# U.S. Route 301 in North Carolina

U.S. Route 301 (US 301) is a north–south United States highway that runs for 194 miles (312 km) in North Carolina from the South Carolina state line near Rowland to the Virginia state line near Pleasant Hill. The entire route parallels I-95. From the southern border to Hope Mills, it runs very close to I-95, crossing it several times and having a short concurrency with the freeway in Lumberton. From Hope Mills to Eastover, North Carolina it follows Interstate 95 Business, a partial freeway that passes through the center of Fayetteville. Passing through towns such as Dunn, Benson, Smithfield, and Selma that are bypassed by I-95, numerous local businesses targeted at I-95 travellers line this stretch, rarely does it veer more than a fraction of a mile from I-95. At Kenly, it leaves its close parallel of I-95, taking a route approximately 5 miles east of I-95 and passing through the center of the cities of Wilson and Rocky Mount. North of Rocky Mount it passes through several small towns, including Whitakers, Enfield, Halifax, and Weldon before passing into Virginia near Pleasant Hill. Through Rocky Mount the route divides into a Business and Bypass route, and there is also a short business loop in Halifax.

## Route description

US 301 generally follows the same route as I-95 through North Carolina; they both enter the state near the South of the Border attraction in South Carolina, overlap together around Lumberton, and share multiple interchanges before reaching Virginia.
US 301 enters North Carolina at the South Carolina border, south of Rowland and north of South of the Border. The highway enters the state as a four-lane divided highway, concurrent with US 501. It immediately meets I-95 (I-95 exit 1) at an interchange partially in North Carolina and partially in South Carolina. US 301 and US 501 continue north of the interchange toward Rowland, and the highway narrows to a two-lane undivided roadway. It goes northwest until passing through the Bracey Swamp where both routes curve northeast running parallel to the CSX South End Subdivision until they enter Rowland where the concurrency with US 501 ends. US 301 then makes two sharp right curves and then one left curve where it passes through Raynham before merging with I-95 from exit 10 to exit 22. North of Lumberton, it crosses I-95 twice before entering Fayetteville, overlapped with I-95 Business along Eastern Boulevard. North of Eastover, it encounters a connecting road to US 13 just before it crosses under North Carolina Highway 295 (NC 295), also known as Future I-295, as it parallels I-95 to its immediate west. Traversing through the cities of Wade, Godwin, Dunn, and Benson, where it crosses over I-40 without an interchange; it joins the southbound right-in/right-out interchange from Exit 90 on I-95 before serving as the northern terminus of US 701 in Four Oaks, and starts a concurrency with North Carolina Highway 96 (NC 96). From there it continues on through Smithfield, then Selma where the NC 96 concurrency ends, and then passes through Micro. At Kenly, US 301 crosses under I-95 then moves away from that interstate again, into the cities of Wilson, Elm City, Sharpsburg, and Rocky Mount, before returning to a more easterly parallel to the Interstate. US 301 continues north through the towns of Enfield, Halifax, and Weldon, where it joins US 158 in an overlap with a bridge over the Roanoke River, then leaves the overlap as it enters Garysburg. The last major intersection with US 301 in the state is with NC 48 in Pleasant Hill before crossing into Virginia.

## History

US 301 was established in 1932, replacing US 217 from the South Carolina state line to Wilson, and US 17-1 from Wilson to the Virginia state line. In 1934, NC 22 and NC 40 were dropped along the route.
Route changes along US 301 started in the early-1950s with a new bypass (Eastern Boulevard) around central Fayetteville and a new bypass west of Halifax. In 1955 or 1956, a new bypass (Ward Boulevard) was built east of Wilson. By 1958, US 301 was widen to a four-lane road around Lumberton, Fayetteville, and between Kenly and Rocky Mount; it was also at this time that Elm City was bypassed. In 1961, I-95 was overlapped with US 301 on the Lumberton bypass. By 1984, US 301 was extended south along I-95 to exit 10, keeping its routing through Rowland.
From 1978 to 1986, US 301 was overlapped by a second I-95 Business Loop between Kenly and Rocky Mount, which also used part of what is today an extension of NC 4.

### U.S. Route 217

U.S. Route 217 (US 217) was an original U.S. Highway, established in 1926, and was completely overlapped with NC 22. The original highway continued south into South Carolina to end in Pee Dee. US 217 entered from South Carolina south of Rowland where it went north through Rowland and into Lumberton via Hilly Branch Road and 5th Street. Going north on Pine Street and Fayetteville Road, it connected with Fayetteville where it went north on Gillespie Street, then east on Person Street, before it went north again on Dunn Road. Entering Dunn on Clinton Street, it went west on Cumberland Street (NC 60), then north on Ellis Avenue. It entered Smithfield on 3rd Street, and went east on Market Street then north again on 8th Street. As it approached Wilson from the south, it ended at US 17-1/NC 40 (Dixie Inn Road). In 1932, the entire route was renumbered as part of US 301.

