View source for U.S. Route 74

{{short description|Highway in the United States}}
{{distinguish|Interstate 74}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox road
|country = USA
|type = US
|route = 74
|alternate_name = 
|map = {{maplink-road|from=U.S. Route 74.map}}
|map_custom = yes
|map_notes = US&nbsp;74 highlighted in red
|length_mi = 515
|length_round = 0
|length_ref = {{citation needed|date=February 2018}}
|established = 1927{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}
|tourist = [[File:National Forest Scenic Byway.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Ocoee Scenic Byway]]<br />[[File:National Forest Scenic Byway.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Mountain Waters Scenic Byway]]
|direction_a = West
|terminus_a = {{Jct|state=TN|I|24|I|75}} at [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga, TN]]
|junction = <!-- Major junctions only; Up to 10 major intersections and cities belong here; please read [[WP:USRD/STDS]] for more info -->{{plainlist|
*{{Jct|state=TN|I|75}} in [[Cleveland, Tennessee|Cleveland, TN]]
*{{Jct|state=NC|I|40}} near [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville, NC]]
*{{Jct|state=NC|I|26}} near [[Columbus, North Carolina|Columbus, NC]]
*{{Jct|state=NC|I|85|US|29}} in [[Kings Mountain, North Carolina|Kings Mountain, NC]]
*{{Jct|state=NC|I|485}} in [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte, NC]]
*{{Jct|state=NC|I|77|US|21}} in Charlotte, NC
*{{Jct|state=NC|I|277}} in Charlotte, NC
*{{Jct|state=NC|US|1}} in [[Rockingham, North Carolina|Rockingham, NC]]
*{{Jct|state=NC|I|95|US|301}} near [[Lumberton, North Carolina|Lumberton, NC]]
*{{Jct|state=NC|I|140}} in [[Leland, North Carolina|Leland, NC]]
}}
|direction_b = East
|terminus_b = Lumina Avenue in [[Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina|Wrightsville&nbsp;Beach,&nbsp;NC]]
|states = [[Tennessee]], [[North Carolina]]
|counties = '''TN:''' [[Hamilton County, Tennessee|Hamilton]], [[Bradley County, Tennessee|Bradley]], [[Polk County, Tennessee|Polk]]<br />'''NC:''' [[Cherokee County, North Carolina|Cherokee]], [[Macon County, North Carolina|Macon]], [[Swain County, North Carolina|Swain]], [[Jackson County, North Carolina|Jackson]], [[Haywood County, North Carolina|Haywood]], [[Buncombe County, North Carolina|Buncombe]], [[Henderson County, North Carolina|Henderson]], [[Polk County, North Carolina|Polk]], [[Rutherford County, North Carolina|Rutherford]], [[Cleveland County, North Carolina|Cleveland]], [[Gaston County, North Carolina|Gaston]], [[Mecklenburg County, North Carolina|Mecklenburg]], [[Union County, North Carolina|Union]], [[Anson County, North Carolina|Anson]], [[Richmond County, North Carolina|Richmond]], [[Scotland County, North Carolina|Scotland]], [[Robeson County, North Carolina|Robeson]], [[Columbus County, North Carolina|Columbus]], [[Brunswick County, North Carolina|Brunswick]], [[New Hanover County, North Carolina|New Hanover]]
|browse = {{Us browse|previous_type=US|previous_route=73|next_type=US|next_route=75|route=[[List of United States Numbered Highways|US]]}}{{tn browse|previous_type=SR|previous_route=73|route=[[List of state routes in Tennessee|TN]]|next_type=TN|next_route=74}}<br />{{nc browse|previous_type=I|previous_route=74|route=[[North Carolina State Highways|NC]]|next_type=NC|next_route=75}}
}}
'''U.S. Route&nbsp;74''' ('''US&nbsp;74''') is an east&ndash;west [[United States Numbered Highways|United States highway]] that runs for {{convert|515|mi}} from [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]] to [[Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina]]. Primarily in North Carolina, it serves as an important highway from the mountains to the sea, connecting the cities of [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] and [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]]. It is known as '''Andrew Jackson Highway''' throughout most of North Carolina.

