The return of NC 15

There is no North Carolina State Highway 15, since that would conflict with US 15. Somebody in NCDoT has mistakenly made some NC 15 shields with the diamond shield when they meant to make US 15 shields.

About two years ago, these signs were installed at the intersection of US 15/501 and NC 54. What was funny was that sign complexes had both US 15 and NC 15 shields, one for northbound and the other for southbound. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures before the NCD0T realized their mistake and replaced the shields.

This week, one of the NC 15 shields reappeared. It is not quite as ironic as the previous shields, except that NCDot made the same error again.

900 Counties!

Route
US 501 North, US 360 East, VA 307 West, US 460 West, US 460 Business West, VA 45 North to Cumberland County and return, US 15/460 Business West, US 15 North to Buckingham County
US 15 South, US 15/360 Business Keysville, US 15 South, VA 49 South, NC 49 South, US 501 South
Notes
This was primarily a county tagging trip. The only odd thing I saw were the signs at US 360 and VA 360. The regular shields had banners for STATE and US above them, to make sure people would not be confused.
I had counted Lunenburg as having been visited by driving on I 85, but I 85 just misses the county. It appears that US 360 enters the county in the area around Meherrin, but here are no county signs on the highway. I saw some along side roads, so I ducked off on SR630 and found a sign and turned around.
Farmville was a good locus for visiting counties, there are four that I visited within ten miles of town.
Results
Clinched US 15/360 Business Keysville, US 58 Business Clarkesville, US 460 Business Farmville. Mileage on US 15, US 360, US 460, US 15 Business Farmville.
Counties in Virginia: Amelia, Buckingham, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottaway, Prince Edward. For a total of 901.

Bugg's Island Dam

Route
US 501 North, US 58 East, US 58 Business Clarkseville East, US 15 South, US 58 East, US 58 Business South Hill West, US 1 North to I 85
US 1 South, US 58 East, US 58 West, VA 4 South, Local Roads, US 1/US 158 West, I 85 South
Notes
VA 4 runs across the John H Kerr Dam and along the lake shore for some distance. It is a very scenic drive. VA 4 ends at the state line. The North Carolina side is SR1200, a county road.
Results
Clinched VA 4. Connected disconnected sections of US 58, now continuous mileage from Blue Ridge Parkway to Portsmouth VA. Mileage on US 15, US 58 Business Clarkesville.

Point Lookout on Old US 70

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West to Old Fort
I 40 East, US 321 South to US 321 Business
US 321 North, I 40 East, NC 86 South
Notes
We took the exit for NC 801 to check out the unusual interchange design. The westbound exit/entrance is a normal diamond controlled by a stop light. The eastbound exit/entrance is a diamond controlled by teardrop roundabout. The left turn from southbound NC 801 and the entrance ramp requires that traffic go three quarters around the roundabout. The north side of the rounabout blends into the median of the bridge making the roundabout the shape of a teardrop.

The main purpose of this trip was to hike an old section of the Central Highway that is now gated off for pedestrian and bike traffic only. The old road climbs up Bernard Mountain from Old Fort to Swannoa. It has been long superceded by US 70 and later I 40. There was a scenic vista called Point Lookout overlooking the Royal Gorge. Up and back was a 3.5 mile hike (each way) with a 750 foot elevation change. We took photos. See roadgeek.filpus.org/PointLookout.html for a complete report.

Went down US 321 to tag Lincoln county. Turned around at US 321 Business, which was briefly signed NC 155 when the US 321 freeway was built. Local pressure forced the state to resign the road to US 321 Business.
Results
Tagged Lincoln counties in NC for a total of 896. Mileage on US 321.

