# U.S. Route 29 in North Carolina

U.S. Highway 29 (US 29) is a United States Numbered Highway that runs for 168.7 miles (271.5 km) from the South Carolina state line, near Blacksburg, to the commonwealth of Virginia, near Danville. It is signed with north–south cardinal directions but is actually a northeast and southwest diagonal highway throughout the state. The route serves the North Carolina Piedmont, including the cities of Charlotte, Salisbury, High Point, and Greensboro. From Salisbury to Greensboro, US 29 spends roughly a third of its length in the state being concurrent with US 70.

## Route description

US 29 starts in Grover as a two-lane rural road where it intersects with North Carolina Highway 226 (NC 226) shortly after. It then turns into a four-lane boulevard as it heads to Kings Mountain, briefly overlapping with NC 216 as it merges into Interstate 85 (I-85), sharing a concurrency with the Interstate. It then exits I-85 at exit 10A running together with US 74. US 29/US 74 then overlaps with NC 274 for two miles (3.2 km) as the three routes head toward Gastonia. In downtown Gastonia, US 29/US 74/NC 274 intersects with US 321 with NC 274 splitting off on South Broad Street. US 29/US 74 then meets NC 279 before going into Lowell, McAdenville, and Belmont where US 29/US 74 meets NC 7 and then I-485 before going to Charlotte. US 29/US 74 offers access to Charlotte Douglas International Airport before intersecting with Billy Graham Parkway. Here, US 29/US 74 is named Wilkinson Boulevard. At Morehead Street, US 29 splits from US 74 where US 29 briefly overlaps with NC 27 and then intersects I-77. Afterward, US 29 splits from NC 27 where it meets NC 49 as the two routes go around Bank of America Stadium and go along Graham Street through Uptown Charlotte.
Afterward, US 29/NC 49 turns into a boulevard going east on Dalton Avenue and then north on Tryon Street. Eventually, US 29/NC 49 intersects Old Concord Road where the Lynx Blue Line runs between the northbound and southbound lanes. At University City Boulevard, NC 49 splits from US 29 with NC 49 going around the southern part of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) campus, and US 29 going around the west. Here, the Lynx Blue Line goes under the northbound lanes of US 29 to offer access to UNC Charlotte while US 29 continues as a boulevard toward Concord. Before doing so, it intersects with I-485 once again. Before heading toward Concord, US 29 offers access to Charlotte Motor Speedway before meeting at an interchange with George Liles Parkway. It then briefly overlaps with US 601 and NC 73 in western Concord before US 601 splits to run concurrently with I-85 and NC 73 splitting to head toward downtown Concord. From here, US 29 runs north through Kannapolis. US 29 then goes through Landis and China Grove, briefly overlapping with NC 152 east of China Grove.
US 29 then heads toward Salisbury where, west of downtown Salisbury, it begins to run concurrently with US 70 serving as Salisbury's Main Street. After going through downtown Salisbury, US 29/US 70 offers access to both Spencer and East Spencer before crossing over the Yadkin River. Afterward, US 29/US 70 then merges into I-85/US 52 as the four highways all run together for roughly two miles (3.2 km). At exit 87, US 29/US 52/US 70 splits from I-85 and briefly joins I-285, where US 29 follows the route of former I-85 Business (I-85 Bus.). West of Lexington, US 52 and I-285 split away from US 29/US 70. US 29/US 70 then goes around the northern edge of Lexington where the two routes briefly overlap with US 64 before heading toward Thomasville. In Thomasville, US 70 splits from US 29 and joins NC 68 towards High Point.
Exiting Thomasville, US 29 then goes south of High Point and north of Trinity and Archdale before intersecting I-74 southeast of High Point. Following this, US 29 once again runs together with I-85 proper before splitting at the interchange with I-73/US 421. US 29 then merges into I-40 running together with US 220 south of Greensboro. The now three simultaneously running highways (US 29, US 220, and I-40) go around southern Greensboro before US 29/US 220 splits from I-40 going north around eastern Greensboro as a controlled-access highway named O. Henry Boulevard. As US 29/US 220 intersects Wendover Avenue, US 220 splits from US 29 going west.
US 29, now all alone, goes through the northeastern suburbs of Greensboro where it intersects with I-785 and will run concurrently with I-785 past the Virginia state line once modifications to the existing US 29 are completed. After meeting I-785, US 29 is largely rural with Reidsville being the last town served along the route. Here in Reidsville, US 29 intersects with US 29 Bus. with the latter acting as a beltline stretching around western Reidsville. Afterward, US 29 heads northeast to Virginia just southwest of Danville.

