U.S. 264
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Photo: US 264 leaving US 64 near Manns Harbor. US 264 is empty save for a million bugs for the next 37 miles. (Mapmikey)
| U.S. 264 219 miles | |||
| The Road: | Begins at I-440/US 64 Raleigh (Wake County) and ends at US 64 Manns Harbor (Dare County). | Towns and Attractions: | Wake Co.: Raleigh, Zebulon
Franklin Co.: None Nash Co.: Middlesex, Bailey Wilson Co.: Saratoga Greene Co.: None Pitt Co.: Farmville, Greenville Beaufort Co.: Washington, Belhaven Hyde Co.: Swanquarter, Englehard Dare Co.: Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge |
History: |
>US 264 was created in 1932, running from US 64/NC 90 Zebulon (this is now the NC 97-Shepards School Rd jct) to the village of Engelhard. US 264 was paired in its entirety with the older NC 91 and was paved everywhere west of Swanquarter at that time. The 1932 Texaco Map shows US 264 at 165 miles.
US 264 appears 1932 Gousha In late 1934, NC 91 was dropped from US 264. In 1937 or 1938, US 264 was removed from SR 1569 east of Grimesland. About 1947, US 264 was given its first bypass of Wilson over a road that had been present back to at last 1944, then utilized US 301. The old route through Wilson on Raleigh Rd, Bynum St, Vance St and Pender St became US 264-A. Note that in this timeframe US 264-NC 58 was moved from Nash St to Bynum/Vance. It is unclear whether US 264 was 264-A at that point. In 1951, US 264 was extended east via existing county roads to US 64 Manns Harbor, then followed today's US 64 Business north to a ferry to Roanoke Island. US 64 then was added to NC 345 south through Manteo, then replaced US 158 across the Roanoke Sound to end at truncated US 158 Whalebone Jct (current NC 12 jct with South Old Oregon Inlet Rd). In 1955, US 264 was given a bypass south of Farmville over a road that had existed a few years already. The route through Farmville became US 264-A (NC 121 and secondary route today).
About 1955, US 264's ferry across Croatan Sound was replaced with a bridge. On the Manns Harbor side, US 264 was removed from Old Ferry Dock Rd. on the Manteo side, US 264 was removed from SR 1116 Airport Rd. Between 1954-57, US 264 was removed from SR 1501 between Washington and Bunyan. Also Between 1954-57, US 264 received its bypass of Belhaven leaving behind US 264-A (now US 264 Business).
Also, between 1954-57, US 264 received its bypass of Scranton, leaving behind SR 1154. In 1956 or 1957, US 264 was rerouted onto the new Wilson bypass, leaving behind Pender St and an extended US 264-A.
In 1956 or 1957, US 264 was given a southern bypass of Greenville. The old route of Dickinson Ave and 10th St became US 264-A (a little of this is still part of US 13).
In 1956 or 1957, US 264 was given its bypass of Swanquarter, leaving behind SRs 1132 and 1129 (now NC 45 and NC 94 respectively).
About 1960, US 264's east end was truncated to the current US 64 endpoint when the US 158 Bypass was built. The short road east to Whalebone Jct became part of US 158 Business (now part of NC 12).
In Aug 1975 (NCDOT), US 264 was placed on new freeway from the new US 64 freeway Zebulon east to about a mile past NC 97. Also in Aug 1975 (NCDOT), US 264 was rerouted to run directly from Greenville to Washington, replacing SR 1590 and NC 30. The old route via Chocowinity became NC 33 and US 17 remained across the Pamlico River.
In Nov 1977 (NCDOT), the US 264 freeway was extended east to NC 581, then US 264 used NC 581 back to original 264 in Bailey. The old route from Bailey west through Middlesex to Wake County became secondary (now US 264 ALT). In 1978, the US 264 freeway was extended to Sims. It appears the old route from Bailey to Sims became US 264 Business (now 264 ALT).
In 1988, US 264 was rerouted east of Wilson to follow NC 58 further south, then east as new construction around the north of Saratoga to tie into the existing Farmville Bypass. This left behind NC 91. Also in 1988, US 264 was placed on new routing to use the northeast segment of the Greenville loop, then followed US 13-NC 11/903 south then west on Farmville Blvd connecting with new construction west to near Farmville. US 264 then cut south on Wesley Church Rd to meet up with existing US 264. The old route around the south of Greenville and the US 13 duplex became US 264 ALT. 
US 264 freeway segments approaching Farmville 1990-91 Official In 1992, US 264 was placed on new freeway around the north of Farmville, connecting the two freeway segments opened in 1988. The old route became a bit of NC 121 and more US 264 ALT. In 1997, US 264 was extended west along US 64 to end at the I-440 Raleigh Beltline. In Feb 2003 (NCDOT), US 264 was placed on new freeway from Sims around the south of Wilson to NC 58. The old route through Wilson became more US 264 ALT. This completed the freeway conrinuous from US 64 to Greenville. 
US 264 freeway continuous to Greenville 2005 Official In Sept 2003 (NCDOT), US 264 was truncated to US 64 near Manns Harbor, leaving behind US 64.
In Nov 2006 (NCDOT), US 264 was moved with US 64 onto new freeway bypassing Milburnie and Knightsdale. The old route became US 64 Business only.
In Dec 2022 (aaroads forum), US 264 was removed from I-587 from US 264 ALT east of Wilson to Greenville, reclaiming its former routing from US 264 ALT, plus routed north on NC 11 Byp back to the previous US 264 routing on the northwest side of Greenville. |
Comments: | US 264 east of Engelhard is one of the emptiest places on the eastern seaboard. |
