Neha Patil (Editor)

North Carolina Highway 97

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Existed:
  
1961 – present

East end:
  
NC 122 near Hobgood

Constructed
  
1961

West end:
  
US 64 Bus. in Wendell

Length
  
103.5 km

Major cities
  
Rocky Mount, Zebulon

North Carolina Highway 97

Counties
  
Wake County, North Carolina

North Carolina Highway 97 (NC 97) is a primary state highway in the state of North Carolina, connecting the cities of Zebulon and Rocky Mount with the vast rural coastal plains.

Contents

Map of NC-97, North Carolina, USA

Route description

NC 97 begins at U.S. Route 64 Business (US 64 Bus.) between the towns of Knightdale and Wendell. The nearest community is the unincorporated Eagle Rock. Through Wake County, the route closely parallels US 64, following it one-half mile (0.80 km) to the south. After passing through the unincorporated community of Lizard Lick, NC 97 merges with US 64 Bus. and forms the main east-west street through the town of Zebulon, Gannon Avenue.

West of Zebulon, just past the Wake-Nash county line, NC 97 has an interchange with US 264. Through Nash County, NC 97 is mostly a rural road oriented east-west. After intersecting Interstate 95 (I-95), it turns to a more northeast-southwest alignment, passing Rocky Mount–Wilson Regional Airport, and then entering the city of Rocky Mount along West Raleigh Boulevard. In the center of Rocky Mount, NC 97 turns to a north-south alignment, and follows Arlington Street until it leaves the city, joining the east-west Cool Spring Road just north of the city limits. From here, NC 97 closely parallels the Tar River and through the small town of Leggett. After the bridge over Fishing Creek (a tributary of the Tar River), NC 97 intersects with US 258 and travels another five miles (8.0 km) before ending at an intersection with NC 122 just outside the town of Hobgood, North Carolina.

History

NC 97 was originally NC 95 in the 1930s. It was renumbered in 1958 or 1959 to avoid conflict with I-95. In 1975, its western terminus was extended to replace the old alignment of US 64 Bus. north of Wendell; a new US 64 Bypass freeway was built farther north of Wendell.

North Carolina Highway 95

North Carolina Highway 95 (NC 95) was established in 1930 as a new primary routing from NC 40 in Rocky Mount to NC 12 in Lawrence. In 1933, NC 95 was extended south along US 301/NC 40 through Rocky Mount, then west on new routing to US 64/US 264/NC 39/NC 90/NC 91 in Zebulon. In 1935, NC 95 was extended east to NC 122 near Hobgood. In 1961, because of the establishment of I-95, NC 95 was renumbered as NC 97.

North Carolina Highway 95A

North Carolina Highway 95A (NC 95A) was an alternate spur route from NC 95 to US 64/NC 90 (Thomas Avenue), via Legget Road, Myrtle Avenue, Grand Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. By around 1940, it was downgraded to secondary road (SR 1243).

References

North Carolina Highway 97 Wikipedia