U.S. 321 travels from the Piedmont of South Carolina north and northwestward to the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Tennessee. Between Gastonia and Hickory, the highway is a freeway. North of Hickory and Lenoir, U.S. 321 constitutes a four lane at-grade arterial until its ascension into the Blue Ridge Mountains. U.S. 321 begins its westward movement toward Tennessee near the towns of Blowing Rock and Boone, where it meets U.S. 221 and U.S. 421.
U.S. 321 North Carolina Guides
Prior to 1960, U.S. 321 concluded northwest at Boone, North Carolina. The states of North Carolina and Tennessee jointly requested a westward extension of the route
To provide a continuous U.S. Route Number from Hickory and the industrial area of West Central North Carolina to the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee.
U.S. 321 overlaid U.S. 421 from Boone to Sugar Grove, and then NC 603 to the state line. Within the Volunteer State, U.S. 321 replaced State Route 159 to SR 67, and then SR 67 via Hampton and Elizabethton, and along SR 91 to Johnson City. The American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) granted the state requests on June 28, 1960.
U.S. 321 was relocated onto the freeway from Dallas north to Long Shoals in August 1989. The 7.10 mile stretch was approved as the new route for U.S. 321 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on December 8, 1990. The remainder of the limited access highway northwest to Interstate 40 in Hickory was completed by 1999. U.S. 321 was subsequently realigned 16.28 miles west from Maiden, Newton and a 7.71 mile long overlap with U.S. 70 in south Hickory. The 21.14 mile long former route was renumbered as part of a newly established U.S. 321 Business measuring 30.95 miles south to Lincolnton, High Shoals and Dallas. AASHTO approved these changes on April 17, 1999.
A 0.70 mile long section of U.S. 221/421 was realigned onto a new roadway in Boone between NC 194 and the South Fork New River. AASHTO concurred with the new route on April 27, 1997.
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| Heading north from Blue Ridge Parkway and Blowing Rock on U.S. 221/321. The two highways overlap between Blowing Rock and NC 105 in Boone. 06/17/05 |
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| Entering the parclo A2 interchange with Blue Ridge Parkway on U.S. 221/321 south near Blowing Rock. 06/17/05 |
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| Maintained by the National Park Service, the Blue Ridge Parkway travels 469 miles between areas near Cherokee, North Carolina and Waynesville, Virginia. A controlled access road, the scenic highway is restricted to passenger vehicles and motorcycles. 06/17/05 |
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| U.S. 221/321 south enter the town of Blowing Rock after Blue Ridge Parkway. 06/17/05 |
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| Possum Hollow Road ties into U.S. 221/321 opposite the Shoppes on the Parkway center on the north side of Blowing Rock. 06/17/05 |
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| U.S. 221 parts ways with U.S. 321 for Downtown Blowing Rock along U.S. 321 Business (Main Street). U.S. 321 stays east of the town center along Valley Boulevard, a commercialized route south to the county line. 06/17/05 |
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| Southbound Valley Boulevard at the partition of U.S. 321 Business/U.S. 221 south from U.S. 321. U.S. 321 Business/221 follow Main Street to Chetola Lake on a 0.75 mile shared alignment. U.S. 321 continues 1.3 miles south to the end of Main Street en route to Lenoir and Hickory. 06/17/05 |
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| U.S. 321 Business southbound shield posted after U.S. 221 leaves U.S. 321 (Valley Drive). 06/17/05 |
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| Main Street weaves westward to Yonahlossee Road and the split of U.S. 221 south from U.S. 321 Business south. 06/17/05 |
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| U.S. 221 bends northwest toward Moses Cone and Sandy Flat Gap while U.S. 321 Business continues south along Main Street to Laurel Park. 06/17/05 |
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| Southwest Boulevard (SR 1933) encircles Lenoir to the south along a controlled access expressway east from U.S. 64/NC 18 (Morganton Road) to U.S. 321 (Hickory Boulevard). 06/10/17 |
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| Southwest Boulevard (SR 1933) concludes 0.67 miles east of U.S. 321A (Norwood Street) at a trumpet interchange with U.S. 321 (Hickory Boulevard). 06/10/17 |
Photo Credits:06/17/05 by AARoads. 06/10/17 by Carter Buchanan.
Connect with:
Interstate 40
Interstate 85
U.S. 29
U.S. 64
U.S. 70
U.S. 221
Page Updated 05-14-2021.
North - Watauga County
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