U.S. Route 74

U.S. Route 74
Route information
Length:	515 mi[1][2] (829 km)
Existed:	1927[2] – present
Tourist routes:	Ocoee Scenic Byway Mountain Waters Scenic Byway
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 I‑485 in Charlotte, NC I‑277 in Charlotte, NC US 1 in Rockingham, NC I‑73 / I‑74 in Rockingham, NC US 15 / US 401 / US 501 at Laurinburg, NC I‑95 / US 301 at Lumberton, NC US 17 at Wilmington, NC
East end:	Wrightsville Beach, NC
Location
States:	Tennessee, North Carolina
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Bannered Divided Replaced ← SR 73 TN I-75 → ← NC 73 NC NC 75 →

In the U.S. state of Tennessee and North Carolina, U.S. Route 74 (US 74) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 515 miles (829 km) from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Predominantly in North Carolina, it serves as an important highway from the mountains to the sea, connecting the cities of Asheville, Charlotte and Wilmington.

Route description

Tennessee

Since US-74's introduction in 1927, it plays second fiddle to I-75 and US-64. The 63-mile (101 km) route travels from the I-24/I-75 interchange, in Chattanooga, northeast to Cleveland, where it then continues east, along with US-64, to the North Carolina state line.^[3] The highway is predominantly freeway or expressway grade four-lane, except between Ocoee and Ducktown, where it is a curvy two-lane mountain highway along the Ocoee River.

TDOT's signage for US-74 is poor. Most highways that cross US-74 will typically only list I-75 or US-64 instead; I-75 completely ignores US-74 along its route, even ignores US-74 at their intersection, showing instead a connector to US-64.

North Carolina

Great Smoky Mountains Expressway through Waynesville

The Charlotte Skyline from Independence Freeway

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

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

In western North Carolina, US 74 enters the state with a concurrency with US 64. Routed along 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); it shares a revolving door of concurrency changes with US 19, US 129, US 441 and US 23. 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.

North of Clyde, US 74 merges with Interstate 40 and goes east, in concurrency, to Asheville. From there, it then goes southeast, in concurrency with Interstate 26 till Columbus, where it separates and continues east along a mostly controlled-access highway, except in Shelby, to Interstate 85, in Kings Mountain.

After crossing a unique weave intersection with Interstate 85, it joins with US 29 and travels through downtown Gastonia along Franklin Boulevard. East of Gastonia, it becomes Wilkinson Boulevard as it go through McAdenville, Cramerton and Belmont. After crossing the Lake Wylie/Catawba River, via Sloans Ferry Bridge, it enters Charlotte, with connections with Interstate 485 and Interstate 85/Charlotte Douglas International Airport, via Little Rock Road. In Center City, it splits with US 29 for Interstate 277 along the John Belk Freeway. East of Center City, it goes solo again along Independence Freeway/Boulevard to Matthews, where it connects again with Interstate 485.

Going southeast, it goes through Stallings, Indian Trail and Monroe, where it briefly overlaps with US 601, before continuing east again through Wingate, Marshville, Peachland, Polkton, Wadesboro and Lilesville.

Crossing the Pee Dee River and into the Sandhills region, US 74 meets up with Future Interstates 73/74, in Rockingham. After a future interchange near NC 38 that will end its overlap with Interstate 73, US 74/Future I-74 continues southeast, bypassing Laurinburg and Maxton. East of Maxton and through Lumberton, the highway is officially US 74/Interstate 74, before dropping back to Future I-74 west of Boardman; the concurrency with Future I-74 ends at Bolton, where a future interchange will split from US 74 to continue south towards South Carolina. This is one of only two instances (along with I-41 in Wisconsin) of similarly-numbered U.S. and Interstate routes being designated on the same road.

Near Chadbourn, US 74 overlaps with US 76, which continue mostly together till Wrightsville Beach, where US 74 dead-ends north and US 76 dead-ends 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.

