U.S. Highway 74 Westbound - Eastern North Carolina
U.S. 74 is a major east-west highway that traverses the state of North Carolina. The highway reaches its end in Wrightsville Beach at a cul-de-sac, over 400 miles from the point where U.S. 74 enters the Tarheel State from neighboring Tennessee. This page details the travels of U.S. 74 (eastbound) through Brunswick and New Hanover Counties in the vicinity of Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach.
As of June 2005, U.S 74 follows U.S. 76 and U.S. 17 along the south edge of downtown Wilmington. Once the Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway is completed on the north side of Wilmington in September 2005, the route of U.S. 74 will be shifted onto that route, offering a new connection between U.S. 76, U.S. 421, and U.S. 17. These photos represent the configuration of U.S. 74 prior to the anticipated completion of Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway. For the latest information on getting around Wilmington, visit Wilmington Today.
U.S. Highway 74 West
U.S. 74 begins its westbound journey by following Lumina Avenue south from the cul-de-sac at the north end of Wrightsville Beach toward downtown. This view is afforded near the Seaside Holiday Inn, with the northern water tower visible in the distance. Photo taken 05/29/05.
U.S. 74 westbound leaves Lumina Avenue at Salisbury Street. Believe it or not, this is the first westbound reassurance or trailblazer shield. Continue south on Lumina Street to link to eastbound U.S. 76 to the south end of Wrightsville Beach; turn right to follow U.S. 74 (and U.S. 76) west to Wilmington. Photo taken 05/29/05.
The intersection between Lumina Avenue and Salisbury Street is signalized. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic is very common in this area, and since parking spaces are scarce, car traffic can be very heavy, resulting in lengthy delays at this intersection. Photo taken 05/29/05.
This is the first westbound reassurance shield on U.S. 74/Salisbury Street. Photo taken 05/29/05.
Another westbound U.S. 74 reassurance shield is posted shortly thereafter, along with a state bicycle route shield. Photo taken 05/29/05.
This short bridge carries U.S. 74/Salisbury Street over a channel that connects to the Intracoastal Waterway. A large marsh separates U.S. 74 from U.S. 76, which is visible at the south end of the marsh on Causeway Drive. Photo taken 05/29/05.
Traffic from U.S. 74 west prepares to merge with traffic from U.S. 76 west at the point where Salisbury Street and Causeway Drive merge together. Photo taken 05/29/05.
U.S. Highway 74-76 West
Westbound U.S. 74-76, now fully merged, prepare to exit Wrightsville Beach and enter Wilmington via a draw bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. Photo taken 05/29/05.
The bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway, which separates Wrightsville Beach from Wilmington, is a drawbridge that is governed by these traffic signals. Sailboats and other high profile vessels may result in delays at the bridge. Photo taken 05/29/05.
Upon descending from the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge, U.S. 74-76 enter the city of Wilmington. The two routes will follow divergent routes through the city, with U.S. 74 currently following U.S. 17 (it will be transferred to Martin Luther King Jr Parkway in September 2005) and U.S. 76 following Oleander Drive, which is also designated as part of Truck U.S. 17. Photo taken 05/29/05.
Westbound U.S. 74-76 approaches the intersection with Oleander Drive (Truck U.S. 17 south and U.S. 76 east) and Military Cutoff (Truck U.S. 17 north). The truck route meets up with U.S. 17 northeast of here, and it is a faster route to Jacksonville and other areas served by U.S. 17 to the north. U.S. 74 continues west along Eastwood Road, meeting U.S. 17/Market Street near the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Photo taken 05/29/05.
U.S. Highway 17 South and U.S. Highway 74 West - Wilmington
U.S. 17 south and U.S. 74 turn left onto 16th Street, while Business U.S. 17 continues straight ahead along Market Street. The business route follows Market Street east to 3rd Street, then turns south on 3rd Street to rejoin U.S. 17 (and U.S. 74-76-421 at the Wooster Street/Dawson Street couplet). By following 16th Street, U.S. 17 avoids much of downtown Wilmington and keeps traffic out of the urban core and historic district. Photo taken 05/29/05.
U.S. Highway 17 South and U.S. Highway 74-76 West
U.S. 17-74 and U.S. 76/Truck U.S. 17 merge together as the 16th Street/17th Street couplet (U.S. 17-74 south/north) reaches Oleander Drive (U.S. 76). Westbound Oleander Drive and southbound 16th Street merge onto westbound Wooster Street. This is the first reassurance shield assembly on southwestbound U.S. 17-74-76 on Wooster Street. Northeastbound traffic uses Dawson Street. Photo taken 06/01/05.
