U.S. 501
< 441 | Home | 501-A | 501 Bus | 521 >
| U.S. 501 182 miles | |||
| The Road: |
Begins at the South Carolina State line below Rowland (Robeson County) and ends at the Virginia State Line above Roxboro (Person County).
Nationally US 501 runs from US 17 Bus Myrtle Beach, SC to US 60 Lake City, TN |
Towns and Attractions: | Robeson Co.: South of the Border, Rowland
Scotland Co.: Laurinburg Hoke Co.: None Moore Co.: Aberdeen, Pinehurst, Carthage Lee Co.: Sanford Chatham Co.: Pittsboro Orange Co.: Chapel Hill Durham Co.: Durham Person Co.: Roxboro |
History: |
US 501 was an original US Highway which in late 1926 ran from US 70/NC 10 north to Virginia above Roxboro on its way to Burkeville, VA. US 501 was added to NC 13 for its entire run.
In late 1934, US 501 was extended south to South Carolina below Rowland, replacing NC 75 from Durham to Pinehurst; US 311 Pinehurst to Rowland; addition to US 301 Rowland to SC.
A more detailed look: South Carolina to Pinehurst:
In 1957, US 501 was rerouted in Aberdeen to avoid central Pinehurst, as it runs now. This was additional duplex with US 1 and new construction. The old route to Pinehurst became part of NC 211 (now NC 5). Leaving Pinehurst the route became NC 2 and Page Rd.
In 1967, US 501 was placed on a new bypass with US 74 south of Laurinburg, then was added to the existing US 15-401 bypass west of Laurinburg. This left behind US 501 Business.
US 501 originally used Lea Rd, Blues Siding Rd and Shady Lane Rd sprinkled with current US 15-501 motoring from Pinehurst toward Carthage. US 501 used NC 22 into Carthage, then NC 24-27 out the east side.
Between 1954-57, US 501 was removed from BluesSiding Rd and Shady Lane Rd. In 1956, US 501 was put on the new bypass west of Sanford, leaving behind US 1A-15A-501A.
In 1957, US 501 was rerouted to the east of Carthage like it is today, leaving behind pieces of NC 22 and NC 27.
In Aug 1973 (NCDOT), US 501 was removed from Old Sanford Rd and Walter Bright Rd between Sanford and Pittsboro. Durham: Originally, US 501 began at Main St (US 70/NC 10) and followed Magnum St to Porter St (now Roxboro Rd) north out of town. When US 501 was extended south, it entered from the south via Morehead Ave, then Kent St, then east on Chapel Hill St. to Foster St north to Geer St east to Magnum St as before. About 1951, US 15 was moved onto the current US 15 Bus-501 Bus routing.
In May 1962 (NCDOT), US 501 was moved to its current bypass west of Durham, which was completed in 1957 with no number (1959 Official Durham inset also shows unnumbered bypass), and added to US 70 around the north of Durham. This left behind US 15-501 Bus. Oddly, the 1960 Official shows US 501 moved onto the bypass despite NCDOT documentation saying 1962.
Durham to Virginia: US 501 followed its general current path with just a few old alignments. Note that Old Durham Rd from Somerset to Roxboro was already bypassed prior to US 501's birth in 1926. Between 1945-49, US 501 was moved to Madison Blvd through Roxboro. Main St became US 501-A (now unnumbered)
Between 1954-57, US 501 was removed from SR 1329 Bethel Hill School Rd and SR 1500 Old US 501 near the Virginia line. SR 1500 no longer connects back up with US 501. In Nov 2016 (NCDOT), US 501 was rerouted north of Roxboro to follow NC 49 further east, then north as new construction to tie back into existing US 501 near Gentrys Store. The old route became SR 1601. |
Comments: |
The US 15 duplex is quite long and not really necessary. US 15 could have been routed to Fayetteville, Raleigh and Creedmoor like US 15-A was for 20 years.
US 501 is only a main route really from Chapel Hill northward |