## History

Established in 1927, it ran from the South Carolina state line to US 74 in Kings Mountain, with a concurrency with NC 205. In 1929, NC 205 was removed.
US 29's first extension was in 1932, following US 74/NC 20 east into Charlotte. It then replaced US 170 from Charlotte to the Virginia state line. In 1937, it replaced a stretch of NC 7 going between Kings Mountain and Gastonia. The old route briefly became alternates for both U.S. Highways before becoming NC 161 and NC 274.
In 1938, US 29 was moved onto a new bypass around Kannapolis–China Grove, leaving US 29A on the old route. In 1948, the routes were switched. In 1952, US 29 was moved onto new bypasses around Lexington and Thomasville, leaving behind US 29A in both cities. In 1957, US 29 was moved onto its modern route from Thomasville to Jamestown, old route became part of NC 68 and US 70A.
Between 1944 and 1949, US 29 was moved onto a new route north of Greensboro as well as part of the eastern bypass. By 1953, a southern bypass of Greensboro was completed. The eastern bypass was completed to Summit Avenue at Phillips Avenue by December 1956. The widening of eleven and a half miles of US 29 north of Greensboro was announced in 1959.
In 1957 or 1958, US 29 was moved onto new bypass west of Reidsville, leaving US 29A (later US 29 Bus.) through Reidsville. Also around same time, US 29 was moved onto new bypass east of Kings Mountain, extending NC 216 over its old route; then in Charlotte, it moved onto I-85 between Little Rock Road (exit 32) and the University City area (exit 42), old route through Charlotte as US 29 Bus. In 1961 or 1962, US 29 was moved back further to NC 273 going onto I-85, but, surprisingly, in 1963, US 29 was placed back on its original route through Charlotte again. Similar action also in Salisbury, where, in 1960, US 29 was moved onto I-85, then, in 1964 or 1965, it was moved back through town.
In 1973, US 29 was placed on a new freeway bypass east of Reidsville; its old bypass route was reverted to US 29 Bus., while the old US 29 Bus. through Reidsville was removed. Between 1980 and 1982, the freeway from Reidsville was extended into Virginia.

### U.S. Route 170

U.S. Highway 170 (US 170) was an original U.S. Highway, established in 1926. It began at the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets in Charlotte, traversing northeast, in concurrency with NC 15 to Concord, Kannapolis, and Salisbury. Northeast of Salisbury, it was overlapped with NC 10 to Lexington, High Point, and Greensboro; via High Point Road to Lee Street, to Fairground Avenue, to Spring Garden Street, to Aycock Street, to West Market Street, to Greene Street, and finally to Summit Avenue, where it began its overlap with NC 70 heading northeast to Browns Summit. Heading northeast, it went through Reidsville, Ruffin, and finally Pelham before crossing into Virginia toward Danville and eventually Lynchburg. In 1932, US 29 joined in concurrency with US 170. Later on, the US 170 designation was removed, leaving US 29 on the route.

## Future

The freeway stretch of US 29 traveling southwest from Greensboro to Lexington is currently also signed as I-85 Bus. and US 70. On October 5, 2019, the North Carolina Department of Transportation submitted an application to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and was granted approval, for the removal of the I-85 Bus. designation from the freeway and the rerouting of US 70 between Greensboro and Thomasville, leaving US 29 on the route. This plan, according to the state, will simplify overhead signage on the freeway and eliminate route redundancies.

