North Carolina Highway 87

(Redirected from North Carolina Highway 303)

North Carolina Highway 87 (NC 87) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. NC 87 begins in the Atlantic coastal town of Southport and crosses into Virginia at the Virginia state line five miles (8 km) north of Eden in Rockingham County. At 240 miles (390 km) in length, NC 87 is the second longest state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina with only North Carolina Highway 24 (NC 24) being longer. Labeled as a north–south route, NC 87 travels along a relatively straight southeast–northwest path, connecting Cape Fear region with the Piedmont. It is also the main north-south route connecting the cities of Fayetteville, Sanford, Burlington and Reidsville.

North Carolina Highway 87 marker
North Carolina Highway 87
Route of NC 87 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length236.8 mi (381.1 km)
Existed1937–present
Major junctions
South end NC 211 in Southport
Major intersections
North end SR 87 at the Virginia state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountiesBrunswick, Columbus, Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett, Lee, Chatham, Alamance, Caswell, Rockingham
Highway system
I-87 NC 88

Route description

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NC 87 is a four-lane, divided highway with at-grade crossings between Elizabethtown and Sanford with the exception of Fayetteville, where NC 87 is a freeway. Other sections that are four-lane, divided highways include concurrencies with US 17 and US 74/US 76 in Brunswick County.

In Sanford, it intersects US 421, on which users can travel east to Lillington, or northwest to Greensboro, and Winston-Salem. North of Sanford, NC 87 runs concurrent with US 15/US 501 to Pittsboro. It then continues towards Graham as a two-lane highway. It returns to four-lanes in southern Graham, returning to two-lane in downtown Graham. The route makes a left turn one block north of the Alamance County Courthouse, where it follows a two-lane road before making a right turn onto a four-lane street. The highway remains four-lane through downtown Burlington, returning to mostly two lanes for the remainder of its route in North Carolina, save for Reidsville, where it intersects US 29, and runs on four-lane commercial corridor Freeway Drive.

History

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North Carolina Highway 303

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North Carolina Highway 303
LocationSouthportWinnabow
Length15.1 mi[1] (24.3 km)
Existed1930–October 23, 1952[2]

North Carolina Highway 303 (NC 303) was a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Established as an original state highway, NC 303 was routed from NC 30, in Pollocksville, west through Trenton, before ending at NC 10/NC 11, in Kinston. In 1925, all of NC 303 was renumbered as part of NC 12. In 1930, NC 303 was resurrected as a new primary routing from NC 130 (now NC 211), near Southport, to NC 30 (became US 17 in late 1934), near Winnabow. On October 23, 1952, NC 303 was renumbered as an extension of NC 87.[2]

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
BrunswickSouthport0.00.0  NC 211 (Howe Street) – SupplySouthern terminus
1.32.1 
 
NC 133 south (Long Beach Road) – Caswell Beach
South end of concurrency with NC 133
Boiling Spring Lakes3.35.3 
 
NC 133 north (River Road) – Belville
North end of concurrency with NC 133
Winnabow15.224.5 
 
US 17 south (Ocean Highway) – Bolivia, Shallotte
South end of concurrency with US 17
Bishop18.629.9 
 
 
 
US 17 north (Ocean Highway) to I-140 – Leland, Wilmington
North end of concurrency with US 17
Maco27.944.9  
 
US 74 / US 76 east (Andrew Jackson Highway) – Leland, Wilmington
South end of concurrency with US 74/US 76
ColumbusDelco32.452.1  
 
US 74 / US 76 west (Andrew Jackson Highway) – Bolton, Whiteville
North end of concurrency with US 74/US 76
Sandyfield38.461.8  NC 11 (General Howe Highway) – Bolton, Long View
BladenElizabethtown62.7100.9 
 
 
NC 87 Bus. north (Broad Street)
Southern terminus of NC 87 Bus.
64.7104.1   US 701 / NC 242 – Clarkton, Bladenboro, White Lake, Roseboro
69.2111.4 
 
 
 
 
NC 41 north / NC 87 Bus. south – White Lake, Harrells
South end of concurrency with NC 41; Northern terminus of NC 87 Bus.
Dublin70.9114.1 
 
NC 41 south – Lumberton, Fairmont
North end of concurrency with NC 41
72.4116.5 
 
NC 410 south (3rd Street) – Bladenboro
Northern terminus of NC 410
Tar Heel79.2127.5 
 
