State Route 344

North Carolina Highway 344 travels wholly within Pasquotank County along a 20.9 mile route. The state route connects rural areas on the peninsula between the Little and Pasquotank Rivers with Elizabeth City. Halstead Boulevard takes the route northwest along a commercial strip between Roanoke Avenue and U.S. 17 (Hughes Boulevard). Halstead Boulevard Extension continues NC 343 west to a diamond interchange with U.S. 17 Business (Future I-87). The four-lane arterial opened up agricultural areas for development with big box retail, apartments and subdivisions added.

The 3.7-mile long Halstead Boulevard Extension opened to traffic east from U.S. 17 Bypass to the intersection of Halstead and Hughes Boulevards on May 2, 2004. The arterial was initially designated as a North Carolina secondary route. Coinciding with a $100,000 project to install 13 new signs along the U.S. 17 Bypass freeway, the North Carolina Department of Transportation outlined two possibilities to upgrade Halstead Boulevard Extension into a primary state route. The first alternative proposed the establishment of a new route number for both Halstead Boulevard Extension, and what was NC 34 from Halstead Boulevard to the south end of Pasquotank County. This option retained North Carolina 34 northward from Halstead Boulevard along Herrington Road and to U.S. 158 through Downtown Elizabeth City.

The second option removed all of NC 34 south from its merge with U.S. 158 in Camden County, to Glen Cove in south Pasquotank County. This included redesignating portions of then-NC 34 along Road and Waters Streets as secondary routes. NCDOT solicited Pasquotank County commissioners for input on the proposals, which were discussed on December 20, 2004. Ultimately the new NC 344 designation was selected, with it overtaking NC 34 north from Glen Cove to Halstead Boulevard at Elizabeth City State University.¹

North

Looking at what was the first northbound NC 34 reassurance shield, posted a short distance from the Pasquotank River shoreline at Aline Drive. A begin shield for NC 344 stands here now.

03/31/01

South

NC 344 (former NC 34) leaves the city of Elizabeth City and the U.S. Coast Guard Station area and transitions into a rural two lane roadway. The final shield for NC 34 south stood beyond the turn from Salem Church Road onto Soundneck Road.

03/31/01

References:

1. "State to put 13 signs on bypass." The Daily Advance (Elizabeth City, NC), December 19, 2004.

Connect with:

U.S. 17

Page Updated Monday September 23, 2019.