## Junction list

| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Cleveland | Grover | 0.00 | 0.00 | | US 29 south – Gaffney | Continuation from South Carolina |
| Cleveland | Grover | 0.1 | 0.16 | | NC 226 north – Shelby, Grover | |
| Cleveland | ​ | 2.2 | 3.5 | | NC 216 south to I-85 | South end of NC 216 overlap |
| Cleveland | ​ | 3.5 | 5.6 | | NC 216 north – Kings Mountain | North end of NC 216 overlap |
| Cleveland | ​ | 3.9 | 6.3 | | I-85 south – Spartanburg, Greenville | South end of I-85 overlap; southbound left exit and northbound entrance; I-85 exit 4 |
| Cleveland | ​ | 5.2 | 8.4 | 5 | Dixon School Road | Exit numbers follow I-85 |
| Cleveland | Kings Mountain | 8.0 | 12.9 | 8 | NC 161 – Kings Mountain | Exit numbers follow I-85 |
| Gaston | Kings Mountain | 9.5– 10.7 | 15.3– 17.2 | | I-85 north – Charlotte US 74 west – Kings Mountain, Shelby | North end of I-85 overlap; south end of US 74 overlap; I-85 exit 10A |
| Gaston | Gastonia | 15.4 | 24.8 | | NC 274 north (Bessemer City Road) – Bessemer City | West end of NC 274 overlap |
| Gaston | Gastonia | 17.0 | 27.4 | | US 321 south (Chester Street) | One-way couplet |
| Gaston | Gastonia | 17.1 | 27.5 | | US 321 north (York Street) | One-way couplet |
| Gaston | Gastonia | 17.5 | 28.2 | | NC 274 south (Broad Street) – Gastonia Municipal Airport | East end of NC 274 overlap |
| Gaston | Gastonia | 19.0 | 30.6 | | NC 279 (New Hope Road) | |
| Gaston | Gastonia | 19.2 | 30.9 | | To Cox Road – Shopping Mall | Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Gaston | Belmont | 25.4 | 40.9 | | NC 7 (Main Street) | To Belmont Abbey College |
| Gaston | Belmont | 26.2 | 42.2 | | NC 273 (Park Street) – Mount Holly | |
| Gaston | Belmont | 27.1 | 43.6 | | NC 7 west (Catawba Street) | |
| Catawba River | Catawba River | 27.4 | 44.1 | | Sloans Ferry Bridge | Sloans Ferry Bridge |
| Mecklenburg | ​ | 29.7 | 47.8 | | I-485 – Columbia, Spartanburg | I-485 exit 9 |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 31.3 | 50.4 | | Little Rock Road – CLT Airport | |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 32.4 | 52.1 | | Boyer Street to Billy Graham Parkway (Charlotte Route 4) – CLT Airport | |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 35.0 | 56.3 | | US 74 east (Wilkinson Boulevard) | North end of US 74 overlap |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 35.8 | 57.6 | | NC 27 west (Freedom Drive) | South end of NC 27 overlap |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 36.2 | 58.3 | | I-77 north / US 21 north – Statesville | I-77 exit 10A |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 36.7 | 59.1 | | NC 49 south / NC 27 east (Morehead Street east) | North end of NC 27 overlap; south end of NC 49 overlap |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 38.0 | 61.2 | | I-277 north / NC 16 north (Outer) to I-77 / US 21 | I-277 exit 4 |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 41.1 | 66.1 | | Sugar Creek Road (Charlotte Route 4) to I-85 | |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 44.0 | 70.8 | | I-85 south | I-85 exit 42; access via I-85 Connector |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 44.6 | 71.8 | | NC 49 north (University City Boulevard) – Harrisburg | North end of NC 49 overlap |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 45.7 | 73.5 | | NC 24 (W.T. Harris Boulevard) | |
| Mecklenburg | Charlotte | 48.3 | 77.7 | | I-485 to I-85 | Interchange; I-485 exit 32 |
| Cabarrus | Concord | 50.6 | 81.4 | | Bruton Smith Boulevard to I-85 | |
| Cabarrus | Concord | 56.4 | 90.8 | | George Liles Parkway to I-85 | Interchange |
| Cabarrus | Concord | 56.4 | 90.8 | | US 601 south (Warren C. Coleman Boulevard) – Monroe | South end of US 601 overlap |
| Cabarrus | Concord | 58.7 | 94.5 | | NC 73 west (Davidson Highway) – Davidson | South end of NC 73 overlap |
| Cabarrus | Concord | 59.0 | 95.0 | | NC 73 east (Davidson Drive) | North end of NC 73 overlap |
| Cabarrus | Concord | 60.0 | 96.6 | | I-85 / US 601 north – Charlotte, Salisbury, Greensboro | North end of US 601 overlap; I-85 exit 58 |
| Cabarrus | Kannapolis | 62.1 | 99.9 | | NC 3 (Dale Earnhardt Boulevard) | |
| Cabarrus | Kannapolis | 63.2 | 101.7 | | Lakeview Street | Right-in/right-out; northbound exit and entrance only |
| Cabarrus | Kannapolis | 63.3 | 101.9 | | Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue – Kannapolis, Downtown | Interchange |