## Junction list

| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| North Carolina–South Carolina line | North Carolina–South Carolina line | 0.00 | 0.00 | | US 301 south / US 501 south – South of the Border, Dillon | Continuation into South Carolina |
| North Carolina–South Carolina line | North Carolina–South Carolina line | 0.00 | 0.00 | | I-95 – Lumberton, Fayetteville, Florence | I-95 exit 1 |
| Robeson | Rowland | 2.7 | 4.3 | | US 501 north / NC 130 – Laurinburg, Fairmont | North end of US 501 overlap |
| Robeson | ​ | 11.8 | 19.0 | | I-95 south – Florence | South end of I-95 overlap; I-95 exit 10 |
| Robeson | Lumberton | 14.5 | 23.3 | 13 | I-74 / US 74 – Whiteville, Wilmington, Laurinburg, Rockingham | Exit numbers follow I-95; signed as exits 13A (east) and 13B (west); I-74 exit 209 |
| Robeson | Lumberton | | | 14 | US 74 | Permanently closed in 2007; replaced by exit 13 |
| Robeson | Lumberton | 18.5 | 29.8 | 17 | NC 72 / NC 711 north – Lumberton, Pembroke, Red Springs | Southern terminus of NC 711 |
| Robeson | Lumberton | 20.2 | 32.5 | 19 | Carthage Road | |
| Robeson | Lumberton | 21.4 | 34.4 | 20 | NC 211 to NC 41 – Lumberton, Red Springs, Fairmont | |
| Robeson | Lumberton | 23.0 | 37.0 | | I-95 north – Fayetteville | North end of I-95 overlap; I-95 exit 22 |
| Robeson | ​ | 27.0 | 43.5 | | I-95 – Lumberton, Fayetteville | I-95 exit 25 |
| Robeson | Saint Pauls | 33.2 | 53.4 | | NC 20 (Broad Street) – Lumber Bridge, Elizabethtown | |
| Robeson | ​ | 35.5 | 57.1 | | I-95 – Lumberton, Fayetteville | Exit 33 (I-95) |
| Robeson | ​ | 40.2 | 64.7 | | NC 71 south – Parkton, Lumber Bridge, Red Springs | |
| Cumberland | ​ | 43.0 | 69.2 | | I-95 BL south to I-95 south – Lumberton | South end of I-95 BL overlap; interchange; southbound left exit and northbound entrance |
| Cumberland | Hope Mills | 43.6 | 70.2 | | To I-95 / Main Street – Hope Mills | Interchange |
| Cumberland | Hope Mills | 45.6 | 73.4 | | NC 162 west (Elk Road) | Eastern terminus of NC 162 |
| Cumberland | Fayetteville | 50.6 | 81.4 | | NC 87 (Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway) – Elizabethtown | NC 87 exit 102 |
| Cumberland | Fayetteville | 52.4 | 84.3 | | NC 24 / NC 210 to US 401 (Grove Street) – Roseboro | At-grade intersection; south end of freeway |
| Cumberland | Fayetteville | 53.8 | 86.6 | — | Middle Road | |
| Cumberland | ​ | 55.6 | 89.5 | — | Dobbins Holmes Road | |
| Cumberland | Eastover | 57.3 | 92.2 | | I-95 BL north to I-95 north | North end of I-95 BL overlap; north end of freeway section |
| Cumberland | Eastover | 60.2 | 96.9 | | Pembroke Lane to I-95 / US 13 – Newton Grove, Eastover Central Elementary School | To NC 295 |
| Cumberland | Godwin | 68.5 | 110.2 | | NC 82 (Main Street) – Erwin, Falcon | |
| Harnett | Dunn | 76.4 | 123.0 | | US 421 / NC 55 (Cumberland Street) – Erwin, Lillington, Clinton | |
| Mingo Swamp | Mingo Swamp | | | | Bridge | Bridge | Bridge |
| Johnston | Benson | 83.2 | 133.9 | | NC 27 west / NC 50 / NC 242 south (Main Street) – Coats, Newton Grove | South end of NC 242 overlap |
| Johnston | Benson | 83.7 | 134.7 | | NC 242 north to I-40 | North end of NC 242 overlap |
| Johnston | Four Oaks | 93.9 | 151.1 | | I-95 / US 701 south / NC 96 south – Benson, Rocky Mount, Newton Grove | Exit 90 (I-95); northern terminus of US 701; south end of NC 96 overlap |
| Johnston | Smithfield | 98.4 | 158.4 | | US 70 Bus. / NC 210 (Market Street) – Goldsboro, Clayton | |
| Johnston | Selma | 101.0 | 162.5 | | US 70 / NC 39 south – Clayton, Goldsboro | South end of NC 39 overlap |
| Johnston | Selma | 102.5 | 165.0 | | NC 96 north (Richardson Street) – Zebulon | North end of NC 96 overlap |
| Johnston | Selma | 103.4 | 166.4 | | NC 39 north – Bunn | North end of NC 39 overlap |
| Johnston | Kenly | 112.0 | 180.2 | | I-95 – Smithfield, Rocky Mount | Exit 107 (I-95) |
| Johnston | Kenly | 112.5 | 181.1 | | NC 222 (Second Street) – Fremont | |
