Re: Outer Banks Roadtrip 3/24

On Mar 31, 8:58 am, "Adam Prince" <aprince...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
To see the trip report with accompanying photos, head to my blog:http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2007/03/outer-banks-road-trip-324.html

Last Saturday, I took a road trip out to the Outer Banks. I wanted to get
the last three counties in Northeastern NC I need along with picking up some
missing highway ends. The main reason for the trip was to go hiking at
Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head.

The Route: NC 50, I-85, US 158, US 158 Bypass, I-85, US 158, US 301, NC 186,
NC 305, NC 561, NC 45, NC 461, local secondaries, NC 45, US 158, NC 137, NC
37, US 17, NC 344, US 17, US 158, NC 136, US 158, US 64, I-540, local roads
to home.

Accomplishments: Added Hertford, Gates, and Currituck Counties. Clinched NC
136 and 137 in addition to new mileage on numerous highways: US 158, NC 305,
NC 561, NC 45, NC 461, NC 37, NC 344, and US 64.

Notes:

Between Oxford and Henderson US 158 splits to a by-pass (two lanes) and
business route. I took the Bypass route which weaves around I-85 briefly
before a brief multiplex in Henderson. There is one instance where US 158
crosses I-85 without an interchange. However, the bridge that carries I-85
over the 158 By-pass was built to cross over four lanes and in fact grading
four an additional two lanes of US 158 is there. This is the only hint that
US 158 could be four lanes through here or was there an interchange here
years ago? This is at about mile 208 on I-85.

There is still an I-85 North Carolina shield on US 1 North/158 East at Exit
220 in Middleburg.

Plenty of old advertisements and buildings exist on US 158 in Macon, Vaughn
and Littleton. There is also an abandoned railroad right of way.

NC 35's Southern end sits literally on the Northhampton and Hertford County
Lines.

NC 461 East end is at a Nucor Steel Plant near Cofield. This is the second
instance - that I know of - where a NC state highway either exists or has
been extended to end at an industrial plant entrance. The other is NC 149
ending at the Weyerhaeuser mill in Plymouth.

NC 344 is now signed and exists in Elizabeth City. It begins at the US 17
Bypass at Halstead Blvd. Extension. It follows Halstead Blvd. into Elizabeth
City where it eventually picks up the former routing of NC 34 south through
Weeksville to end at the Pasquotank River. NC 34 now ends at US 158 in
Belcross. Unfortunately, there is not an 'END' NC 344 shield at the US 17
Bypass. The NC 344 signs were erected on April 19, 2006.

US 17 through Elizabeth City has another bannered route. There is US 17
By-Pass (which is a freeway east of the city), what I call 'Vanilla' US 17
(the old 'by-pass'), US 17 Business, and now US 17 Truck Business (a truck
bypass for the business route). Elizabeth City now has tied Smithfield-Selma
for the most bannered routes of a US highway in the state. US 70 has US 70
By-Pass, 'Vanilla' US 70, US 70A, and US 70 Business. I'll give Elizabeth
City the nod as I have never seen a Truck Business route before.

I did take a brief drive to clinch NC 136, former NC 3, in Popular Branch.
Not an end sign present, but the highway does end at a boat launch along the
Currituck Sound/Intracoastal Waterway.

Once on the Outer Banks, I headed to Jockeys Ridge State Park and hiked the
numerous sand dunes. Jockeys Ridge has the highest sand dunes on the east
coast ranging from 80 to 100 feet. I was amazed to see so much sand and
hiked at least two and a half to three miles. In some instances where I was
surrounded by sand dunes, it made me feel like I was in the desert. Kite
flying and hang gliding are very popular at the park. Plus, you are allowed
to 'sled ride' down some of the dunes.

After my time at the park, I headed around the Outer Banks a little bit
before heading home on US 64.

A few things, the US 64 "bypass" (actual realignment) of Newfoundland in
Tyrell County is actually graded for four lanes. Four laning the remainder
of US 64 to the coast (Columbia to Manns Harbor) may be accomplished in the
next 10 years.

The highest exit number in North Carolina is now Exit 562 which is along the
new US 64 freeway between Columbia and Plymouth.

Good stuff. Roadgeek has beach bum moment, like my trip to
Brownsville, TX last December. The beach photos in the blog page
resembled somewhat Boca Chica Beach near the Rio Grande. Keep it up,
Adam.

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