North Carolina

[freebrickproductions]

Let NC greet all the new residents with neglected maintenance and thousands of county road signs riddled with buckshot and rural blight.

(Emphasis mine)

You act like that's really any different from literally any other state in the southeast, with maybe an exception for Florida.

[Mapmikey]

One thing NC is definitely doing, though may be a District thing:  Some large swaths of NC are no longer posting the SR 10xx routes on larger white rectangles.

Another is that the once ubiquitous white rectangle signs at most intersections with a distance to somewhere are quickly disappearing except in eastern NC.  Western NC used these to show road names or dead end road alerting, since many of the roads in the mountains don't go anywhere.

[fillup420]

One thing NC is definitely doing, though may be a District thing:  Some large swaths of NC are no longer posting the SR 10xx routes on larger white rectangles.

Another is that the once ubiquitous white rectangle signs at most intersections with a distance to somewhere are quickly disappearing except in eastern NC.  Western NC used these to show road names or dead end road alerting, since many of the roads in the mountains don't go anywhere.

I love the white distance markers, i wish they would make a comeback outside of the coastal plain. they are so simple yet effective.

 I also love the use of wooden posts for nearly all small signage down east (highway shields, speed limits, etc).

[Dirt Roads]

I've been distracted with home repair issues lately, so not surprised that I totally missed this news:

The budget passed by the North Carolina Legislature back on July 6, 2026 includes a provision that all NCDOT Ferry Division routes be tolled by January 1, 2027.  The budget legislation now mandates that the entirety of NCDOT Ferry Division toll revenues generate sufficient income to fund the replacement costs of NCDOT ferry vessels.

Currently, there are three free ferries in North Carolina:  NC-306 Cherry Branch -to- Minnesott Beach; NC-12 Hatteras -to- Ocracoke (east end of the island); and NC-45 Swan Quarter -to- Ocracoke (Silver Lake, the inlet lagoon on the west end of the island).  The latter service connects Ocracoke with the mainland portion of Hyde County.  Note that Ocracoke still has a K-12 primary school, which appears to be the smallest high school (G9-12) in the state.  Today's news indicates that the NCDOT Ferry Division also requires an annual $150 ferry pass for residents of twenty North Carolina counties.

I haven't been able to discern whether this mandate will also apply to the Hammocks Beach ferry, which is operated by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (ergo, ferry access to this historically-Black beach which is now a popular State Park).

[Dirt Roads]

^^^
It appears that there three more tollfree ferries in North Carolina subject to the new tolling mandate as well:

• NC-211 Southport -to- Fort Fisher
• NC-306 Aurora -to- Bayview
• NC-615 Currituck -to- Knotts Island ferry

[dfilpus]

^^^
It appears that there three more tollfree ferries in North Carolina subject to the new tolling mandate as well:

• NC-211 Southport -to- Fort Fisher

Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry is not toll free.

[architect77]

One thing NC is definitely doing, though may be a District thing:  Some large swaths of NC are no longer posting the SR 10xx routes on larger white rectangles.

Another is that the once ubiquitous white rectangle signs at most intersections with a distance to somewhere are quickly disappearing except in eastern NC.  Western NC used these to show road names or dead end road alerting, since many of the roads in the mountains don't go anywhere.

I love the white distance markers, i wish they would make a comeback outside of the coastal plain. they are so simple yet effective.

 I also love the use of wooden posts for nearly all small signage down east (highway shields, speed limits, etc).

Ugghh.I don't like the wooden posts at all. It looks hillbilly to me, but that's just my opinion. Interestingly, California mounts many shoulder signs on wood posts, at it did when I lived out there in the 90s.

[architect77]

Let NC greet all the new residents with neglected maintenance and thousands of county road signs riddled with buckshot and rural blight.

(Emphasis mine)

You act like that's really any different from literally any other state in the southeast, with maybe an exception for Florida.

