Interstate 95 South - Whitakers to Rocky Mount

The first of six Nash County exits along I-95 is with the west end of NC 33 near the settlement of Hickory.

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NC 33 leads east 5.21 miles to U.S. 301 at the town of Whitakers. NC 33 continues 13 miles southeast from there to Leggett and 21 miles to Tarboro.

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Entering the diamond interchange (Exit 150) with NC 33 on I- 95 south. This stretch of NC 33 was previously numbered as NC 44 until 1994, when NC 33 was extended from Tarboro.¹

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I-95 continues on a southerly course toward Rocky Mount (16 miles) and Benson. The freeway reaches Fayetteville in 103 miles.

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NC 4/48 parallel Interstate 95 south from Hickory to Gold Rock and their split at Exit 145. Exit 145 serves North Carolina Wesleyan College.

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Benson, the crossroads with Interstate 40, appears on southbound distance signs at 69 miles out. Fayetteville is 101 miles away.

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The upcoming trumpet interchange at Exit 145 links I-95 with NC 48 south to Drake and Goldrock Road into Rocky Mount, and NC 4, a four lane highway east 3.84 miles to U.S. 301 at Battleboro.

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Exit 145 departs I-95 south to NC 4/48 near Gold Rock. NC 4 east to U.S. 301 south was originally part of Business Loop I-95 through Rocky Mount and Wilson. I-95 was completed west of Rocky Mount by 1979, resulting in the decommissioning of the 45.4 mile long business route by 1988.²

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12 miles out from Rocky Mount along I-95 south.

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I-95 shifts southwest from Red Oak Battleboro Road (SR 1524) to the Nash County Rest Area.

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Southbound Interstate 95 enters the town of Dortches at the Nash County Rest Area.

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A diamond interchange (Exit 141) follows with NC 43 (Dortches Boulevard) on Interstate 95 south in Dortches.

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NC 43 angles southeast along Dortches Boulevard and then Benvenue Road to Downtown Rocky Mount. A 120.55 mile long highway, NC 43 extends north from Red Oak to NC 58 in Warren County Liberia and southeast to New Bern.

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This confirming marker replaced the last state named shield posted along the Interstate 95 mainline in North Carolina

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The longest numbered route in North Carolina, forthcoming U.S. 64 crosses the state from Tennessee to Nags Head. U.S. 64 connects the Raleigh Durham area with the Outer Banks and Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

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Part of the Future I-87 corridor between Raleigh with Williamston, U.S. 64 meets Interstate 95 at a cloverleaf interchange (Exits 138B/A) in one mile.

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Interstate 87 overlaps with U.S. 64 leading west to the exchange with I-440 in Raleigh.

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A collector distributor roadway separates from I-95 south for U.S. 64 / Future I-87. U.S. 64 crosses Rocky Mount to the east with seven interchanges.

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Exit 138B leaves the c/d roadway for U.S. 64 west to Nashville, the Nash County seat, Zebulon and the capital city of Raleigh.

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U.S. 64 continues east from I-95 and Rocky Mount to Tarboro. Future I-87 heads northeast to Hampton Roads from U.S. 64 at Williamston.

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Interstate 95 passes through western reaches of the Rocky Mount city limits at the Sunset Avenue (SR 1770) overpass. Sunset Avenue is part of the pre-freeway alignment of U.S. 64 west to Nashville.

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Continuing south from near Halifax Crossing outside Rocky Mount, Interstate 95 reaches Smithfield in 44 miles.

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Interstate 95 meets Sandy Cross Road (SR 1717) west and West Mount Drive (SR 1717) east at a diamond interchange (Exit 132) near Langley Crossroads.

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Sandy Cross Road links I-95 with NC 58, a route between Warrenton and Atlantic Beach, 1.17 miles to the west of Exit 132. West Mount Drive leads 6.34 miles east from I-95 to Langley Crossroads, Easonburg and U.S. 301 Bypass (Wesleyan Boulevard).

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Interstate 95 crosses the Sapony Creek arm of Tar River Reservoir ahead of this confirming marker south of Exit 132.

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Wilson is 17 miles to the southeast via I-95 south to U.S. 264 Alternate, though NC 58 provides a more direct route to the city from Sandy Cross. Smithfield replaces Benson and Fayetteville as the second control point in 38 miles.

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Meeting Interstate 95 at Exit 127, NC 97 encircles the Tar River Reservoir eastward to Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport (RWI).

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Interstate 95 crosses the Tar River ahead of the diamond interchange (Exit 127) with NC 97.

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NC 97 generally parallels Future I-87/U.S. 64 along a 63.53 mile long course between U.S. 64 Business at Eagle Rock and NC 122 at Hobgood. Stanhope is a six mile drive to the west.

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Interstate 95 enters Wilson County south of Toisnot Swamp.

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