Charleston SC

Route
US 15/501 North, NC 147 East, I 40 East, I 95 South, I 26 East, Meeting Street South to Charleston SC
Meeting Street North, US 17 North, Local Roads to Pawley's Island, US 17 North, SC 544 West, SC 31 North, SC 9 South, SC 90 West, US 17 North, NC 211 South, NC 133 South, Local Roads to Oak Island
NC 133 North, NC 87 North, US 17 North, I 40 North, NC 54 West, US 15/501 North to Chapel Hill
Notes
The US 74 interchange with I 95 is half closed. The north half of the diamond is open, while the south side ramps have been removed to build the I 74/US 74 interchange.
The Cooper River Bridge (US 17) is awesome. It is a double cable stayed bridge, the first I have personally driven across.
Clinched the current version of the Carolina Bays Parkway ( Future I 73/74 ). There are no Future signs to be seen.
The transition from SC 9 South to US 17 North is a surface road connection by way of SC 90. Unlike the transition to US 17 South, which is just a freeway level merge.
The second bridge to Oak Island is under construction. There was a whole line of construction vehicles along the right of way from the NC 211 and Midway Road intersection. On Oak Island, the waterway access at the north end of Middleton is now a holding area for bridge supports. Yacht Drive is open through the construction. The north half of the block of Middleton between Oak Island Drive and Yacht Drive is completely leveled. It appears this block will be the approach to the bridge. It is not clear whether Yacht Drive will go under the bridge or if it will be cut there.
I got a clear view of an old shield gantry on the ramp taking I 40 West onto I 440 Inner Beltline. The gantry has US 70 EAST and NC 50 SOUTH. There was a time when current US 70 through Garner was signed US 70 Business. During that period, US 70 and NC 50 were routed up I 40 to I 440 to the current US 70/401/NC 50 interchange. The gantry on the ramp in question should have been US 70 West and NC 50 North. The current gantry is clearly wrong. I need to get a picture.
Results
Tagged Berkeley and Georgetown counties in SC for a total of 895. Clinched I 26 in SC and SC 31. Mileage on US 17, SC 544, SC 9, SC 90.

NC 540

Route
NC 54 East, I 40 East, NC 540 West, NC 55 North, NC 55 South, NC 540 East, I 540 East, US 70 East, I 440 East, US 401 North, I 540 East, US 64 East, US 64 Business (Wendell) East, US 264 East, US 264 Alternate East, US 301 South, US 301 North, NC 58 North, NC 97 West, US 64 Business West, US 64 West, I 540 West, I 40 West, NC 54 West
Notes
This is my first drive on NC 540. Drove the length both ways to get a good feeling of the road. Got a photo of the 66.6 mile marker. There is no indication of NC 540 on any BGS directly of I 40 or I 540.
Results
Clinched US 64 Business Wendell and NC 540. Mileage on US 301 and 264 Alternate (Wilson) and NC 58, 42 and 97. Clinched all state routes in Wake County NC.

Seattle WA

Routes
From Sea-Tac, WA 518 East, I 5 South, WA 516 East to Kent
WA 516 East, WA 167 North, I 405 North, WA 520 East, WA 202 East to Redmond
WA 202 West, WA 520 West, I 405 South, WA 167 South, WA 516 West to Kent
WA 516 West, I 5 South, US 101 North, WA 8 West, US 12 West, US 101 North, WA 109 North, Moclips Highway, US 101 North, US 101 East, WA 104 East, Kingston/Edmonds Ferry, WA 104 East, I 5 South, WA 516 East to Kent
WA 516 West, I 5 North, Local Roads, WA 99 South, Local Roads, I 5 South, WA 516 East to Kent
WA 516 East, WA 167 South, WA 410 East, Sunrise Road to Sunrise
Sunrise Road, WA 410 West, WA 164 West, WA 18 West, WA 167 North, WA 516 West to Kent
WA 516 West, I 5 North, Local Roads, I 5 South, WA 516 East to Kent
WA 516 West, I 5 North, WA 518 West to Sea-Tac
Notes
Seattle highways are horrible. There is gridlock everywhere. The roads are not well signed. I could go on and on.
I had forgotten how beautiful the drive along Lake Crescent on US 101 west of Port Angeles is. The two lane highway hugs the lake with great views.
The drive up to Sunrise is one of the most spectacular I have ever taken. The views of the mountains and glaciers beg description.
We took the Underground Seattle tour in Pioneer Square. While rebuilding Seattle after a fire in the late 1800's, the city raised the streets, leaving undergrond chambers under the new sidewalks. The tour gives you a view of the infrastructure under the sidewalks of the city.
Results
Clinched WA 8 and 164. Mileage on I 5, US 12 and 101, and WA 516, 167, 520, 202, 18 and 99.