| Rowan | China Grove | 69.4 | 111.7 | | NC 152 west (Church Street) – Downtown | South end of NC 152 overlap |
| Rowan | China Grove | 70.0 | 112.7 | | NC 152 east to I-85 / US 601 – Rockwell | Interchange; north end of NC 152 overlap |
| Rowan | Salisbury | 76.8 | 123.6 | | US 70 west / US 601 (Jake Alexander Boulevard) – Statesville, Mocksville | Interchange; south end of US 70 overlap |
| Rowan | Salisbury | 77.4 | 124.6 | | NC 150 west (Mooresville Road) | South end of NC 150 overlap |
| Yadkin River | Yadkin River | 84.8 | 136.5 | | Bridge | Bridge |
| Davidson | ​ | 85.2 | 137.1 | | I-85 / US 52 south – Charlotte | Permanently closed as of April, 2010; was I-85 exit 82 |
| Davidson | ​ | 86.0 | 138.4 | | NC 150 east | North end of NC 150 overlap; I-85 exit 84 |
| Davidson | ​ | 86.0 | 138.4 | | I-85 south / US 52 south | South end of I-85/US 52 overlap; I-85 exit 84; south end of freeway section |
| Davidson | ​ | 87.0 | 140.0 | 85 | Clark Road | Permanently closed as of November, 2012; exit numbers follow I-85 |
| Davidson | ​ | 88.4 | 142.3 | 86 | Belmont Road | |
| Davidson | Lexington | 90.1 | 145.0 | — | I-85 north – Greensboro, High Point I-285 begins | North end of I-85 overlap; south end of I-285 overlap; northbound left exit and southbound left entrance; I-85 exit 87; former southern terminus of I-85 BL |
| Davidson | Lexington | 91.1 | 146.6 | 84 | NC 47 east to I-85 north | Exit numbers follow US 52 |
| Davidson | Lexington | 92.0 | 148.1 | 85 | Green Needles Road | Exit numbers follow US 52 |
| Davidson | Lexington | 93.2 | 150.0 | 86 | Lexington, Downtown | Exit numbers follow US 52 |
| Davidson | Lexington | 94.2 | 151.6 | — | I-285 north / US 52 north – Winston-Salem | North end of I-285/US 52 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance; US 52 exit 87 |
| Davidson | Lexington | 95.2 | 153.2 | — | Old US 64 | |
| Davidson | Lexington | 95.7 | 154.0 | — | US 64 west – Mocksville | South end of US 64 overlap |
| Davidson | Lexington | | | — | Smokehouse Lane | Right-in/right-out; southbound exit and entrance; exit unsigned |
| Davidson | Lexington | 96.6 | 155.5 | — | NC 8 (Winston Road) – Lexington, Winston-Salem | North end of freeway section |
| Davidson | Lexington | 97.5 | 156.9 | | US 64 east – Asheboro | Interchange; north end of US 64 overlap |
| Davidson | Thomasville | 104.8 | 168.7 | | Thomasville | Interchange northbound; former US 29 north; southbound access via Kanoy Road |
| Davidson | Thomasville | 107.2 | 172.5 | | NC 109 (Salem Street) – Thomasville, Winston-Salem | Interchange |
| Davidson | Thomasville | 108.9 | 175.3 | | US 70 east / NC 68 (National Highway) – Thomasville, West High Point | Interchange; north end of US 70 overlap; to PTI Airport |
| Randolph | High Point | 110.0 | 177.0 | — | Old Thomasville Road – High Point | South end of expressway section |
| Guilford | High Point | 110.7 | 178.2 | — | Prospect Street | |
| Guilford | High Point | 111.8 | 179.9 | — | West Green Drive | |
| Guilford | High Point | 112.6 | 181.2 | — | Surrett Drive | |
| Guilford | High Point | 113.2 | 182.2 | — | Main Street – High Point | |
| Guilford | High Point | 114.5 | 184.3 | — | I-74 / Brentwood Street – Winston-Salem, Asheboro | North end of expressway section; Brentwood Street has a separate exit northbound; three-level diamond interchange; I-74 exit 71B |
| Guilford | High Point | 115.6 | 186.0 | | Baker Road | Interchange |
| Guilford | High Point | 116.7 | 187.8 | | Kivett Drive – East High Point | Interchange |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 119.3 | 192.0 | — | Vickery Chapel Road / Guilford College Road – Jamestown | South end of freeway section |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 120.8 | 194.4 | — | I-85 south – Charlotte, Salisbury | South end of I-85 overlap; I-85 exit 118 |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 121.8 | 196.0 | 33A | Groometown Road to Grandover Parkway | Exit numbers based on former I-85 BL mileage; signed as exit 119 northbound; southbound exit ramp shared with exit 33B |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 122.6 | 197.3 | — | I-85 north to US 421 south – Durham, Sanford | North end of I-85 overlap; southbound left exit and northbound left entrance; I-85 exit 120A |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 122.6 | 197.3 | 33B | I-73 / US 421 north to I-40 west – Winston-Salem | No northbound exit; I-73 exit 97; I-85 exit 120B |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 123.5 | 198.8 | 34 | Holden Road | |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 124.4 | 200.2 | 35A | US 220 south to I-73 south – Asheboro | US 220 north exits 79A-B |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 124.6 | 200.5 | 35B | US 220 north to I-40 west – Coliseum Area | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; US 220 south exit 79 |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 124.9 | 201.0 | 35C | Rehobeth Church Road / Vandalia Road | |
