US 74 versus I 74

Duplicate Highway Numbers

North Carolina normally does not allow two highways in the state to have the same numbers. Back when US highway numbers were introduced, state highways with the same number were renumbered. In the 1990's, two new Interstate highways numbers were introduced, I 73 and I 74. North Carolina already had a state highway, NC 73, and a US highway, US 74. This duplication should be fixed.

NC 73

NC 73 is a midlength state highway which actually crosses the corridor for I 73, which is currently under construction. When the freeway is opened, there will be an exit on I 73/74 for NC 73. NC 73 should simply be renumbered to NC 173.

US 74

US 74 is actually multiplexed with I 74 Future from Rockingham NC to Whiteville NC.

Renumbering US 74 is a more complicated issue. This involves petitioning the AASHTO and involves another state, Tennessee. However, US 74 is largely multiplexed with other US highways already. US 74 should be retired entirely and multiplexed sections of the route be simply demultiplexed.

Tennessee - Currently multiplexed with US 64. Retire US 74 entirely in Tennessee.
North Carolina

From state line to Bryson City NC - Currently multiplexed with US 64, US 129 and US 19.
From Bryson City MC to Clyde NC - The Great Smokies Parkway - Reroute US 19 along the Parkway and renumber US 19 through Cherokee and Maggie Valley as US 19 Alternate.
From Clyde NC to I 40, renumber as US 19/23 Connector.
Along I-40 and I 26, completely multiplexed.
From I 26 to Whiteville NC - Renumber as a new NC highway, say NC 174. When I 74 is finished from Rockingham NC to Whiteville NC, remove the multiplex, ending NC 174 at Rockingham.
From Whiteville NC to Wilmington NC, completely multiplexed with US 76.
Through Wilmington NC, renumber US 74 as US 76 and US 76 as US 76 Business.
In Wrightsville Beach NC, renumber US 74 as US 76 Alternate.

US 74 Spur Routes

US 74 Alternate - Asheville NC to Forest City NC - Renumber to NC 374.
US 74 Business - Forest City NC - Becomes NC 374 Business, since it currently serves US 74 Alternate
US 74 Business - All others except Whiteville NC - Become NC 174 Business
US 74 Business - Whiteville NC - Decommission since it multiplexes with US 76

BGS thanks to kurumi.com/roads/signmaker.
Interstate, US and State Shields thanks to Barry Camp.
Other US and other State Shields thanks to Shields Up
Menu CSS thanks to Steve Gibson

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.