US 401

Route
I 40 East, US 401 South, NC 55 South, NC 27 West, US 401 South, US 74 Business East, US 74 West, US 74 Business (Rockingham) East, US 220 North, US 220 Business (Asheboro) North, US 220 North, NC 62 East, Local Roads, NC 87 South, Local Roads, NC 54 East
Notes
Construction on I 73/74 /US 220 bypass of Ellerbe has stopped. There is no pavement done at the interchanges with US 220. The contractor has bankrupted, so the state is getting new bids. I'd say there is a year's work left to finish the freeway.
There is a bronze statue of Richard Petty on US 220 Business in downtown Randleman. He is their favorite native son.
One of the weirdest things I've chanced upon is the Original Hollywood Horror Show which is in the middle of the woods on Bass Mountain Road a half mile from NC 87 south of Graham NC. This kind of show would be normal in a tourist trap area, such as Cherokee or Gatlinburg, or even Myrtle Beach, but not in rural Piedmont North Carolina.
Results
Clinched US 401 in NC and US 220 Business Asheboro. Mileage on US 74, US 74 Business (Laurinburg), NC 27, US 421.

Camp Bonner

Route
I 40 East, I 540 East, US 64 East, I 95 South, US 264 East, NC 33 East, Local (detour), NC 33 East, Local, NC 33 West, US 17 North, US 264 West, I 540 West, I 40 West
Notes
There was a detour on NC 33 through the town of Simpson and back to NC 33. NC DOT didn't do a good job of marking the end of the detour. The road came to a stop sign at NC 33 with no construction signing. You had to look around at the road to find NC 33 signs, which clued you in that you had reached the end of the detour.
Results
Mileage on US 264A and NC 33.

Madison NC

Route
I 40 West, NC 54 West, NC 87 North, US 158 East, NC 14 North, NC 700 East, NC 770 West, NC 135 West, US 220 Business North, US 220 North, NC 770 East, NC 14 South, US 158 East, NC 86 South
Notes
Checked out some of the US highway reroutings in the Madison NC area. The truncation of US 220 Business through Stanley NC has been signed properly now. The extension of US 311 from Madison to Eden is still not signed. The first had been approved by USRN in 1998; the second in 2003.
Results
Clinch US 220 Business in Madison/Mayoden, NC 700, NC 135. More mileage on NC 770.

Wilmington NC

Route
I 40 East, Holly Shelter Rd, US 177 South, US 17 Business North, US 74 West, US 421 North, I 140 East, US 17 North, US 17 Business South, Military Cutoff, US 76 West, US 117 South, US 421 North, US 76 West, NC 87 North, I 95 Business North, I 95 South, I 95 Business North, NC 87 North, US 15/501 North
Notes
There has been a discussion in the US highway mapping forum over what route US 17 Business takes through Wilmington after US 17 was routed over I 140. To answer this question and reclinch the US highways in Wilmington that were rerouted, I took a roadtrip to Wilmington and crisscrossed the city to check everything out.
In NC, when a town is bypassed by a US highway, the original routing is converted to a Business Route. As time goes on, some towns grow up around the bypass and a new bypass for the same highway is built. Then, usually, the old Business Route is decommissioned and the main route is converted to a new Business Route. However, this is not what happened in Wilmington. The original US 17 Business is still part of the new Business Route. The previous main routing of US 17 along Dawson from 3rd to 17th and along 17th was decommissioned. The rest of the main routing across the bridge and on Market from 17th to I 140 was added to the Business Route.
US 17 Truck Route appears to be decommissioned. I could find no signs for the route.
There is a BEGIN banner on an I 140 shield on the entrance ramp from US 421. There is an END banner on an I 140 shield just east of the I 40 bridge.
I took a side trip from NC 87 over to the Elwell Ferry, but the fog on the river was too heavy and the ferry was not running. I love these old two car ferries.
NC 87 is being divided from Elizabethtown to I 95.
The NC 87 freeway in Fayetteville has numbered exits, starting with exit 100 for the airport exit to 104B for Hay Street. The NC 87/24 exit is not numbered.
Results
Clinch I 40, I 95 Business. Mileage on US 17, US 74, US 117, US 311, US 421, NC 87.
Count Bladen, Columbus counties.