==Route description==
{{lengths table}}
|-
|TN
|63.0
|101.4
|-
|NC
|451.8
|727.1
|-
|Total
|514.8
|828.5
|}

===Tennessee===
{{distinguish|Tennessee State Route 74}}
US 74 was designated in 1927.  The {{convert|63|mi|km|adj=on}} route travels from the [[Interstate 24 in Tennessee|I-24]]/[[Interstate 75 in Tennessee|I-75]] interchange, in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]], northeast to [[Cleveland, Tennessee|Cleveland]], where it then continues east, along with US 64, to the North Carolina state line.<ref name=tdot>{{cite map |title = Tennessee 2014 Official Transportation Map [back] |url = http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/Maps/2014OfficialMapBackside.pdf |year = 2014 |access-date = April 21, 2014 }}</ref>  The highway is predominantly [[Controlled-access highway|freeway]] or [[Limited-access road|expressway]] grade four-lane, except between [[Ocoee, Tennessee|Ocoee]] and [[Ducktown, Tennessee|Ducktown]], where it is a curvy two-lane mountain highway along the [[Toccoa/Ocoee River|Ocoee River]] known as the [[Ocoee Scenic Byway]].

[[Tennessee Department of Transportation|TDOT's]] signage for US 74 is poor.  Most highways that cross it will typically only list I-75 or US 64 instead; I-75 completely ignores US 74 along its route, even ignoring it at their intersection, showing instead the [[APD-40|US 64 Bypass]].

===North Carolina===
[[File:GSMEthroughWaynesville.jpg|[[Great Smoky Mountains Expressway]] through [[Waynesville, North Carolina|Waynesville]]|thumb|right]]
[[File:Skyline of Charlotte, North Carolina (2008).jpg|The [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] Skyline from Independence Freeway|thumb|right]]
[[File:Interstate 277 Directional Signs.jpg|I-277/US&nbsp;74 directional signs at Stonewall Street, in [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]|thumb|right]]
From the [[Tennessee]] state line, US&nbsp;74 traverses across the southern portion of the state, connecting the major cities [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], and [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]], for a total of {{convert|451.8|mi|km}}.
[[File:US 74, or Andrew Jackson Highway, west of Murphy in Cherokee County, North_Carolina.jpg|thumb|US 74 in western North Carolina just before it reaches Tennessee]]
In western North Carolina, US&nbsp;74 enters the state with a concurrency with [[U.S. Route 64 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;64]].  Routed along on pre-existing highways in the region, specifically the: [[Appalachian Development Highway System#Corridor K|Appalachian Highway]] (at-grade [[Limited-access road|expressway]], except in the [[Nantahala Gorge]]) and the [[Great Smoky Mountains Expressway]] (controlled-access [[freeway]], which is broken in three sections along the route); it shares a revolving door of concurrency changes with [[U.S. Route 19 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;19]], [[U.S. Route 129 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;129]], [[U.S. Route 441 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;441]] and [[U.S. Route 23 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;23]].  The alternating named highway (depending on grade of road) is considered the commercial back-bone and main truck route of Western North Carolina, connecting the cities of [[Murphy, North Carolina|Murphy]], [[Andrews, North Carolina|Andrews]], [[Bryson City, North Carolina|Bryson City]], [[Cherokee, North Carolina|Cherokee]], [[Sylva, North Carolina|Sylva]], and [[Waynesville, North Carolina|Waynesville]].  In or around October, the fall colors create an influx of more tourists in the region.  In the winter months, the highway is the first to be salted and plowed; however, both the [[Nantahala Gorge]] and [[Balsam Gap]] tend to get the most snow and/or ice in the region and should be traveled with care.

