# North Carolina Highway 32

North Carolina Highway 32 (NC 32) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina; it goes through several counties and small communities in the northeastern Inner Banks part of the state. It is 103 miles (166 km) in length, and crosses the Albemarle Sound south of Edenton, along with NC 37 and NC 94. The highway continues into Virginia as SR 32.

## History

North Carolina Highway 32 was established in 1921, becoming a part of the original North Carolina Highway System. Initially, the highway was routed from NC 30-34 (now US 158) in Sunbury south to NC 342 (now US 17) in Edenton.
From 1921 to 1924, NC 32 used portions of present-day SR 1303. In 1924, the highway was put on its modern routing between Edenton and Sunbury. In 1934, NC 32 was extended north through Corapeake to Virginia, replacing a portion of NC 30.
In 1940, the highway was extended southeast of Edenton as new primary routing, then replaced NC 172 across the Albemarle Sound to US 64. NC 32 was duplexed with US 64 west to Plymouth and replaced NC 97 to US 264, near Bunyan. Approximately 10 years later, NC 32 (with US 64) received a new bypass of Plymouth, replacing SR 1325.
In 1955, NC 32 (with US 64) received a new bypass of Roper, replacing the former state road. In the early 1980s, the highway was later extended underneath US 264 and west through Washington Park to its present-day ending.

## Route description

NC 32 traverses the Coastal Plains of North Carolina, with many swamps and pine barrens along the route. The highway spans four counties in the state; Beaufort, Chowan, Gates, and Washington. It is approximately 103 miles in total length.

## Major intersections

| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Beaufort | Washington | 0.0 | 0.0 | US 17 Bus. (Bridge Street) – Chocowinity, Williamston | Southern terminus |
| Beaufort | Washington | 8.3 | 13.4 | US 264 / NC 92 (Wr Bill Roberson Jr. Highway) – Greenville, Pantego, Bath | |
| Washington | ​ | 32.0 | 51.5 | NC 45 south / NC 99 south – Pantego, Swan Quarter | South end of NC 45 overlap; Northern terminus of NC 99 |
| Washington | Plymouth | 35.3 | 56.8 | NC 45 north – Colerain | North end of concurrency with NC 45 |
| Washington | Plymouth | 36.7 | 59.1 | US 64 west – Jamesville | West end of US 64 overlap |
| Washington | Plymouth | 39.5 | 63.6 | NC 45 – Swan Quarter, Colerain | Brief 0.3 mile overlap with NC 45 |
| Washington | Roper | 40.6 | 65.3 | US 64 east – Creswell | East end of US 64 ovelap |
| Washington | Mackeys | 48.2 | 77.6 | NC 308 west (Mackeys Road) – Windsor | Eastern terminus of NC 308 |
| Washington | ​ | 53.4 | 85.9 | NC 37 / NC 94 south – Columbia | South end of NC 37 and NC 94 overlap |
| Albemarle Sound | Albemarle Sound | | | Albemarle Sound Bridge | Albemarle Sound Bridge |
| Chowan | ​ | 60.2 | 96.9 | NC 94 north (Soundside Road) – Northeastern Regional Airport | Northern terminus of NC 94 |
| Chowan | St. Johns | 60.9 | 98.0 | NC 37 north (Haughton Road) – Hertford | North end of NC 37 overlap |
| Chowan | Edenton | 66.1 | 106.4 | US 17 Bus. south (Broad Street) | South end of Business US 17 overlap |
| Chowan | Edenton | 66.7 | 107.3 | US 17 Bus. north (Broad Street) | North end of Business US 17 overlap |
| Chowan | Edenton | 67.3 | 108.3 | US 17 (Ocean Highway) – Windsor, Hertford | Diamond interchange |
| Chowan | Gliden | 86.2 | 138.7 | NC 37 south (Gliden Road) – Winfall | South end of NC 37 overlap |
| Gates | Mintonsville | 88.3 | 142.1 | NC 37 north – Gatesville | North end of NC 37 overlap |
| Gates | Sunbury | 95.2 | 153.2 | US 158 – Winton, Elizabeth City | |
| Gates | ​ | 103.5 | 166.6 | SR 32 north (Carolina Road) – Newport News | Northern terminus; Virginia state line |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus ||||||