Danville VA

Route
NC 86 North, US 29 North, US 58 Business West, US 29 Business South, US 29 South, NC 700 West, NC 770 North, VA 863 North, US 58 Business East, VA 86 South, VA 360 North, US 58 Business East, US 29 South, NC 86 South
Notes
Went up to Danville to get the new State Highway maps for Virginia and North Carolina. The Visitors Center off US 29/58 had 2006-2008 Virginia maps. The Visitors Center on NC 700 only had 2006 NC maps. Drove through Danville twice, once to clinch the US Business routes and once to check out the architecture on East Main Street. Danville has a bunch of old bridges over the Dan River that I had not seen before. US 58 Business runs under the bridges and is a bridge enthusiast's dream.
NC 700 finished clinching state highways in Caswell County. I thought that I would clinch NC 700 when I planned the route, but NC 700 does not end at NC 770 but multiplexes with NC 770 to NC 87/14. When I head up that way to check out the US 311 from Madison to Eden question, I'll pick up that section of 700.
There are signs for US 29 and VA 86 with TRUCK banners on US 58 Business with arrows saying to exit onto US 29 Business/VA 86. Since US 29 has a bypass of Danville (which through trucks on US 29 should take), this indicates a Truck Route for Business US 29, to keep trucks off of Piney Forest Highway. Having a Truck Route for a State Highway is rare, but not unknown.
There is a sign on US 58 Business East pointing up the ramp onto US 29/58 Bypass that simply points to Chapel Hill. It does not say Chapel Hill NC. Since neither route on the Bypass goes to Chapel Hill, it seems a little odd.
Results
Clinch US 58 and 29 Business Routes in Danville VA. Clinch state highways in Caswell County. Added miles for NC 700 and 770.

I 540 to US 64/264

Route
I 40 East, I 540 East, US 64/264 West, I 40 East, NC 42 West, Local Roads, US 64 Business West, NC 87, Local Roads
Notes
With the opening of I 540 from US 1 to US 64/264, I no longer had I 540 clinched. I also no longer had the lead at m-plex.com for clinched interstate miles in NC, trailing by one mile. I drove the new section to reclinch I 540 and regain the lead.
A fellow roadgeek in Michigan recently clinched the state highway system in Michigan, including all interstates, US highways, state highways and spur routes. I took a look at my North Carolina map and noticed that I had clinched all of the state highways in a cluster of counties around my home county. There are a few counties that I have only one segment of a state route to clinch the county. Driving this part of NC 42 clinched Chatham County and left one last route (NC 97 east of Lizard Lick) in Wake County.
Results
Reclinch I 540. Clinch Chatham County. Added miles for NC 42.

Augusta GA - Christmas 2006

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 338, GA 232, I 520, GA 104, GA 104 Connector, GA 4, US 25 Business, Local Roads
I 20 East, Detour ( US 1 South, Frontage Road, Wire Road), I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
The construction on I 85 from the Yadkin River to Salisbury continues. One exit has been changed from an underpass to an overpass. You can hardly tell now where the old exit was.

As we were traveling east on I 20, there was an orange detour sign propped up on a exit sign just before US 1 for Aiken. When we got to US 1, the police were closing the eastbound freeway and directing us all off onto US 1 South. We were the fifth or sixth car to be diverted. If we had been a couple of minutes farther down the road, we would have been trapped in the closed freeway. The police directed us onto the frontage road south of the freeway, which eventually ended at Wire Road. There was no police there, so we just followed the other cars left (east). A quarter mile down the road, a police car with lights flashing passed us heading west. I suspect that he was going to direct traffic at the unmarked turn. Wire Road intersected with I 20 and we got on heading east with no indication of the reason for the detour.
Results