Shortly after merging together, the three U.S. routes approach U.S. 421. U.S. 17-74-76 continue straight ahead (east) on Wooster Street, which crosses the Cape Fear River en route to Brunswick County. U.S. 421 also joins the three routes to cross the Cape Fear River. Photo taken 06/01/05.
The confusing part of this merge is that U.S. 17 south and U.S. 421 north cross the Cape Fear River along with eastbound U.S. 74-76. This makes for a brief section of highway that carries two routes in seemingly opposite directions (north and south), which can be confusing. The intersection between Wooster Street and 3rd Street serves as the southern terminus of Business U.S. 17, which travels north into downtown Wilmington and serves the historic district. Photo taken 06/01/05.
U.S. Highway 17 South, U.S. Highway 74-76 West, U.S. Highway 421 North
After the 3rd Street intersection, Wooster Street shifts into an expressway configuration, with no other exits prior to the Cape Fear River Bridge. This is the first and only westbound shield assembly for U.S. 17-74-76-421; U.S. 421 departs at the first interchange once the highway reaches Brunswick County. Note that once the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway is completed in September 2005, U.S. 74 will be relocated from this bridge to the Parsley Street Bridge (designated as North Carolina 133). Photo taken 06/01/05.
The Cape Fear River lift bridge comes into view as the highway gradually gains elevation to clear the river channel. According to North Carolina Waterways, the lift bridge has a vertical clearance of 135 feet over the river, and it can be raised on signal 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Since the river is approximately 40 feet deep near downtown Wilmington, large ships can navigate the river. Photo taken 06/01/05.
The first interchange in Brunswick County is where U.S. 421 splits off U.S. 17-74-76 and North Carolina 133 joins the group. Use U.S. 421 north to reach Battleship Park as well as the Parsley Street Bridge, one of three bridges to cross the Cape Fear River. (The Parsley Street Bridge will eventually become part of U.S. 74 once the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway is completed in September 2005). Photo taken 06/01/05.
This traffic signal regulates traffic crossing the lift bridge. Whenever the lights turn red, the lift raises the central portion of the bridge over the river and any river traffic. Photo taken 06/01/05.
The deck of the bridge is metal grating, and it can be slippery during rainstorms or any kind of moist weather. The grating also seems to create an undulating ride over the central part of the bridge. Photo taken 06/01/05.
Although it is in need of a paint job, the truss portion of the bridge serves the lifting function of the bridge well. Photo taken 06/01/05.
After passing under the second tower, U.S. 17-74-76-421 westbound begins to descend to dry land in Brunswick County. As the highway descends, the proposed extension of Interstate 20 from Florence east to Wilmington is proposed to begin near here. Under plans publicized by North Carolina officials but not necessarily agreed upon by South Carolina, Interstate 20 would follow U.S. 76 east to Chadborn, then follow U.S. 74-76 through Whiteville and end near the foot of this bridge west of Wilmington in Brunswick County. Interstate 20 may connect with Interstate 40 via a link on U.S. 421/North Carolina 133 to the Parsley Street Bridge and Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway (Future U.S> 74). Stay tuned for more updates on the future of Interstate 20. Photo taken 06/01/05.
Use the right lane to exit onto northbound U.S. 421 and North Carolina 133. U.S. 421 follows a northeasterly trajectory from here, paralleling Interstate 40 between Wilmington and Greensboro, where the two routes meet. West of Greensboro, U.S. 421 generally trends west, exiting the Tarheel State northwest of Boone. Much of U.S. 421 near the Triad is freeway. Photo taken 06/01/05.
Southbound U.S. 17/westbound U.S. 74-76 reaches the offramp for U.S. 421/North Carolina 133 northbound. Unlike U.S. 421, North Carolina 133 is a local state highway that remains in the Wilmington area. To the north, North Carolina 133 follows U.S. 421 to the Parsley Street Bridge, then crosses the Cape Fear River, connects to Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (Future U.S. 74), and turns north to end at U.S. 117 north of Wilmington. The part of North Carolina 133 between Martin Luther King Jr Parkway and U.S. 117 is a former part of U.S. 117, before U.S. 117 was rerouted onto North Carolina 132 and Shipyard Boulevard. Photo taken 06/01/05.
U.S. Highway 17 South, U.S. Highway 74-76 West, and North Carolina 133 South
The next reassurance shield assembly is for U.S. 17 south, U.S. 74-76 west, and North Carolina 133 south. The four routes will remain merged for less than a mile, since the next exit will take North Carolina 133 off the freeway and send it south toward Southport. Photo taken 06/01/05.