ADHS corridors

US 74 overlaps with two corridors that are part of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), which is part of Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). Passed in 1965, the purpose of ADHS is to generate economic development in previously isolated areas, supplement the interstate system, connect Appalachia to the interstate system, and provide access to areas within the Region as well as to markets in the rest of the nation.^[4]

• Corridor A – From I-285, in Sandy Springs, Georgia, to I-40, near Clyde, North Carolina. US 74 overlap from US 23, in Dillsboro, to I-40, near Clyde; it is also completed with divided four-lane limited-access and controlled-access sections. This corridor is signed as "Appalachian Highway," in white text on blue background.^[5]
• Corridor K – From I-75, in Cleveland, Tennessee, to US 23, in Dillsboro, North Carolina. The entire 127.7-mile (205.5 km) section of US 74 is authorized for ADHS funding. The majority of the route is a four-lane limited-access road, with a section that is controlled-access between Bryson City and Cherokee. Current two-lane sections that are impending improvements are: Ocoee River to Ducktown and the Nantahala Gorge. In North Carolina, this corridor is signed as "Appalachian Highway," in white text on blue background.^[5][6]

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.^[7]

Dedicated and memorial names

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

US 74 features several dedicated bridges and stretches of highway throughout its route.

• American Indian Highway – official North Carolina name of the 19 miles (31 km) section of US 74/I-74 in Robeson County (mile marker 191-213). It is named to honor the large American Indian population in Robeson County.^[8]
• 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).^[9] Signage is found throughout the entire route, overlapping other official North Carolina dedicated sections.
• C. Heide Trask Bridge – Official North Carolina name of bridge over the Inland Waterway, in Wrightsville Beach (approved: June 9, 1958).^[9]
• Cameron Morrison Bridge – Was an official North Carolina name of the first bridge and later westbound US 74 bridge, over the Pee Dee River. It was named in honor of Governor Morrison, who was a Richmond County native. The bridge, built in 1925, was dedicated to Morrison originally at an unknown date; in 1983, after the bridge was reconstructed to modern standards, it was rededicated to R.W. Goodman.^[9]
• Dean Arledge Memorial Highway – Official North Carolina name of US 74 between I-26 and NC 9, in Polk County (approved: March 3, 2000).^[9]
• 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).^[9]
• Herman H. West Bridge – Official North Carolina name of bridge over the Valley River, in Cherokee County. It was dedicated in honor of the former state Senator and Representative (approved: September 8, 2000).^[9]
• Hezekiah Pridgen, Sr. Bridge – Official North Carolina name of bridge over US 701, in Columbus County (approved: August 4, 1995).^[9]
• James Archibald Hardison Bridge – Official North Carolina name of the eastbound US 74 bridge, over the Pee Dee River. It is named in honor of the former Highway Commissioner and member of the Highway Commission under three governors, from 1933-1937 and 1953-1961 (approved: December 30, 1958).^[9]
• J. Ollie Harris Highway – Official North Carolina name of US 74 Bypass at Kings Mountain (approved: October 3, 1997).^[9]
• 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).^[9]
• 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).^[9]
• R.W. Goodman Bridge – Official North Carolina name of the westbound US 74 bridge, over the Pee Dee River. It is named in honor of the former Richmond County sheriff (approved: March 11, 1983).^[9]
• Senator Jesse Helms Freeway – Official North Carolina name of US 74 between US 601 to the Anson-Union County line (approved: January 8, 1993). Named in honor of the late five-term U.S. senator who was born in Union County in 1921.^[9]
• Solon David Smart Memorial Highway – Official North Carolina name of highway from NC 120 to US 221A, in Rutherford County (approved: December 1, 2000).^[9]
• W Cliff Martin Highway – Official North Carolina name of US 74 from Union County line to Wadesboro, in Anson County (approved: May 2, 1997).^[9]

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.^[10]

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).^[10][11][12]

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.

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 a 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.^[10][11][12]

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. In 1975, US 74/US 76 was rerouted onto new freeway bypass south of Leland and then east of Belville, its old alignment becoming secondary roads.^[13] In 1976, US 74/US 76 was bypassed north of Chadbourn and Whiteville, leaving behind US 74 Bus./US 76 Bus.^[14][15]

In 1984, Maxton was bypassed, replaced by an extension of US 74 Bus.^[16] In 1985, US 74 was rerouted north of Kings Mountain onto new freeway bypass; its old alignment becoming US 74 Bus.^[17] In 1986, Hallsboro and Lake Waccamaw were bypassed; its old alignment replaced by NC 214.^[18]

