U.S. Route 264

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
Length	215.7 mi[1] (347.1 km)
Existed	1932–present
Tourist routes	Pamlico Scenic Byway
Major junctions
West end	I-87 / I-440 / US 64 / US 64 Bus. in Raleigh
Major intersections	I-540 near Knightdale US 64 near Zebulon I-95 / I-795 near Wilson
East end	US 64 in Manns Harbor
Location
Counties	Wake, Johnston, Nash, Wilson, Greene, Pitt, Beaufort, Hyde, Dare
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided North Carolina Highway System Interstate US State Scenic
← NC 261 → NC 268

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. From its western terminus to Greenville it is a freeway, bypassing Wilson to the south and passing through or near several small towns such as Knightdale, Wendell, Zebulon, Middlesex, Bailey, Saratoga, and Farmville. It continues as a divided highway with at-grade intersections from Greenville east to Washington, where it passes through town along 5th Street. East of Washington it is an undivided road passing through the marshes along the Pamlico River and Pamlico Sound, going along the south shore of Lake Mattamuskeet and meeting its eastern terminus with US 64 near Manns Harbor. The route has significant concurrencies with US 64, I-87 and I-795. The route from Zebulon to Greenville has been designated as Future Interstate 587, pending upgrades to the freeway to Interstate Highway standards. The freeway section is paralleled by Alternate 264, and a business loop is designated in Belhaven.

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[]

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]

Interstate 587[]

Interstate 587
Location	Zebulon–Greenville, NC
Length	56 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] On May 10, 2021, AASHTO approved the establishment of I-587, between I-95 and Greenville.^[12] This was further approved on November 16, 2021, marking the designation official. ^[13] Signage of the highway is expected to go up sometime in 2022.

Junction list[]

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Wake	Raleigh	0.0	0.0	3	I-87 south / I-440 / US 64 west (US 64 Bus. east) – Durham, Benson, Wake Forest	South end of I-87 overlap and west end of US 64 overlap
		0.8	1.3	4	New Hope Road
	Knightdale	3.0	4.8	6	Hodge Road
		4.0	6.4	7	I-540 west – Wake Forest, RDU Airport
	​	6.3	10.1	9	Smithfield Road
	Wendell	8.0	12.9	11	Wendell Falls Parkway
		9.8	15.8	13	US 64 Bus. (Wendell Boulevard) – Knightdale
		10.2	16.4	14	I-87 end / Rolesville Road – Rolesville	North end of I-87 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		13.0	20.9	432	Lizard Lick Road – Wendell
	Zebulon	16.2	26.1	435	US 64 Bus. west / NC 96 – Zebulon, Oxford
		17.2	27.7	19	US 64 east – Nashville, Rocky Mount	East end of US 64 overlap, future western terminus of I-587
		18.0	29.0	20	NC 97 – Zebulon, Oxford
		19.5	31.4	21	US 264 Alt. east / NC 39 – Selma, Louisburg
Johnston	No major junctions
Nash	Middlesex	24.1	38.8	27	NC 231 – Middlesex
	Bailey	28.3	45.5	30	NC 581 – Bailey, Spring Hope
Wilson	Sims	31.8	51.2	34	Green Pond Road – Sims
	​	33.7	54.2	36	US 264 Alt. – Sims, Wilson	Signed as exits 36A (west) and 36B (east)
	​	35.8	57.6	38	I-95 / I-795 begins – Benson, Rocky Mount	North end of I-795 overlap; signed as exits 38B (south) and 38A (north); Cloverleaf interchange with Collector/distributor lanes
	​	37.6	60.5	40	NC 42 – Wilson, Clayton
	​	39.3	63.2	42	Downing Street – Wilson
	​	40.2	64.7	43C	I-795 south – Goldsboro, Kenly	South end of I-795 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	Wilson	41.1	66.1	43	US 301 to US 117 – Wilson	Signed as exits 43B (south) and 43A (north)
		47.3	76.1	46	Black Creek Road
	​	46.8	75.3	47	Old Stantonburg Road
	​	48.6	78.2	49	NC 58 – Wilson, Kinston
	​	50.0	80.5	51	US 264 Alt. – Wilson, Saratoga
	​	52.4	84.3	53	NC 111 / NC 222 – Saratoga, Fountain
Greene	​	58.5	94.1	59	NC 91 – Walstonburg, Snow Hill	Northern terminus of NC 91
	​	59.5	95.8	60	NC 121 north – Farmville	Southern terminus of NC 121
Pitt	Farmville	62.7	100.9	63	US 258 north – Tarboro, Farmville
		66.0	106.2	66	US 258 south (Wesley Church Road)
	Greenville	70.4	113.3	71	Mozingo Road
		73.0	117.5	73	NC 11 Byp. south / Stantonsburg Road – Greenville Downtown	Signed as exits 73A (west) and 73B (downtown); south end of NC 11 Byp. overlap
		74.7	120.2	75	NC 43 – Greenville, Rocky Mount
		77.2	124.2	77	NC 33 – Tarboro, Greenville
		80.0	128.7	80	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
		83.3	134.1		US 264 Alt. west / NC 33 – Greenville
	​	90.3	145.3		NC 30 west – Bethel	Eastern terminus of NC 30
Beaufort	Washington	99.4	160.0		US 17 – New Bern, Williamston
		100.7	162.1		US 17 Bus. – New Bern, Williamston	West end of NC 92 overlap
	​	107.1	172.4		NC 32 – Plymouth
	​	110.0	177.0		NC 92 east – Bath	East end of NC 92 overlap
	Pantego	126.2	203.1		NC 99 north – Plymouth	North end of NC 99 overlap
	Belhaven	129.9	209.1		US 264 Bus. east / NC 99 south – Bath	South end of NC 99 overlap
	​	132.3	212.9		US 264 Bus. west – Belhaven
Hyde	​	139.2	224.0		NC 45 north – Plymouth	North end of NC 45 overlap
	​	154.4	248.5		NC 45 south – Swan Quarter	South end of NC 45 overlap
	​	156.5	251.9		NC 94 south – Swan Quarter	South end of NC 94 overlap
	​	163.5	263.1		NC 94 north – Columbia	North end of NC 94 overlap
Dare	Manns Harbor	215.7	347.1		US 64 – Columbia, Nags Head
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

