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I-95 North - Rocky Mount to Roanoke Rapids, NC

Interstate 95 North
Interstate 95 northbound leaves the Wilson vicinity and crosses into Nash County, home of Rocky Mount. Despite coming close to Rocky Mount, the freeway remains rural in nature with just four lanes. Photo taken 06/25/05.
The first of six Nash County interchanges joins Interstate 95 with North Carolina 97. North Carolina 97 skims the southern reaches of Nash County between Zebulon, Stanhope, and Rocky Mount. Locally the state highway serves Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Northbound at at the Exit 127 diamond interchange with North Carolina 97. Stanhope lies six miles to the west; Winstead Crossroads is three miles to the east at junction North Carolina 58 and the Regional Airport is a five mile drive eastward near Tar River Reservoir. Photo taken 06/25/05.
North Carolina 58 passes over Interstate 95 near mile marker 130. West Mountain Road connects the freeway with North Carolina 58 at Sandy Cross, west of Exit 132. West Mountain Road transitions to West Mont Drive en route to Langley Crossroads, Easonburg, into south Rocky Mount. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Interstate 95 next crosses paths with the U.S. 64 freeway on the outskirts of Rocky Mount. U.S. 64 constitutes a long-distance freeway west to Raleigh and east to Williamston. The limited-access highway also provides direct access to downtown Rocky Mount via U.S. 301 Business south. Rocky Mount derives its name from the rocky mound located at the falls of the Tar River. The town first appeared on maps with the establishment of a post office on March 22, 1816 and a settlement based upon cotton mills. In 1845, the Wilmington-Weldon Railroad extended to Rocky Mount, and that coupled with the Raleigh-Tarboro stage route made the town an exchange point for travelers between the railroad and stage route. Incorporation of Rocky Mount occurred on February 19, 1867, with tobacco crops and trade spurring growth in the late 19th century.1 Photo taken 06/25/05.
One mile south of the full-cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 64. U.S. 64 travels six miles east to central Rocky Mount and 20 miles to Tarboro. The federal highway continues east all the way to Manteo and Whalebone Junction near Nags Head on the Outer Banks. Photo taken 06/25/05.
A collector/distributor roadway serves movements to U.S. 64 (Exits 138A/B) from Interstate 95. Nashville, the Nash County seat, lies six miles to the west via U.S. 64. U.S. 64 Business and U.S. 64 Alternate follow the original routing of U.S. 64 parallel to the freeway through Spring Hope, Nashville, Rocky Mount, Hartsease, and Tarboro. Photo taken 06/25/05.