Also in 1986, US 74 was extended west, from Asheville to Chattanooga, Tennessee. The routing extension starts at its former western terminus with US 70, going northerly, in concurrency with US 70, to I-240, where it overlaps briefly before joining US 19/US 23. From Asheville, in concurrency with US 19/US 23, it goes through Canton, Lake Junaluska and Waynesville. Near Dillsboro it switches US 23 for US 441 and continues till it splits north within the Qualla Boundary. West of Bryson City, it overlaps with NC 28. In Topton, it joins with US 129 and continues southwesterly till at Murphy, where it joins with US 64 and separates from US 19/US 129. Heading west, in concurrency with US 64, it enters Tennessee; traversing through Ducktown, it reaches Cleveland, where it then follows the US 64 Bypass to I-75. Continuing southeasterly, as a hidden concurrency with I-75, it connects with Chattanooga, ending at its new terminus at I-24.^[19][20][21]

In 1988, US 74 was extended 1.46 miles (2.35 km) east to its current eastern terminus in Wrightsville Beach.^[22] In 1990, US 74 was rerouted onto I-277 (John Belk Freeway), this left a section of Independence Boulevard that was still overlapped with NC 27.^[23][24] In 1992-1993, Bolton was bypassed to the north, with its old alignment becoming an extension of NC 214.^[25][26]

In 1994, US 74 was rerouted onto I-40 for 1.58 miles (2.54 km), in Asheville, and then onto I-26, from Asheville to Columbus. East of Columbus, it traverses along new freeway to Forest City, where it meets back with its old alignment. The former routing between Asheville and Forest City becomes US 74A.^[27] In 1996, US 74 was rerouted through Wilmington.^[28] In late 1997, US 74 was rerouted onto I-40, between Clyde and Asheville.^[29][30]

In 2002, US 74 was placed on its second bypass around both Rockingham and Hamlet, its old alignment becoming US 74 Business.^[31] In 2005, US 74 was rerouted north of downtown Wilmington.^[32] 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 US 74 Alternate.^[33]

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, who 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 US 74 was to come, Chavis started a campaign to change the name to American Indian Highway. 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 authored by Andrew Jackson. 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. 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 NCDOT. Then Chavis presented the reasons for the name change to all the cities of Robeson county and the Robeson County Commissioners. Once he obtained support from these entities he presented the proposal to the NC-DOT. Rep. 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.^[34]

Future

In Graham County, NCDOT has proposed to relocate US 74 onto a new divided four-lane highway from Robbinsville to Stecoah. This new routing will feature controlled at-grade intersections, viaduct and tunnel (at Stecoah Gap).^[35][36] At a cost of $383 million, right-of-way acquisition is scheduled to begin in 2014 and construction to begin in 2016; however, this is subject to reprioritization. The project is part of an overall project to bypass the current routing through the Nantahala Gorge, where bottlenecks are common along the two-lane highway through protected valley area within the Nantahala National Forest. The overall project, from Andrews to Almond, would complete a four-lane expressway from Cherokee County to Asheville.^[37]

The US 74 Bypass, in Cleveland County, is a 18.5-mile (29.8 km) controlled-access highway bypassing north of Shelby. When completed, it will improve vehicle capacity along the US 74 corridor, reduce future traffic congestion, increase safety and improve roadway continuity between I-26 and I-85. Being built in six sections, the cost is estimated at $295.9 million; currently, three of the six sections are fully funded with construction starting in 2014, ending in 2017.^[38]

The Independence Widening project, in Mecklenburg County, is to enhance and improve traffic flow and safety along US 74 in east Charlotte, by converting the corridor into an expressway grade highway from Center City to Matthews. Current construction is being done on three new interchanges at Sharon-Amity Road, Idlewild Road and Conference Drive. The cost of this section is at $101.2 million, with construction completed by October 15, 2016.^[39]

In Union and Anson counties, the US 74 freeway upgrade and Wadesboro Bypass is an estimated $741 million project. Plans include linking with future Monroe Bypass to existing Rockingham Bypass with upgrading to existing facilities to freeway standards and bypass the cities of both Marshville (to the south) and Wadesboro (to the north). The project is currently unfunded.^[40]

Monroe Expressway

Located in Union County, the Monroe Expressway is a nearly 16 miles (26 km) proposed toll road that would bypass north of Monroe, from Stallings to east of Wingate. The purpose is to improve mobility and capacity along the US 74 corridor. The toll road will be a controlled-access highway with seven full interchanges and two partial interchanges.^[41] With right-of-way acquisition already completed, construction was originally to begin in October 2012; however, because of several environmental issues and litigation, the project has been delayed and construction officially started in May 2015. The approximately $840 million project is expected to open to traffic in late 2018.^[42][43]