Clinch I 95 in NC

Route
I 40 East, I 540 East, US 1 North, NC 98 East, US 401 North, NC 561 East, NC 4 South, NC 33 East, I 95 North, US 158 East, US 158 Business to Warrenton, US 401 North, US 1 South, I 85 South to Chapel Hill
Notes
The new NC 98 bypass of Wake Forest goes east from a SPUI with US 1. NC 98 multiplexes with US 1 for a bit and heads west on the previous road. NC 98 through Wake Forest is now NC 98 Business. NC has created a number of these business routes for state highways lately. Historically, the state has been retiring them. I do not know of any existing by the middle of the 1990's. Now, NC 24 has a couple and NC 98 has one.
US 158 Business through Warrenton is shown as US 158A on the state map. However, it is clearly signed as business. I saw no indication of an old Alternate signing.
Results
Clinch I 95 in NC. Reclinch NC 98.

Beaufort County NC

Route
I 40 East, NC 24 East, NC 24 Business West, US 258 North, NC 11 North, NC 102 East, US 17 North, US 264 West, US 301 South, US 70 Business West, NC 210 West, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
NC 24 has an extremely rare multiplex with I 40 bypassing Warsaw and Kenansville. The only other multiplex of Interstate and NC state highways that I know of is NC 150 and I 40 Business from Kernersville and downtown Winston-Salem. Old NC 24 is now NC 24 Business through Warsaw and Kenansville.
Earlier this year, I posted on seroads a question about the numbering and signing of the new Jacksonville bypass. The bypass is eventually going to connect to US 17 north of town and carry US 17 mainline around town. However the bypass begins at US 258/NC 24 west of US 17 South and is only finished up to NC 24 east of town. The section east of US 17 will be US 17 mainline, but what is the short section west of US 17 be numbered? My proposal was to move US 258 onto the bypass and perhaps continue it to Morehead City. However, the state decided to move NC 24 onto the bypass and leave US 258 alone. Now, the old routing of NC 24 through town is, starting from the west: US 258/NC 24; US258/NC 24 Business; US 17/NC 24 Business; NC 24 Business; Freedom Way Boulevard. NC 24 Business turns off of Freedom Way on a new connector to the bypass. This makes two new business routes for NC 24. North Carolina has been historically eliminating business routes for state highways. This is a new trend.
When the bypass is completed to US 17 North, US 17 through town will become US 17 Business. The Business blades are already installed on the US 17 reassurance signs through town, but the the blades are covered up. Now, on the BGS's on and around the bypass, there is no indication of US 17, not even space for adding US 17 shields. All of the BGS's will have to be changed out then.
US 264 has a peculiar interchange with itself west of Greenville. It is currently a three way cloverleaf. US 264 runs on the west and north branches of the interchange, while the east branch exits to a city street signed to Downtown. US 264 exits to itself in both directions, with the eastbound exit being a tight cloverleaf. If US 264 were to become an Interstate this interchange would be the obvious end for it with US 264 exiting north.
The 264 freeway bypass of Greenville has a 70 mph speed limit west of US 13. It is a fairly narrow carriageway and seems a little dangerous.
Results
Beaufort County NC.
Additional mileage on US 264, US 258, US 17, US 301, NC 210.
Photographed western terminus of NC 118 and eastern (northern) terminus of NC 210.

US 117 Freeway

Route
I 40 East, Wade Avenue, I 440 Inner, US 264 East, NC 91 South, US 264 Alt West, Local Streets in Wilson, NC 42 West, US 117 South, US 13 North, US 70 West, US 70A West, US 70 West, Local streets around Smithfield, US 70 West, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
Starting from I 440, the US 64/264 freeway splits at Zebulon, then the US 264 freeway morphs to US 117/264 at I 95 and splits south of Wilson. The multiplexing of US 64/264 and US 117/264 are odd in that one of the highways starts multiplexed. Historically, this was not the case. US 264 once started at the split in Zebulon and US 117 once started at US 301. Both were extended in the 1990's and 2000's. There is speculation that US 64, US 264 and US 117 freeways could be upgraded to interstates with x95 numbers: I 195 from Raleigh to Rocky Mount or even Tarboro, I 395 from Zebulon to Wilson or even Greenville, I 795 from Wilson to Goldsboro or even I 40. This would make Raleigh look like Atlanta. We shall see.
The exits on US 264 for US 117 and US 301/117 Alternate are numbered 43A and 43BC, respectively. Exit 43A is for eastbound traffic only. Westbound traffic for US 117 exits on 43B and takes US 301 past the turn for US 117 Alternate to the interchange for US 117.
US 264A through Wilson follows the old US 264 bypass (Ward Ave) which circles downtown. Some maps show US 264 on both the north and south sides of the circle as well as going on Nash street through downtown. The only signage I saw was for US 264A on the south side of the circle.The other routings are defunct or never were.
The new US 117 freeway is a typical rural freeway, with few exits and long curves.
The north end of the new US 117 A is well marked, if a little confusing for traffic from westbound US 264. The south end of the new US 117 A is not marked at all. The exit is marked US 13. Then the road is marked as US 117 Bypass.
With the clinching of US 70A through Pine Level, I have clinched all of the versions of US 70 in the Smithfield area.
US 70 Business through Smithfield is closed at the I 95 interchange for bridge work.
Results
Greene County NC.
Clinched US 70A.
Additional mileage on US 264, US 264 A, US 117.