Exit 138 departs Interstate 95 northbound for U.S. 64 east to Rocky Mount, Tarboro, and Wiliamston. Long distance interests to Elizabeth City, and the Tidewater Region of Virginia should use U.S. 64 east to U.S. 17 north. U.S. 64 ends near the north end of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Manteo, 146 miles to the east, is also home to a North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Travelers destined for U.S. 64 west to Nashville, Zebulon, Knightdale, and Raleigh depart Interstate 95 northbound via Exit 138. U.S. 64 also serves Nash Community College. Photo taken 06/25/05.
A lone state-named shield remains in use on the northbound mainline between Exits 138 and 141. A companion North Carolina I-95 shield lies on southbound nearby. Photo taken 06/25/05.
North Carolina 43 (Main Street) interchanges with Interstate 95 near the village of Dortches northwest of Rocky Mount. A diamond interchange (Exit 141) joins the two highways. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Exit 141 carries drivers to North Carolina 43 for Dortches and Rocky Mount to the south and Red Oak and Aventon to the north. North Carolina 43 travels overall between New Bern and Liberia. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Interstate 95 sees a set of rest areas after Exit 141 and before junction North Carolina 4 (Exit 145) east. North Carolina 4 comprises a four-lane highway east from North Carolina 48 near Exit 145 to junction U.S. 301, five miles north of central Rocky Mount. The routing represents the northern leg of defunct Business Loop Interstate 95, a business route that used to follow U.S. 301 southward through Rocky Mount, Wilson, and Kenly. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Halifax Road passes over Interstate 95 ahead of the Exit 145 trumpet interchange to North Carolina 4 & 48. A short access road joins the freeway with North Carolina 4 & 48 nearby at Gold Rock. North Carolina 4 ends four miles to the east at a partial "Y" interchange with U.S. 301 near the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College. North Carolina 48 meanwhile heads south to Drake and Rocky Mount on a six-mile routing. North Carolina 4 west & 48 north share pavement seven miles north to Glenview and 16 miles to their split at Brinkleyville. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Two miles south of the last Nash County exit, junction North Carolina 33 at Exit 150. North Carolina 33 ends nearby at junction North Carolina 4 & 48 in Hickory. The east end lies along Phallic Sound at Hobucken. Photo taken 06/25/05.
North Carolina 33 travels four miles east from the Exit 150 diamond interchange to Whitakers and junction U.S. 301. From there the state highway turns southeast 13 miles to Leggett. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Interstate 95 northbound at the Exit 150 off-ramp to North Carolina 33. Swift Creek Road continues west from North Carolina 33 at Hickory to Salem all the way to North Carolina 43 near Aventon. North Carolina 4 & 48 continue north on their parallel routing of Interstate 95 three miles to Glenview. Photo taken 06/25/05.
A weigh station lies just north of the Nash/Halifax County line along both directions of Interstate 95. There are five exits within Halifax County. Photo taken 06/25/05.
North Carolina 481 ventures two miles east from North Carolina 4 & 48 in Glenview to intersect Interstate 95 at the Exit 154 diamond interchange. The state highway continues five miles east to junction U.S. 301 at Enfield. Photo taken 06/25/05.
One-half mile guide sign for North Carolina 481 posted on Interstate 95 north. North Carolina 481 travels 20 miles overall between Glenview and Tillery (junction North Carolina 561). The highway shares two miles of pavement with U.S. 301 at Enfield. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Drivers bound for North Carolina 481 west to Glenview and east to Enfield depart Interstate 95 north. North Carolina 481 splits into Business and Bypass routings on the outskirts of Enfield. The bypass route ties into U.S. 301 south of town and opened to traffic in 2002.2 Photo taken 06/25/05.
North Carolina 561 arcs 34 miles through Halifax County between Brinkleyville and U.S. 258 near Spring Hill. The state highway interchanges with Interstate 95 at Exit 160 three miles east of Heathsville. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Interstate 95 north at the Exit 160 diamond interchange. North Carolina 561 ends eight miles to the west at the split of North Carolina 4 and 48l; eastward North Carolina 561 meets U.S. 301 in eight miles near Halifax. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Interstate 95 draws to within two miles of the Exit 168 diamond interchange with North Carolina 903. North Carolina 903 ventures five miles northwest from U.S. 301 in Halifax to the freeway. Photo taken 06/25/05.
North Carolina 903 continues northwest of Interstate 95 five miles to junction North Carolina 48 and 11 miles to its merge with U.S. 158. The state highway serves Halifax Industrial Park and merges with North Carolina 125 before both highways join U.S. 301 south for a four-mile overlap to Pender and Ruggles. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Northbound at the Exit 168 ramp departure to North Carolina 903. North Carolina 903 follows a circuitous routing from the Virginia state line near Lake Gaston south to Greenville, LaGrange, Kenansville, and North Carolina 411 near Garland. Photo taken 06/25/05.
North Carolina 125 ventures north from North Carolina 903 six miles to the Exit 171 partial-cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 95. Interests to Historic Halifax are advised to take North Carolina 125 south. Photo taken 06/25/05.
North Carolina 125 continues north from Exit 171 into southern reaches of Roanoke Rapids. Following Old Farm Road South, North Carolina 125 enters the city and meets U.S. 158 for a brief overlap to 10th Street. 10th Street carries the state highway northwest to its end at junction North Carolina 48 (Roanoke Avenue) in downtown. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Interstate 95 approaches the city of Roanoke Rapids and junction U.S. 158 (Exit 173). U.S. 158 skims the southern reaches of town and joins the city with Weldon to the east and Littleton to the west. An intrastate highway, U.S. 158 travels overall between Mocksville west of Winston-Salem and Whalebone Junction on the Outer Banks. Photo taken 06/25/05.
One mile south of the Exit 158 diamond interchange with U.S. 158. U.S. 158 follows 2nd Street through Weldon, two miles to the east. There U.S. 301 and U.S. 158 combine for a three-mile journey eastward to Garysburg. West of Roanoke Rapids, U.S. 158 heads 14 miles to Littleton and 32 miles to junction U.S. 1 and 401 in Norlina. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Drivers destined for Roanoke Rapids and Weldon depart Interstate 95 northbound at Exit 173. U.S. 158 serves the historic district of Weldon and Murfreesboro Halifax Community College. Further east the highway meanders through rural areas to Jackson, Murfreesboro, Sunbury, and Elizabeth City. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Crossing the Roanoke River into Northampton County on Interstate 95 north. Meeting the freeway ahead is North Carolina 46, an east-west highway between the nearby towns of Gaston and Garysburg. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Exit 176 leaves Interstate 95 northbound for North Carolina 46. Gaston and Garysburg each lie three miles out from the Exit 176 diamond interchange. The state highway travels just 19 miles between U.S. 301 in Garysburg and Virginia 46 at the state line. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Macon Price Road passes over Interstate 95 one mile south of the Exit 180 diamond interchange with North Carolina 48 (Pleasant Hill Road). North Carolina 48 meets Interstate 95 for the second time one mile south of the Virginia state line and two miles west of its end at junction U.S. 301 in Pleasant Hill. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Interstate 95 northbound at Exit 180 (North Carolina 48). North Carolina 48 (Pleasant Hill Road) travels west four miles to Gaston and junction North Carolina 46. The state highway also serves Northampton Commerce Park. Photo taken 06/25/05.
Interstate 95 prepares to cross the Virginia state line near mile marker 181. A welcome center and rest area await weary drivers just north of the border in southern Greenville County. Photo taken 06/25/05.

Sources:

  1. City of Rocky Mount History.
  2. NC State Hwy 481 Ends, State-Ends.

Page Updated January 27, 2007.