Highway 147 - Durham Freeway

North Carolina Highway 147 is an 8.0 mile route following the northern half the Durham Freeway, an urban loop to Downtown Durham. NC 147 was replaced by Interstate 885 south from the East End Connector to the exchange joining I-40 with the Triangle Expressway (TriEx) through Research Triangle Park (RTP). Opened in 2011 south from the Durham Freeway to NC 540 (Western Wake Expressway), the TriEx was renumbered in 2022 from NC 147 Toll to NC 885 Toll.

Construction on NC 147 commenced in 1968 with the first segment opened to traffic between Alston Avenue (NC 55) and Chapel Hill Street (SR 1127) in 1970. Extensions built in the 1970s followed west to Erwin Road (SR 1320) and east to Interstate 40 through RTP.

Road planning techniques in the 1960s would not be used in 1982 to develop the corridor northwest to Interstate 85 through the Crest Street neighborhood. Instead of relocating residents and razing properties, 181 houses were relocated to new foundations in the area, allowing residents to stay in the Crest Street community. This allowed work on the freeway to proceed with minimal disruptions to the area community. The Durham Freeway was completed to Interstate 85 on July 31, 1998.^1,2

NC 147 was 16.08 miles long prior to the designation of Interstate 885. The East End Connector was constructed from February 2015 to Summer 2022. NC 147 was renumbered as I-885 south from the East End Connector in May 2022.

North

A compact cloverleaf interchange (Exit 16) joins NC 147 (Durham Freeway) with the freeway along U.S. 15/501 northwest of Downtown Durham.
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South

NC 147 (Durham Freeway) branches 1.95 miles southeast from Interstate 85 to U.S. 15/501 at a cloverleaf interchange (Exit 16).
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Navigating southeast through an S-curve, the succeeding exit on NC 147 is Fulton Street south / Hillandale Road north.
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The SPUI (Exit 15) with Fulton Street (SR 1321) lies north of Duke University Hospital.
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Continuing from the wye interchange with Elba Street, NC 147 meets Swift Avenue south of the Duke University East Campus.
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The parclo interchange (Exit 14) with Swift Avenue (SR 1322) connects with Broad Street north at U.S. 70 Business (Main Street).
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Advancing toward Downtown Durham, NC 147 approaches Exit 13 with Chapel Hill Street (SR 1127).
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Durham Bulls Athletic Park is located on the north side of NC 147 between Lackwell Street and U.S. 15-501 Business (Mangum Street).
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Downtown Durham
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A split diamond interchange joins NC 147 with U.S. 15-501 Business and Fayetteville Street (SR 1118) at Exit 12.
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A pedestrian bridge spans NC 147 from Lakeland Street at the parclo interchange (Exit 11) with NC 55 (Alston Avenue).
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A two-wye interchange was constructed from 2016 to 2021 along the Durham Freeway for the East End Connector (Interstate 885).
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Opened in June 2022, the East End Connector takes I-885 northward alongside U.S. 70 to I-85/U.S. 15.
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scenes

Lawson Street ties into the southbound entrance ramp for NC 147 from Briggs Avenue (SR 2163) near Durham Technical Community College.
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References:

1. "30-year, 12-mile project completed." The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC), July 26, 1998.
2. "Durham Freeway's last leg opens." The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC), August 1, 1998.

Connect with:

Interstate 85

Interstate 885

U.S. 15

U.S. 501

Page Updated Thursday January 26, 2023.