Special routes[]

Middlesex-Greenville alternate route[]

U.S. Highway 264 Alternate
Location	Middlesex-Greenville, North Carolina
Length	64.3 mi[14] (103.5 km)
Existed	1984–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.^[15]

County	Location	mi[14]	km	Destinations	Notes
Wake	Zebulon	0.0	0.0	US 264 / NC 39 – Raleigh, Wilson, Emit, Bunn	Brief overlap with NC 39
Johnston	No major junctions
Nash	Middlesex	4.5	7.2	NC 231 (Nash Street) – Emit
	Bailey	9.4	15.1	NC 581 – Kenly, Spring Hope
Wilson	​	15.0	24.1	US 264 – Raleigh, Greenville
	Wilson	16.3	26.2	I-95 – Smithfield, Rocky Mount
		21.0	33.8	NC 42 east (Ward Boulevard)	East end of NC 42 overlap
		21.8	35.1	NC 42 west (Tarboro Street)	West end of NC 42 overlap
		23.3	37.5	US 301 south – Kenly, Smithfield	South end of US 301 overlap
		25.0	40.2	US 301 north / NC 58 (Ward Boulevard) – Elm City, Rocky Mount	North end of US 301 and NC 58 overlap
		26.5	42.6	NC 58 south (Martin Luther King Jr Parkway) – Stantonsburg	South end of NC 58 overlap
	​	31.5	50.7	US 264 – Raleigh, Farmville
	Saratoga	31.5	50.7	NC 111 / NC 222 (Church Street) – Stantonsburg, Fountain
Greene	Walstonburg	39.3	63.2	NC 91 south (Wilson Street) – Walstonburg, Snow Hill	South end of NC 91 overlap
	​	40.1	64.5	NC 91 north (Bell Road)	North end of NC 91 overlap
	​	41.6	66.9	NC 121 south to US 264 west – Wilson	South end of NC 121 overlap
	​	42.1	67.8	NC 121 north (Wilson Street) – Farmville	North end of NC 121 overlap
Pitt	Farmville	45.5	73.2	US 258 (Main Street) – Snow Hill
	​	49.4	79.5	US 13 south – Snow Hill	South end of US 13 overlap
	​	54.9	88.4	NC 11 Byp. – Greenville, Kinston	Exit 119 of NC 11 Bypass
	Greenville	56.2	90.4	US 13 north (Dickinson Avenue) – Greenville	North end of US 13 overlap
		58.0	93.3	NC 11 / NC 43 north / NC 903 (Memorial Drive) – Kinston	North end of NC 43 overlap
		58.0	93.3	NC 43 south (Charles Boulevard) – Vanceboro	South end of NC 43 overlap
		62.5	100.6	NC 33 east (10th Street) – Simpson, Grimesland, Chocowinity	East end of NC 33 overlap
		64.3	103.5	US 264 (Greenville Boulevard) / NC 33 west (Pactolus Highway) – Farmville, Tarboro, Washington	West end of NC 33 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Unopened

Middlesex business loop[]

U.S. Highway 264 Business
Location	Middlesex, North Carolina
Length	15.0 mi[16] (24.1 km)
Existed	1978–1984

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
Location	Wilson, North Carolina
Length	2.0 mi[17] (3.2 km)
Existed	1950–1960

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.^[15]

Wilson business loop[]

U.S. Highway 264 Business
Location	Wilson, North Carolina
Length	2.0 mi[17] (3.2 km)
Existed	1960–1984

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 Business
Location	Farmville, North Carolina
Length	8.3 mi[18] (13.4 km)
Existed	1954–1990

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.^[15]

Wilson–Greenville alternate route[]

U.S. Highway 264 Alternate
Location	Wilson–Greenville, NC
Length	37.8 mi[19] (60.8 km)
Existed	1988–2003

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.^{[20][21][22][23]}

Greenville alternate route[]

U.S. Highway 264A
Location	Greenville, North Carolina
Length	6.2 mi[24] (10.0 km)
Existed	1954–1960

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.^[15]

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 , who established East Carolina University in Greenville, was killed in an early automobile accident along the plank road in 1909.^[25]

Greenville business loop[]

U.S. Highway 264 Business
Location	Greenville, North Carolina
Length	6.2 mi[24] (10.0 km)
Existed	1960–1990

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
Location	Belhaven, North Carolina
Length	2.9 mi[26] (4.7 km)
Existed	1957–1960

U.S. Route 264 Alternate (US 264A) 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.^[15]

Belhaven business loop[]

U.S. Highway 264 Business
Location	Belhaven, North Carolina
Length	2.9 mi[26] (4.7 km)
Existed	1960–present

U.S. Route 264 Business (US 264 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.

Location	mi[26]	km	Destinations	Notes
Belhaven	0.0	0.0	US 264 / NC 99 – Pantego, Washington, Bath, Swanquarter
​	2.9	4.7	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
Location	Manns Harbor–Manteo, NC
Length	5.9 mi[27] (9.5 km)
Existed	1999–2003

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.^[28][29]

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[]

External links[]

( • help)

• Media related to U.S. Route 264 at Wikimedia Commons
• Endpoints of U.S. Highway 264