Junction list

State	County	Location	mi[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Tennessee	Hamilton	Chattanooga	0.0	0.0	2	I-24 west / I-75 south to I-59 – Atlanta, Chattanooga, Birmingham	South end of I-75 overlap
			2.2	3.5	3	SR 320 (East Brainerd Road)	Signed as exits 3A (east) and 3B (west) westbound
			2.9	4.7	4	SR 153 north – Chattanooga Airport, Chickamauga Dam
			3.0	4.8	4A	Hamilton Place Boulevard	westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			4.4	7.1	5	Shallowford Road
			6.2	10.0	7	US 11 south / US 64 west (Lee Highway, SR-2 west) / SR 317 (Bonny Oaks Drive) – Summit, Collegedale	West end of US 11/US 64/SR 2 overlap; signed as exits 7A (SR-317 east) and 7B (SR-317 west) northbound
			7.8	12.6	9	Volkswagen Drive To SR 317 (Apison Pike) – Ooltewah, Collegedale	Serves Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant
			10.3	16.6	11	US 11 north / US 64 east (SR-2 east) – Ooltewah	East end of US 11/US 64/SR 2 overlap
	Bradley	​	19.2	30.9	20	I-75 – Chattanooga, Knoxville	North end of I-75 and west end of hidden SR 311 overlap
		Cleveland	20.7	33.3		US 11 / US 64 / SR 2 east – Cleveland	West end of US 64 Byp. overlap
			22.9	36.9		Blue Springs Road
			24.2	38.9		SR 60 south / SR 311 east	East end of hidden SR 311 overlap; south end of SR-60 overlap
			24.6	39.6		SR 74
			25.8	41.5		US 64 west / SR 40 west / SR 60 north – Cleveland, Dayton	West end of hidden SR 40 overlap; north end of SR 60 overlap
	Polk	Ocoee	33.3	53.6		US 411 / SR 33 – Benton
		​	37.7	60.7		SR 314 north (Parksville Road) – Benton
		​	42.9	69.0		SR 30 north – Reliance
		Ducktown	59.2	95.3		SR 68 – Copperhill
			63.0 0.0	101.4 0.0	Tennessee–North Carolina state line
North Carolina	Cherokee	​	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
		​	23.1	37.2		US 19 Bus. south (Andrews Road)
		Marble	29.1	46.8		NC 141 south – Hayesville	To Tri-County Community College
		Andrews	34.4	55.4		US 19 Bus. north (Main Street) / Airport Road – Western Carolina Regional Airport
			37.4	60.2		US 19 Bus. south (Main Street)
	Graham	Topton	44.4	71.5		US 129 north (Tallulah Road) – Robbinsville, Fontana, Knoxville	North end of US 129 overlap
	Swain	Almond	58.6	94.3		NC 28 north (Mtn. Waters Scenic Byway) – Robbinsville, Fontana	North end of NC 28 overlap; to Fontana Dam
		Lauada	61.7	99.3		NC 28 south – Franklin	South end of NC 28 overlap
		​	64.0	103.0	64	US 19 north (Alarka Road) – Bryson City, Cherokee	North end of US 19 overlap; begin of Great Smoky Mountains Expressway
		Bryson City	66.9	107.7	67	US 19 Conn. (Veterans Boulevard) – Bryson City, Great Smoky Mts National Park
		​	69.5	111.8	69	Hyatt Creek Road – Ela
	Jackson	Whittier	71.9	115.7	72	Whittier
		​	73.6	118.4	74	US 441 north – Great Smoky Mts National Park, Cherokee	North end of US 441 overlap; to Blue Ridge Parkway
		​	81.1	130.5	81	US 441 / US 23 south – Dillsboro, Franklin, Atlanta	South end of US 23/US 441 overlap; eastbound listed as exit 81A Eastbound exit 81B has no signage, goes to Rufus Robinson Road
		Sylva	83.2	133.9	83	Grindstaff Cove Road – Sylva
			85.2	137.1	85	US 23 Bus. to NC 107 – East Sylva, Cullowhee	To Western Carolina University
	Haywood	Balsam	94.1	151.4		Blue Ridge Parkway
		Waynesville	98.4	158.4	98	US 23 Bus. (Balsam Road) – West Waynesville
			99.5	160.1	100	Hazelwood Avenue
			101.7	163.7	102	US 276 – Waynesville, Brevard, Maggie Valley	Signed eastbound as exits 102A (south) and 102B (north)
		Lake Junaluska	103.3	166.2	103	US 19 south – Maggie Valley, Cherokee	South end of US 19 overlap; eastbound entrance and westbound exit
			104.0	167.4	104	US 23 Bus. / NC 209 – Lake Junaluska, Waynesville, Hot Springs
		​	105.2	169.3	105	West Jones Cove
		Clyde	106.0	170.6	106	US 19 north / US 23 north – Clyde, Canton	North end of US 19/US 23 overlap