The point is, I'd rather not have all of the various little signs along every NC route throughout the counties if it they remain for 30 years, bent, crooked, faded, leaning like all of the tiny yellow stripe signs at creeks and culverts. etc.

When I see grossly overlooked maintenance items like that for years on end go unaddressed, it adds to the feeling of decline of oversight so often now seen in this country. It's like no one notices the details anymore, windows go unwashed, business exterior signage always has bulbs burned out for months and years, that's just my take.

What are the numbers of abandoned vehicles like these days in NC? In Atlanta, someone posted on some forum that they were shocked to see "so many" disabled vehicles along the freeways. Then they clarified that there was always "at least one" on every interstate in Atlanta.

I was like I've seen 10-15 disabled cars in just a few miles of roadways outside of Raleigh before. There are several on the Beltline when I'm home. I hope they tow them quickly. These posters from the Midwest made it known that it was something they're not used to seeing.

[roadman65]

I couldn't help notice that in Asheville that US 74A is no longer signed along South Tunnel Road between Tunnel Road ( US 70) and NC 81.

Nor is it signed at the intersections of South Tunnel and Tunnel or South Tunnel and NC 81.

Is US 74A decommissioned on South Tunnel Road or is it typical carelessness by NCDOT?

[74/171FAN]

I couldn't help notice that in Asheville that US 74A is no longer signed along South Tunnel Road between Tunnel Road ( US 70) and NC 81.

Nor is it signed at the intersections of South Tunnel and Tunnel or South Tunnel and NC 81.

Is US 74A decommissioned on South Tunnel Road or is it typical carelessness by NCDOT?

I'd assume just carelessness. 

[D-Dey65]

I need some information from anybody who knows something about Jackson County, North Carolina? Specifically, what is the status of the community of "Speedwell?" I saw a bunch of pictures of that place in Wikimedia Commons, but no evidence that it's even an unincorporated community.

[Dirt Roads]

I need some information from anybody who knows something about Jackson County, North Carolina? Specifically, what is the status of the community of "Speedwell?" I saw a bunch of pictures of that place in Wikimedia Commons, but no evidence that it's even an unincorporated community.

Speedwell is a "settlement" alongside Cullowhee Creek in the southern part of Cullowhee, North Carolina (not too awful far from Western Carolina University).  [In Appalachia, the term settlement typically refers to a cluster of homes not associated with any community related businesses, industries or churches.]  Compounding the issue is that "Cullowhee" is itself not an incorporated town or city, but rather one of the county districts (known as townships in North Carolina).  Speedwell Church is further upstream and it predates the county by about 11 years. 

For the record, there is definitely a "town" surrounding the college campus and it is located surrounding the Cullowhee Mound (Joolth-cullah-wee), the site of a long-abandoned Cherokee village.  As the college environment has grown around the "town" into the township, the "settlement" of Speedwell has been slowly absorbed into the "town".  A small portion of the "settlement" of Speedwell is still "outside of town".  My impression is that the old-timers in the "town" part of the settlement still refer to the area as "Speedwell", whereas the newcomers and college kids refer to it generically as "down in south Cullowhee".

[WashuOtaku]

I need some information from anybody who knows something about Jackson County, North Carolina? Specifically, what is the status of the community of "Speedwell?" I saw a bunch of pictures of that place in Wikimedia Commons, but no evidence that it's even an unincorporated community.

It is an actual place on a map, it is both on GNIS (#1018176) and on NCDOT county maps. It is southwest of Western Carolina University along Tilley Creek Road. Yes, it can be identified as a unincorporated community as there is a church located there with the name and I even found a record of a post office for it from 1893-1952. Hope that helps.

[WashuOtaku]

I couldn't help notice that in Asheville that US 74A is no longer signed along South Tunnel Road between Tunnel Road ( US 70) and NC 81.

Nor is it signed at the intersections of South Tunnel and Tunnel or South Tunnel and NC 81.

Is US 74A decommissioned on South Tunnel Road or is it typical carelessness by NCDOT?