NC 131 south – Bladenboro
Northern terminus of NC 131
84.2135.5 
 
NC 20 west – St. Pauls
Eastern terminus of NC 20
CumberlandFayetteville97.9157.6 
 
I-95 north – Benson, Smithfield
 
 
I-95 south – Lumberton, Florence
Cloverleaf interchange with Collector/distributor lanes; Exit 46
100.3161.4Owen DriveDiamond interchange
102.0164.2   I-95 BL / US 301 (Eastern Boulevard) – St. Pauls, EastoverPartial cloverleaf interchange
102.8165.4Gillespie StreetPartial cloverleaf interchange
103.5166.6 
 
 
US 401 Bus. south (Robeson Street) – Raeford
South end of concurrency with US 401 Bus.; Partial cloverleaf interchange
104.2167.7Hay StreetDiamond interchange
104.7168.5 
 
 
 
 
US 401 Bus. north (Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway) / NC 24 east (Rowan Street) – Raleigh, Stedman
North end of concurrency with US 401 Bus.; South end of concurrency with NC 24; Diamond interchange
108.6174.8  US 401 (Skibo Road/Pamalee Drive) – Lumberton, Lillington
Spring Lake114.1183.6 
 
NC 210 south (Murchison Road) – Fayetteville
South end of concurrency with NC 210
114.5184.3 
 
NC 210 north (Lillington Highway) – Lillington
North end of concurrency with NC 210
116.7187.8 
 
NC 690 west (Vass Road) – Vass
Eastern terminus of NC 690
HarnettSpout Springs123.1198.1 
 
NC 24 west – Johnsonville, Cameron
North end of concurrency with NC 24; Partial cloverleaf interchange
Pineview126.5203.6  NC 27 – Carthage, LillingtonDiamond interchange
LeeSanford135.5218.1 
 
 
 
 
NC 87 Byp. north to US 421 – Raleigh, Pittsboro
137.0220.5 
 
 
US 421 Bus. south – Lillington
South end of concurrency with US 421 Bus.
138.1222.3 
 
 
 
NC 42 east / NC 78 west (Main Street) – Fuquay-Varina
South end of concurrency with NC 42; Eastern terminus of NC 78
140.7226.4 
 
 
 
US 1 Bus. / NC 42 west (Carthage Street) – Carbonton
North end of concurrency with NC 42
141.9228.4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
US 1 south / US 15 south / US 501 south (Jefferson Davis Highway) / US 421 Bus. north (Horner Boulevard) – Cameron, Carthage, Goldston
South end of concurrency with US 1/15/501; North end of concurrency with US 421 Bus.; Partial cloverleaf interchange
142.5229.3Burns Drive/Canterbury RoadPartial cloverleaf interchange; exit 69B on US 1
143.0230.1  
 
 
US 421 (Oscar Keller Jr. Highway) / NC 87 Byp. south – Lillington, Siler City, Greensboro
Cloverleaf interchange; exit 70 on US 1
144.2232.1 
 
 
 
 
US 1 north / US 1 Bus. south (Hawkins Avenue) – Moncure, Raleigh
North end of concurrency with US 1; Northern terminus of US 1 Bus.; Partial cloverleaf interchange
ChathamPittsboro157.5253.5  
 
US 15 / US 501 north (Sanford Road) – Fearrington, Chapel Hill
North end of concurrency with US 15/US 501
158.0254.3 
 
NC 902 west – Bear Creek
South end of concurrency with NC 902
158.9255.7 
 
  US 64 Bus. / NC 902 (West Street)
Eastern terminus of NC 902; North end of concurrency with NC 902
160.8258.8  US 64 – Siler City, RaleighDiamond interchange
AlamanceGraham186.5300.1   I-40 / I-85 – Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Hillsborough, DurhamDiamond interchange; exit 147 on I-85
187.3301.4 
 
 
 
NC 49 north / NC 54 east (Harden Street) – Haw River, Durham
South end of concurrency with NC 49/NC 54
187.8302.2 
 
 
 
NC 49 south / NC 54 west (Harden Street) – Liberty, Burlington
North end of concurrency with NC 49/NC 54
Burlington189.1304.3 
 
NC 100 east (Anthony Avenue)
South end of concurrency with NC 100
190.1–
190.3
305.9–
306.3
   US 70 / NC 62 (Fisher and Church Streets) – Greensboro, Haw River, Julian, Pleasant GroveOne-way pair streets
192.8310.3 
 
NC 100 west (Haggard Avenue) – Whitsett
North end of concurrency with NC 100
Caswell
No major junctions
Rockingham208.1334.9 
 