North Carolina 133 follows a two-lane highway, paralleling the west bank of the Cape Fear River from U.S. 17 south to North Carolina 87. North Carolina 87 continues south to end in Southport, near the Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry, while North Carolina 133 angles southwest to Oak Island. A day trip from Wilmington involves taking North Carolina 133 and North Carolina 87 south to the ferry, then returning to Wilmington via U.S. 421. Photo taken 06/01/05.
Oak Island features several beaches, including Caswell Beach on the eastern tip (near the Oak Island Lighthouse), Yaupon Beach near the center of the island, and Long Beach. Southport, which is on the mainland, is located a bit to the northeast of Oak Island. For more information, visit the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce web page. Photo taken 06/01/05.
Orton Plantation is located along southbound North Carolina 133/River Road about midway between U.S. 17 and Oak Island. The plantation is the former home of Roger Moore, who arrived in 1725. The plantation has a storied past, having been located one mile from the town of Brunswick and used as a hospital for a period of time after the Civil War (during Reconstruction). Photo taken 06/01/05.
This exit also serves as the connection to Village Road (North Carolina Secondary 1472), which serves the towns of Belville, Navassa, and Leland. Photo taken 06/01/05.
Prior to the North Carolina 133 South/North Carolina Secondary 1472 interchange, U.S. 17-74-76 crosses over the Brunswick River. Photo taken 06/01/05.
Southbound U.S. 17 and westbound U.S. 74-76 reaches the offramp for North Carolina 133 south to Southport and Oak Island. The freeway continues straight ahead the split between U.S. 17 and U.S. 74-76. Photo taken 06/01/05.
U.S. Highway 17 South and U.S. Highway 74-76 West
The next exit is where the routes divide. Westbound U.S. 74-76 will split with U.S. 17 south, with U.S. 17 shown as the exit. U.S. 17 will continue southwest along the Eastern Seaboard, following coastal North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia before turning inland at Jacksonville, Florida, to end at U.S. 41 in Punta Gorda, Florida. All of U.S. 17 from here southward will remain expressway standard, with a business route serving Bolivia and Shallotte. Upon reaching North Carolina 211 in Supply (between Bolivia and Shallotte), U.S. 17 joins the Future Interstate 74 corridor. Once in South Carolina, U.S. 17 has a freeway bypass (South Carolina 31), while the mainline serves the tourist destination of Myrtle Beach. Photo taken 06/01/05.
The left two lanes continue west on U.S. 74-76, while the right lane becomes exit only for U.S. 17 south. This interchange is a trumpet interchange, so it is a high speed connecting ramp to southbound U.S. 17. U.S. 74-76, meanwhile, remain combined together until Chadborn. U.S. 76 speeds west toward Marion and Florence in South Carolina, while U.S. 74 turns northwest along the Future Interstate 74 Corridor toward Lumberton, Laurinburg, and Rockingham. West of Rockingham, U.S. 74 follows a well-traveled expressway to Charlotte, then continues as a freeway through parts of western North Carolina. Photo taken 06/01/05.
For beach access, use U.S. 17 south. Although U.S. 17 does not serve any of the beach areas directly, it does provide a connection to the state routes that provide beach access. Beach access is provided by routes such as North Carolina 87 south to Oak Island, North Carolina 211 south to Holden Beach, North Carolina 179 south to Ocean Isle Beach, and North Carolina 904 south to Ocean Isle Beach. Photo taken 06/01/05.
U.S. 17 and U.S. 74-76 split from each other for the final time here. U.S. 17 south is signed for Shallotte and Myrtle Beach, while U.S. 74-76 aims for Whiteville and Lumberton. Both of these cities are along U.S. 74 in North Carolina, so cities from South Carolina along U.S. 76 are omitted. Since U.S. 76 is considered part of a potential corridor for Interstate 20, it seems like control points from that freeway could be used here. Photo taken 06/01/05.
This is the first set of reassurance shields for U.S. 74-76 west after U.S. 17 south peels off to the south. Photo taken 06/01/05.
Traffic on U.S. 17 south flies over U.S. 74-76 on this bridge, which has enough rust on it to betray the age of the interchange. Photo taken 06/01/05.
U.S. Highway 74-76 West
Now on its own route, U.S. 74-76 follow the freeway west toward Whiteville. The last exit on U.S. 74-76 prior to the reversion of the freeway to a multi-lane divided highway is the junction with North Carolina Secondary 1472, which serves Leland. Photo taken 06/01/05.
Westbound U.S. 74-76 reaches the offramp to North Carolina Secondary 1472, which serves Leland. Photo taken 06/01/05.