Looking on Google Maps, I see signs at the split from NC 81, at Swannannoa River Road and Fairview Road. It appears the signage was removed during construction at South Tunnel and Swannannoa River Road. Generally though, bad signage on Tunnel and South Tunnel Roads.

I validated on NCDOT county maps and it still shows that is the route (as of July 2026).

Maybe notifying NCDOT online that there is poor route signage there would be helpful.

[roadman65]

I couldn't help notice that in Asheville that US 74A is no longer signed along South Tunnel Road between Tunnel Road ( US 70) and NC 81.

Nor is it signed at the intersections of South Tunnel and Tunnel or South Tunnel and NC 81.

Is US 74A decommissioned on South Tunnel Road or is it typical carelessness by NCDOT?

Looking on Google Maps, I see signs at the split from NC 81, at Swannannoa River Road and Fairview Road. It appears the signage was removed during construction at South Tunnel and Swannannoa River Road. Generally though, bad signage on Tunnel and South Tunnel Roads.

I validated on NCDOT county maps and it still shows that is the route (as of July 2026).

Maybe notifying NCDOT online that there is poor route signage there would be helpful.

I also noticed that west of Asheville that where US 74A is concurrent with US 19 & 23 it is not signed at the split from I-26 & 240 nor is it signed on I-40 & US 74 where the routes interchange west of the I-40 & I-26 exchange.  To me if NCDOT is not going to sign the route with both US 18 and US 23, why not just have it end at the I-26 & I-40 interchange instead.

Its as useless as Arkansas having a business route for US 71 in Fort Smith where the parent route isn't even signed because it secondary to I-540 where it exists.

[D-Dey65]

I need some information from anybody who knows something about Jackson County, North Carolina? Specifically, what is the status of the community of "Speedwell?" I saw a bunch of pictures of that place in Wikimedia Commons, but no evidence that it's even an unincorporated community.

Speedwell is a "settlement" alongside Cullowhee Creek in the southern part of Cullowhee, North Carolina (not too awful far from Western Carolina University).  [In Appalachia, the term settlement typically refers to a cluster of homes not associated with any community related businesses, industries or churches.]  Compounding the issue is that "Cullowhee" is itself not an incorporated town or city, but rather one of the county districts (known as townships in North Carolina).  Speedwell Church is further upstream and it predates the county by about 11 years. 

For the record, there is definitely a "town" surrounding the college campus and it is located surrounding the Cullowhee Mound (Joolth-cullah-wee), the site of a long-abandoned Cherokee village.  As the college environment has grown around the "town" into the township, the "settlement" of Speedwell has been slowly absorbed into the "town".  A small portion of the "settlement" of Speedwell is still "outside of town".  My impression is that the old-timers in the "town" part of the settlement still refer to the area as "Speedwell", whereas the newcomers and college kids refer to it generically as "down in south Cullowhee".

I need some information from anybody who knows something about Jackson County, North Carolina? Specifically, what is the status of the community of "Speedwell?" I saw a bunch of pictures of that place in Wikimedia Commons, but no evidence that it's even an unincorporated community.

It is an actual place on a map, it is both on GNIS (#1018176) and on NCDOT county maps. It is southwest of Western Carolina University along Tilley Creek Road. Yes, it can be identified as a unincorporated community as there is a church located there with the name and I even found a record of a post office for it from 1893-1952. Hope that helps.

Thanks to both of you for the data.

[roadman65]

I saw from Google research from various websites why US 70 got split from US 29 in the Piedmont Triad.

They basically wanted US 70 to have an identity between Greensboro and High Point as the previous overlap masked US 70 between the two cities.   I dont know how true that is, but sounds plausible.

[WashuOtaku]

I saw from Google research from various websites why US 70 got split from US 29 in the Piedmont Triad.

They basically wanted US 70 to have an identity between Greensboro and High Point as the previous overlap masked US 70 between the two cities.   I dont know how true that is, but sounds plausible.