NC 150 east – Yanceyville
East end of NC 150 concurrency
Williamsburg209.2336.7 
 
NC 150 west – Oak Ridge
West end of NC 150 concurrency
Reidsville212.9342.6  US 29 – Greensboro, Danville, VADiamond interchange
214.4345.0 
 
 
US 29 Bus. south
South end of concurrency with US 29 Bus.
215.8347.3Front Street to  
 
US 158 west (Richardson Drive) – Monroeton
Partial cloverleaf interchange; South end of concurrency with US 158
217.9350.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
US 29 Bus. north / US 158 east (Freeway Drive) / NC 65 east (Harrison Street) – Yanceyville, Roxboro
North end of concurrency with US 29 Bus. and US 158; South end of concurrency with NC 65; Diamond interchange
Wentworth221.8357.0 
 
NC 65 west – Stokesdale
North end of concurrency with NC 65
 
 
 
 
US 311 south / NC 770 west / Old NC 87
South end of concurrency with US 311/NC 770
Eden229.5369.3 
 
NC 14 south – Reidsville
South end of concurrency with NC 14
231.8373.0 
 
 
 
 
 
US 311 north / NC 700 east / NC 770 east (Meadow Road) – Stoneville, Pelham
Partial cloverleaf interchange; north end of concurrency with US 311/NC 770; western terminus of NC 700
236.8381.1 
 
SR 87 north (Morehead Avenue) – Ridgeway
 
 
NC 14 ends
Northern terminus, Virginia state line; north end of concurrency with NC 14
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Special routes

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Elizabethtown business loop

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North Carolina Highway 87 Business
LocationElizabethtown, North Carolina
Length6.4 mi[3] (10.3 km)
Existed1998–present

North Carolina Highway 87 Business (NC 87 Bus.), was established in 1997, when mainline NC 87 was moved south to bypass downtown Elizabethtown. NC 87 Business follows the original alignment along Broad Street.[4]

The entire route is in Elizabethtown, Bladen County.

mi[3]kmDestinationsNotes
0.00.0  NC 87 – Fayetteville, Wilmington
2.03.2  
 
  US 701 / NC 41 east (Poplar Street) / NC 242 – Clinton, Whiteville
East end of NC 41 overlap
6.410.3 
 
  NC 41 west / NC 87 – Fayetteville, Lumberton, Wilmington
West end of NC 41 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Fayetteville alternate route 1

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North Carolina Highway 87A
LocationFayetteville, North Carolina
Existed1944–1949

North Carolina Highway 87 Alternate (NC 87A), was established between 1940-44 as a new primary routing. It ran from US 15A/NC 87 (Hay Street) north along Robeson Street and then west along Fort Bragg Boulevard, recombining with mainline NC 87 on Fort Bragg Road. Sometime between 1945–49, it switched with mainline NC 87.[5]

Fayetteville alternate route 2

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North Carolina Highway 87A
LocationFayetteville, North Carolina
Existed1949–1957

North Carolina Highway 87 Alternate (NC 87A), was established between 1945–49, the second NC 87A in Fayetteville followed the original NC 87 alignment along Hay Street, Morganton Road, and Fort Bragg Road. The route was decommissioned between 1955-57.[6]

Sanford bypass

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North Carolina Highway 87 Bypass
LocationSanford, North Carolina
Length8.0 mi[7] (12.9 km)
Existed2013–present

North Carolina Highway 87 Bypass (NC 87 By-pass) was established in 2013 as a new primary route along existing sections of the Sanford Bypass (formally SR 9000), from NC 87 to US 1/US 15/US 501. The request to establish a bypass was pushed by the Sanford City Council and Lee County. Typically, the old alignment would become a business loop, but instead the NC 87 mainline remained unchanged. The bypass is built as a freeway; which shares designation with US 421.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "North Carolina Highway 303" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Southport Receives New Route Number". The News and Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. October 24, 1952. p. 5. Retrieved May 6, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ a b "North Carolina Highway 87 Business - Elizabethtown, NC" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  4. ^ Route Change (1998-06-15) (PDF) (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. June 15, 1998. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  5. ^ 1944 County Maps (PDF) (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. December 1, 1944. Cumberland County inset. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  6. ^ 1949 County Maps (PDF) (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. June 30, 1949. Cumberland Supplement inset. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  7. ^ "North Carolina Highway 87 Bypass - Sanford, NC" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  8. ^ Route Change (2013-08-20) (PDF) (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. August 20, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
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