North Carolina Roads - US 52

US 52



US 52 SB joins I-85 SB south of Lexington, along with Business I-85/US 29 SB and US 70 WB. It's clear that what is now I-85 to the south was part of the same alignment as US 52/29/70, all built at the same time as an improved divided highway from Greensboro to Charlotte. The stretch from Exit 83 to Exit 87 just happened to be easily upgradable to an Interstate highway.


I-74's eastern end is in Ohio, and North Carolina will never convince me otherwise. NC puts FUTURE in the shield, which is a newer practice; when the Interstate system was still going in, FUTURE was usually a separate banner. This is on US 52 NB/eventual I-74 WB, north of Winston-Salem, courtesy Lou Corsaro.


Heading north from Winston-Salem. 1825 is the number for a state route underpass, not how many years it'll take this to become I-74.


NB through Tobaccoville Rd. bridge reconstruction.


I-74 will inherit a very cool-as-a-Camel exit name, also NB on US 52, second photo courtesy Lou Corsaro. As you can see, King Tobacco reigns over the south. Or these are two different towns. As further intrigue, Doral Drive is the main street of Tobaccoville, and yes, R.J. Reynolds is located in the town, just one exit southeast of this sign.


SB in 2013, the infamous exit has gained a number. This is US 52's mileage, so I-74 is still nowhere close to existence.


Continuing north to actual I-74, which only goes from Mt. Airy TO I-77 and the VA border for now, because that's the only stretch of freeway that meets Interstate standards. See scenery from this stretch at the Non-Roads link below.

Remaining photos are courtesy Lou Corsaro.


Narrow-width US 601 leaves US 52 EB around Mt. Airy, one of those By-Pass/Business setups that leaves no regular route through the city.


And from the Business route, Church St. EB in Mt. Airy.


US 52 SB on Andy Griffith Parkway, bypassing Mt. Airy to the west. The signs are probably original to the bypass.

I-85 and I-85/US 52

Into Virginia on US 52
Onto US 601
To I-77
More of I-74 on US 74
- I wish I were making that up.
US 52 Non-Roads
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