			106.1	170.8	107	East Jones Cove	Westbound exit only, integrated with exit 106
			107.0	172.2		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	270	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 – Mooresboro
		​			193	Peachtree Road – Lattimore, Boiling Springs	Future interchange (under construction, to be completed by 2017)[44][45]
		​			194	US 74 Byp. east	Future interchange (grading only after 2017)[44][45]
		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)
		​				US 74 Byp. west	Future interchange (unfunded)[46]
		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	350		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 – CLT Airport
		237	381		Boyer Street / Billy Graham Parkway – CLT Airport
		239.5	385.4		US 29 north (Morehead Street)	North end of US 29 overlap
		240	390		I‑77 / US 21 / I‑277 begins – 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	245	Wendover Road / Eastway Drive	Signed as exits 245A (Wendover) and 245B (Eastway)
		246	396	246	NC 27 east (Albemarle Road)	East end of NC 27 overlap
					To NC 27 east / North Sharon Amity Road	Future interchange (under construction, to be completed by 2016)[47][48]
					Idlewild Road	Future interchange (under construction, to be completed by 2016)[47][48]
	Matthews	252	406		NC 51 (Matthews Township Parkway) – Matthews, Mint Hill
		254	409		I‑485 – Columbia, Greensboro
Union	Stallings				US 74 Byp. east	Future Monroe Expressway (under construction)
	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
	Wingate				US 74 Byp. west	Future Monroe Expressway (under construction)
	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	510	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	610		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	630		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 – Burgaw	Southern terminus of NC 11
	Delco	422	679		NC 87 north (Old Stage Road) – Riegelwood, Elizabethtown	North end of NC 87 overlap
Brunswick	Maco	426	686		NC 87 south – Southport, Northwest	South end of NC 87 overlap
	Leland	429.7	691.5		NC 140 west	Eastbound entrance and westbound exit
		431	694		Lanvale Road – Leland
		435	700		US 17 south – Shallotte, Myrtle Beach	South end of US 17 overlap
		436	702		NC 133 south – Leland, Belville, Southport, Oak Island	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	​	438.7	706.0		U.S.S. North Carolina Road/Battleship Road	To the N.C. Battleship
	Cape Fear River	439	707	S. Thomas Rhodes Bridge
	Wilmington	439.2	706.8		US 17 / US 421 north to I‑140 – Clinton, Jacksonville	North end of US 17 and US 421 overlap
		440	710	Isabel Holmes Bridge over the Northeast Cape Fear River
		440.6	709.1		3rd Street – Downtown Wilmington
		441	710		McRae Street	Eastbound exit only
		441.5	710.5		NC 133 north – Castle Hayne	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, Raleigh US 117 / NC 132 south to US 421 – State Port, 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	720		Lumina Avenue	End of US 74 is 1.8 miles (2.9 km) from intersection, north on Lumina Avenue
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Unopened

In popular culture

U.S. Route 74 was the inspiration for the song "Distraction #74," by the North Carolina band The Avett Brothers.

U.S. Route 74 appeared as a fictional road in Everett, CA (a fictional town) in the episode "Death in the Family" from Incredible Hulk.

See also

References

External links

• Media related to U.S. Route 74 at Wikimedia Commons
• NCRoads.com: US 74
• NCRoads.com: US 74-A
• NCRoads.com: US 74 Business

United States Numbered Highway System
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 87 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 101 163 400 412 425
All Bannered Divided Replaced
Routes in italics are no longer a part of the system. Highlighted routes are considered main routes of the system.