U.S. 76 travels 81.3 miles through North Carolina, connecting the tidewater and inner coastal regions of the Tar Hill state.
Entering Columbus County from neighboring South Carolina, U.S. 76 briefly travels north along a four lane course before turning east at Fair Bluff. East of Chadbourn, U.S. 76 joins U.S. 74 for a 50 mile overlap to Wilmington in neighboring New Hanover county. Interchanges connect the US highway pair with towns including Whiteville and Bolton along the way.
At Delco, U.S. 74 and 76 bend southeast to meet Interstate 140 beyond Malmo. U.S. 17 merges with the US highways in Woodburn and the three travel onto Eagle Island between the Brunswick and Cape Fear Rivers ahead of Downtown Wilmington. U.S. 74 departs with U.S. 421 for northern reaches of Wilmington while U.S. 17-76-421 continue to downtown across the Cape Fear River.
U.S. 421 departs south for coastal beaches beyond the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, while U.S. 17 and 76 split into one way couplets. At South 17th Street, the couplets converge and the two US highways kink southeast to meet U.S. 117 in central Wilmington.
U.S. 17 & 76 continues east and north through eastern reaches of Wilmington before meeting U.S. 74 again at Leeward Village. U.S. 76 rejoins U.S. 74 on a southeast heading to Harbor Island where the two split one final time. While U.S. 74 arcs northeast for Parmele Isle, U.S. 76 continues southeast to Wrightsville Beach. Following local roads through Wrightsville Beach, U.S. 76 ends at the southern end of the coastal community.
U.S. 76 North Carolina Guides
Connect with:
Interstate 140
U.S. 17
U.S. 74
U.S. 117
U.S. 421
Highway 132
Highway 133
Page Updated 09-10-2018.