| Wilson | ​ | 114.7 | 184.6 | | NC 581 – Bailey, Goldsboro | |
| Wilson | ​ | 123.2 | 198.3 | | I-795 – Goldsboro, Raleigh | Exit 5 (I-795) |
| Wilson | ​ | 123.6 | 198.9 | | US 117 south – Fremont, Pikeville | Northern terminus of US 117 |
| Wilson | Wilson | 123.9 | 199.4 | | I-587 / US 264 – Greenville, Raleigh | Exit 43 (US 264) |
| Wilson | Wilson | 126.6 | 203.7 | | US 264 Alt. west (Ward Boulevard west) | South end of US 264 Alt. overlap |
| Wilson | Wilson | 128.2 | 206.3 | | US 264 Alt. east / NC 58 south (Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway) – Stantonsburg, Saratoga | North end of US 264 Alt. overlap; south end of NC 58 overlap |
| Wilson | Wilson | 128.7 | 207.1 | | NC 58 north (Ward Boulevard north) | North end of NC 58 overlap |
| Wilson | Wilson | 129.9 | 209.1 | | NC 42 (Herring Avenue) – Pinetops, Wilson | Interchange |
| Wilson | ​ | 132.4 | 213.1 | | Rosebud Church Road | Interchange |
| Wilson | ​ | 135.0 | 217.3 | | Langley Road – Elm City | Interchange |
| Nash | ​ | 141.5 | 227.7 | | US 301 Bus. north (Tarboro Road) | Southern terminus of US 301 Bus. |
| Nash | Rocky Mount | 143.4 | 230.8 | | NC 97 (Tarboro Road) – Raleigh | Interchange; to Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport |
| Nash | Rocky Mount | 146.6 | 235.9 | | US 64 Bus. – Rocky Mount, Nashville | Interchange; northbound exit via May Drive |
| Nash | Rocky Mount | 147.2 | 236.9 | | US 64 – Tarboro, Raleigh | US 64 exit 468A |
| Nash | Rocky Mount | 148.2 | 238.5 | | NC 43 / NC 48 to I-95 | Interchange |
| Nash | Rocky Mount | 150.0 | 241.4 | | US 301 Bus. south (Church Road) | Northern terminus of US 301 Bus. |
| Nash | Battleboro | 153.5 | 247.0 | | NC 4 north to I-95 | Partial interchange; northbound left exit and southbound entrance; southbound access via Red Oak-Battleboro Road |
| Nash | Whitakers | 159.1 | 256.0 | | NC 33 west (Nash Street) – Red Oak | West end of NC 33 overlap |
| Nash | Whitakers | 159.3 | 256.4 | | NC 33 east (Main Street) – Tarboro | East end of NC 33 overlap |
| Fishing Creek | Fishing Creek | | | | Edgecombe-Halifax county line | Edgecombe-Halifax county line |
| Halifax | Enfield | 164.0 | 263.9 | | NC 481 west – Glenview | West end of NC 481 overlap |
| Halifax | Enfield | 165.3 | 266.0 | | NC 481 Bus. west (Whitaker Street) | Eastern terminus of NC 481 Bus. |
| Halifax | ​ | 167.1 | 268.9 | | NC 481 east – Tillery | East end of NC 481 overlap |
| Halifax | ​ | 173.4 | 279.1 | | NC 125 south / NC 903 south – Scotland Neck | South end of NC 125/NC 903 overlap |
| Halifax | ​ | 175.6 | 282.6 | | NC 561 east – Tillery | East end of NC 561 overlap |
| Halifax | ​ | 176.0 | 283.2 | | NC 561 west – Brinkleyville, Louisburg | West end of NC 561 overlap |
| Halifax | Halifax | 176.5 | 284.0 | | US 301 Bus. north (King Street) | Southern terminus of US 301 Bus. |
| Halifax | Halifax | 177.1 | 285.0 | | NC 125 north / NC 903 north – Roanoke Rapids | North end of NC 125/NC 903 overlap |
| Halifax | Halifax | 177.4 | 285.5 | | US 301 Bus. south (David Street) | Northern terminus of US 301 Bus. |
| Halifax | Weldon | 184.0 | 296.1 | | US 158 west (Second Street) – Roanoke Rapids | West end of US 158 overlap |
| Roanoke River | Roanoke River | | | | Rockfish Capital Bridge | Rockfish Capital Bridge |
| Northampton | Garysburg | 186.4 | 300.0 | | US 158 east – Jackson, Murfreesboro | East end of US 158 overlap |
| Northampton | Garysburg | 186.8 | 300.6 | | NC 46 west / NC 186 west – Gaston | Eastern terminus of NC 46; south end of NC 186 overlap |
| Northampton | Garysburg | 187.0 | 300.9 | | NC 186 east – Seaboard | North end of NC 186 overlap |
| Northampton | Pleasant Hill | 193.0 | 310.6 | | NC 48 south – Gaston | Northern terminus of NC 48 |
| Northampton | ​ | 193.7 | 311.7 | | US 301 north – Emporia | Continuation into Virginia |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Closed/former Concurrency terminus Incomplete access |||||||