| Guilford | Greensboro | | | 220 | Randleman Road | Northbound exit and southbound left entrance; exit numbers follow I-40 |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 125.9 | 202.6 | — | I-40 west / US 220 south – Winston-Salem | No northbound exit; south end of I-40/US 220 overlap; I-40 exit 219 |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 126.1 | 202.9 | 220 | Randleman Road | Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 126.7 | 203.9 | 221 | South Elm-Eugene Street – Downtown Greensboro | |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 127.9 | 205.8 | 222 | Martin Luther King Jr. Drive | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; former US 421 south |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 128.2 | 206.3 | — | I-40 east | North end of I-40 overlap; former I-85 BL north; northbound left exit and southbound entrance; I-40 exit 223 |
| Guilford | Greensboro | | | — | Martin Luther King Jr. Drive east to I-40 | Southbound left exit and northbound entrance; former US 421 south |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 128.6 | 207.0 | — | Florida Street | Northbound exit and entrance only |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 129.4 | 208.2 | — | Gate City Boulevard | Cloverleaf interchange |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 130.2 | 209.5 | — | Market Street | To North Carolina A&T State University |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 130.6 | 210.2 | — | Sullivan Street | Northbound exit and entrance only |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 130.8 | 210.5 | — | Bessemer Avenue | |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 131.1 | 211.0 | — | US 220 / US 70 (Wendover Avenue) | Cloverleaf interchange; north end of US 220 overlap; north end of freeway section |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 131.9 | 212.3 | — | Summit Avenue – Downtown | South end of expressway; southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 132.4 | 213.1 | — | 16th Street | |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 132.9 | 213.9 | — | Cone Boulevard | North end of expressway |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 135.3 | 217.7 | 135 | I-785 south / I-840 – Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston-Salem | Interchange; signed as exits 135A (east) and 135B (west); northern terminus of I-785; I-840 exits 14A-B |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 136.0 | 218.9 | 136 | Hicone Road | Interchange |
| Guilford | Greensboro | 137.9 | 221.9 | 137 | Reedy Fork Parkway | Interchange |
| Guilford | ​ | 140.9 | 226.8 | | NC 150 – Brown Summit | Interchange |
| Guilford | ​ | 141.9 | 228.4 | | Benaja Road | Interchange |
| Rockingham | ​ | 144.7 | 232.9 | 145 | US 29 Bus. north | South end of freeway; access to/from Candy Creek Road |
| Rockingham | Reidsville | 148.5 | 239.0 | 149 | NC 87 to US 158 west (Freeway Drive) – Reidsville, Burlington | |
| Rockingham | Reidsville | 149.6 | 240.8 | 150 | Barnes Street – Reidsville Downtown | |
| Rockingham | ​ | 152.1 | 244.8 | 153 | US 158 / NC 14 (Freeway Drive) – Reidsville, Eden, Yanceyville | |
| Rockingham | ​ | 155.5 | 250.3 | 156 | Narrow Gauge Road | |
| Rockingham | ​ | 158.3 | 254.8 | 159 | US 29 Bus. to NC 87 north – Ruffin | |
| Rockingham | Ruffin | 160.6 | 258.5 | 161 | US 29 Bus. south (Mayfield Road) | |
| Caswell | ​ | 164.2 | 264.3 | 165 | Law Road | |
| Caswell | Pelham | 166.7 | 268.3 | 167 | NC 700 (Shady Grove Road) – Eden | |
| North Carolina–Virginia line | North Carolina–Virginia line | 168.3– 168.7 | 270.9– 271.5 | 169 | US 29 Bus. north / US 58 west – Danville, Martinsville | |
| North Carolina–Virginia line | North Carolina–Virginia line | 168.3– 168.7 | 270.9– 271.5 | | US 29 north / US 58 east – Lynchburg, South Boston | Continuation into Virginia |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Closed/former Concurrency terminus Incomplete access |||||||