 264 / NC 99 – Pantego, Washington, Bath, Swanquarter
​2.94.7 US 264 – Belhaven, Swanquarter
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Manns Harbor–Manteo Bypass

U.S. Highway 264 Bypass
LocationManns Harbor–Manteo, NC
Length5.9 mi[25] (9.5 km)
Existed1999–2003

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.[26][27]

See also
  • North Carolina Bicycle Route 2 – Concurrent with US 264 between Pactolus and Latham, downtown Washington, Jessama, between Bellhaven and Swanquarter, and between Lake Comfort and its eastern terminus

References
  1. Google (February 9, 2011). "US 264" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  2. "NCDOT: Scenic Byways". Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  3. "NCRoads.com Annex: U.S. 264". Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  4. "NCDOT: Greenville Southwest Bypass". www.ncdot.gov. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
  5. Staff (January 4, 2013). "Highway 264 Could Become Interstate". Washington, NC: WITN-TV. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  6. Staff (January 4, 2013). "City leaders discuss transportation needs in ENC". Greenville, NC: WNCT-TV. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  7. "North Carolina seeks interstate designation for US 264". Winston-Salem Journal. Associated Press. September 8, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  8. Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (November 14, 2016). "Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 3, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  9. "FHWA Approval Letter" (PDF) (PDF). U.S. Congressman G.K. Butterfield. November 21, 2016. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  10. "Governor McCrory Announces Designation for U.S. 264 to Greenville" (Press release). North Carolina Department of Transportation. November 21, 2016. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  11. Adam Prince (April 12, 2017). "Future Interstate 587 now Signed in North Carolina". Sure, Why Not? Blog. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  12. Google (January 21, 2013). "US 264 Alternate" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
  13. "NCRoads.com Annex: U.S. 264-A". Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  14. Google (January 19, 2013). "US 264 Bus - Middlesex" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  15. Google (January 19, 2013). "US 264 Alt/Bus - Wilson" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  16. Google (January 19, 2013). "US 264 Alt - Farmville" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  17. Google (January 19, 2013). "US 264 Alt - Farmville-Greenville" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  18. "US Route Changes (1988-07-11)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. July 11, 1988. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  19. "US Route Changes (1992-08-21)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. August 21, 1992. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  20. "US Route Changes (1999-06-25)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. June 25, 1999. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  21. "US Route Changes (2003-02-17)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. February 17, 2003. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  22. Google (January 19, 2013). "US 264 Alt/Bus - Greenville" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  23. King, Thomas Henry. 1911. Sketches of Pitt County. Page 246.
  24. Google (February 9, 2011). "US 264 Bus - Belhaven" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  25. Google (June 6, 2014). "US 64 Bypass - Manns Harbor–Manteo, North Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  26. "Route Change (1999-06-25)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. June 25, 1999. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  27. "Route Change (2003-09-15)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. September 15, 2003. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
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