U.S. Route 264

U.S. Route 264 (US 264) is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Raleigh to Manns Harbor, completely in the state of North Carolina.
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 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.
History.
Established in 1932, US 264 started from US 64/NC 90, in Zebulon, to the community of Engelhard, in Hyde County. The route was overlapped entirely with NC 91 and was paved west of Swan Quarter. In 1934, NC 91 was removed along the route; in 1935, US 264 was paved from Swan Quarter to Engelhard.
Sometime between 1948-'50, US 264 was moved south around Wilson, on Ward Boulevard; the old route became US 264 Alternate, which later became US 264 Business in 1960 till 1980-'84.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In August 2002, US 264 was truncated east at Manns Harbor.
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.
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.
Future Interstate 587.
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.
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. On November 14, AASHTO approved the Future I-587 designation; followed by FHWA approval on November 21. In April 2017, NCDOT began posting Future I-587 signs along the length of the route.
Special routes.
Middlesex-Greenville alternate route.
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.
Middlesex business loop.
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.
Wilson alternate route.
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.
Wilson business loop.
Established in 1960 as renumbering of US 264 Alternate, it remained unchanged till 1984, when it was decommissioned.
Farmville alternate route.
Established around 1954 as a renumbering of mainline US 264, it traversed through downtown Farmville, via Wilson Street and Moye-Turnage Road. It was decommissioned by 1990 when US 264 bypassed north of Farmville and its former alignment south of Farmville became its alternate route. NC 121 replaced the eastern half of the former route from US 264 Alt to Main Street.
Wilson–Greenville alternate route.
Established around 1990 as a renumbering of mainline US 264; which traversed from Farmville to Greenville. In 2002, it was extended west of Farmville to Wilson, replacing part of NC 121 and NC 91. In 2004, it was absorbed by the Middlesex-Greenville alternate route.
Greenville alternate route.
Established by 1954 as a renumbering of mainline US 264, it traversed through downtown Greenville via Dickenson Avenue and East 10th Street. In 1960, it was renumbered as US 264 Business.
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.
Greenville business loop.
Established in 1960 as a renumbering of US 264 Alternate, it remained unchanged till 1990, when it was decommissioned.
Belhaven alternate route.
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.
Belhaven business loop.
U.S. Route 64 Business (US 64 Bus) was established in 1960, the route follows the original US 264 alignment through downtown Belhaven, via Main Street and Pamlico Street.
Manns Harbor–Manteo Bypass.
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.