I believe it was a realization that combining all the highway routes into one route through Greensboro turned out to be a bad idea and they have reversed themselves is all.

[sturmde]

I believe it was a realization that combining all the highway routes into one route through Greensboro turned out to be a bad idea and they have reversed themselves is all.

Yes, partly it was the sign-salad Death Valley days on 40/85/220/29/70/421 hutt hutt hike.  Yes, all 6 were signed.
.
So, the new routing of US 70 though isn't on an "old" routing.  It takes advantage of Wendover running all the way across the north side of downtown and continuing on Eastchester/Westchester, instead of staying co-joined to US 29.  I just wish they'd follow the same logic and put US 220 on Freeman Mill Road and Spring/Edgeworth to Battleground. 

[Mapmikey]

The actual reasons given by NCDOT in the fall 2019 AASHTO application (see page 45 - https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/10/005-USRN-Applications-Fall-2019-Part-4_-MN-OK.pdf):

Currently, a portion of US 70 is routed along sections of I-40, I-85, US 29, and US 220 in Davidson, Randolph, and
Guilford Counties. The proposed relocated section of US 70 will be concurrent with portions of NC 68, SR 1541/SR 2254
(Wendover Avenue), and US 220 in Guilford County.  All the proposed routing will be on the National Highway System. 
It will provide another US route through the municipalities of Thomasville, High Point, and Greensboro to better serve
these communities, serve as a numbered diversion route, aid in incident management, provide single route continuity,
and simplify the freeway signing system. The proposed relocated routing of US 70 would provide an alternate primary
availability to other parts of the county as well as diverting traffic from concurrent interstate routes.  Both the Greensboro
Urban Area and High Point Metropolitan Planning Organizations provided resolutions of support for this proposed
relocation of US 70.

[roadman65]

I'm curious to know is US 52 in Winston- Salem between I-50 and NC 74 yet built to interstate standards? 

I'm asking because I-285 is proposed to run that route making US 52 interstate all the way from I-85 to Mount Airy with the future I-74 from the Northern Loop to Mount Airy.  Wondering if it will be as soon as I-74 gets signed on the Northern Loop, or does a lot of work need to be done (like on US 64 where I-87 is to be placed) such as adding shoulders  adding 16 feet overpasses, etc?

[sturmde]

The actual reasons ...

You mispelled "ackchually". 

[The Ghostbuster]

US 52 (future Interstate 285) between Interstate 40 and Interstate 74 doesn't meet Interstate Standards from what I can tell on Google Maps. It likely would need upgrades to extend the Interstate 285 designation further north.

[roadman65]

Also noticed the inconsistencies of the control cities on both US 52 ( Future I-285) and newly designated I-74 from US 421 in Winston-Salem.   Mounty Airy is used on US 52, but Wytheville is now being used for I-74 from the same route same direction.


Being both US 52 and I-74 converge at Rural Hall to the same freeway, it seems odd to have one signed for one and the other for the other.  Although Wytheville is okay as a destination being its where both I-77 and I-81 intersect, while Mount Airy too is a decent size city to be also used, it should be consistent for both freeways exits.

[Strider]

Also noticed the inconsistencies of the control cities on both US 52 ( Future I-285) and newly designated I-74 from US 421 in Winston-Salem.   Mounty Airy is used on US 52, but Wytheville is now being used for I-74 from the same route same direction.


Being both US 52 and I-74 converge at Rural Hall to the same freeway, it seems odd to have one signed for one and the other for the other.  Although Wytheville is okay as a destination being its where both I-77 and I-81 intersect, while Mount Airy too is a decent size city to be also used, it should be consistent for both freeways exits.

US-52 goes to Mt. Airy and through the city itself, which makes the control city signage correct. I-74 goes to Wytheville (bypasses Mt. Airy) due to I-77, and I-74 will eventually go through there in the future whenever VA decides to sign it along I-77. So, both control cities are correct. There are no inconsistencies like you mentioned. I'm not sure what you're trying to get yourself into....