Augusta GA - August 2006

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, SC 277 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 338, GA 232, I 520, GA 104, GA 104 Connector, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 485 East/North, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
US 521 is no longer indicated on a BGS over I 77 at Billy Graham Parkway in south Charlotte NC. The BGS over the exit ramps from southbound I 77 now shows I 485 East and West. However, the BGS over the exit ramps from northbound I 77 still shows I 485 East and Inner.
Results

Virgilina, VA

Route
NC 50 North, NC 56 North, I 85 North, US 15 North, US 15 Truck, US 15 North, US 58 West, VA 49 South, VA 96 North, US 501 South, NC 157 South
Notes
US 15 Truck Route is part of the Oxford loop. The north side of the loop is US 158 Bypass and is a reasonable bypass of Oxford for through east/west traffic.. The south side of the loop runs through the business and industrial areas of town and is designed for local traffic only. For US 15, it is still better than going through downtown.
Virgilina is a little town on the NC/VA border which used to be a railroad town with the railway running along the state line. For roadgeeking, it is the site where two multistate state highways cross. Actually NC 49 and NC 96 merge in NC just south of the state line, cross into VA together and split keeping their original numbers, each continuing in the same general direction of their NC counterparts.
US 501 between Roxboro and the state line has been in the news lately as the planned upgrading to divided four lanes has been delayed yet again. The road certainly needs it.
Results
Clinch NC/VA 96.

Vass Bypass and I-277

Route
US 15/501 South, US 64 West, NC 87 South, US 1 South, NC 2 West, US 15/501 North, NC 73 West, US 220 South, US 74 Business West, US 74 West, NC 200 South, NC 75 West, SC 75 West, US 521 North, I-485 West, I-77 North, I-277 East, I-77 North, I-85 North, I-40 East, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill
Notes
The Vass Bypass is expressway with narrow shoulders and 55 mph speed limits. NC 24/27 and NC 690 are diamond interchanges. There are other at-grade road intersections, which are a form of a Michigan Left. There are left turn lanes from US 1 onto each side road, but there is no crossover for the side road. All traffic must turn right from the side road. Left and straight through traffic takes a U-turn (with a turning pad for trucks).

NC 2 through Pinehurst has the narrowest lanes. The residents don't want to lose the pine trees in the median, but the lanes are unsafe.

Paving on the under construction I 73/74 ends at NC 73. South of the bridge you see asphalt; north of the bridge you see sand.

US 74 is called the Andrew Jackson Highway and dedicated to Jesse Helms in Anson county.

Polkton prides itself in being the birthplace of LL Polk, who was an early NC educator, no relation to Jame Polk, who was born in Mecklenburg County NC.

The BGS over US 521 for I 485 still says that US 521 goes onto the freeway, instead of ending at I 485, which it does.

There is a stub ramp merging in to the on-ramp from US 521 onto I 485 west. This may well be a leftover from when I 485 ended at US 521.
Results
Reclinch US 1 (NC). Clinch I 277 (NC) and US 521 (NC).
More mileage on US 74 in NC.
Union (NC), Anson (NC) and Lancaster (SC) counties, for a total of 890.