North of [[Clyde, North Carolina|Clyde]], US&nbsp;74 merges with [[Interstate 40 in North Carolina|Interstate 40]] and goes east, in concurrency, to [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]].  From there, it then goes southeast, in concurrency with [[Interstate 26 in North Carolina|Interstate 26]] till [[Columbus, North Carolina|Columbus]], where it separates and continues east along a mostly [[controlled-access highway]], except in [[Shelby, North Carolina|Shelby]], to [[Interstate 85 in North Carolina|Interstate 85]], in [[Kings Mountain, North Carolina|Kings Mountain]].

After crossing a unique weave intersection with Interstate 85, it joins with [[U.S. Route 29 in North Carolina|US 29]] and travels through downtown [[Gastonia, North Carolina|Gastonia]] along Franklin Boulevard.  East of Gastonia, it becomes Wilkinson Boulevard as it goes through [[McAdenville, North Carolina|McAdenville]], [[Cramerton, North Carolina|Cramerton]] and [[Belmont, North Carolina|Belmont]].  After crossing the Lake Wylie/Catawba River, via [[Sloans Ferry Bridge]], it enters [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], with connections with [[Interstate 485 (North Carolina)|Interstate 485]] and Interstate 85/[[Charlotte Douglas International Airport]], via Little Rock Road.  At Morehead Street, west of [[Charlotte center city|Center City]], it splits with US&nbsp;29 for [[Interstate 277 (North Carolina)|Interstate 277]] along the John Belk Freeway.  East of Center City, it goes solo again along Independence Freeway/Boulevard to [[Matthews, North Carolina|Matthews]], where it connects again with Interstate 485.

After leaving the Charlotte city limits, the route turns southeast as it goes through [[Stallings, North Carolina|Stallings]], [[Indian Trail, North Carolina|Indian Trail]] and [[Monroe, North Carolina|Monroe]], where it briefly overlaps with [[U.S. Route 601 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;601]], before continuing east again through [[Wingate, North Carolina|Wingate]], [[Marshville, North Carolina|Marshville]], [[Peachland, North Carolina|Peachland]], [[Polkton, North Carolina|Polkton]], [[Wadesboro, North Carolina|Wadesboro]] and [[Lilesville, North Carolina|Lilesville]]. On this stretch, prior to 2018, signage for the route was very poor, only being found at a few locations along the route. As part of the US 74 Monroe Bypass project, signage along the route was improved by the NCDOT.

Crossing the [[Pee Dee River]] and into the [[Sandhills (Carolina)|Sandhills region]], US&nbsp;74 meets up with Future Interstates [[Interstate 73 in North Carolina|I-73]]/[[Interstate 74 in North Carolina|I-74]], in [[Rockingham, North Carolina|Rockingham]]. After a future interchange near [[North Carolina Highway 38|NC&nbsp;38]] that will end its overlap with Interstate 73, US 74/Future I-74 continues southeast, bypassing [[Laurinburg, North Carolina|Laurinburg]] and [[Maxton, North Carolina|Maxton]].  East of Maxton and through [[Lumberton, North Carolina|Lumberton]], the highway is officially US&nbsp;74/Interstate 74, before dropping back to Future I-74 west of [[Boardman, North Carolina|Boardman]]; the concurrency with Future I-74 ends at [[Bolton, North Carolina|Bolton]], where a future interchange will split from US&nbsp;74 to continue south towards [[South Carolina]]. This is one of only two instances (along with [[Interstate 41 in Wisconsin|I-41]] in [[Wisconsin]]) of similarly numbered U.S. and Interstate routes being designated on the same road.

[[File:U.S. Route 74 East end.jpg|thumb|Sign at eastern end of US&nbsp;74 in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina]]
Near [[Chadbourn, North Carolina|Chadbourn]], US&nbsp;74 overlaps with [[U.S. Route 76 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;76]], which continue mostly together till [[Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina|Wrightsville Beach]], where US&nbsp;74 dead-ends north and US&nbsp;76 dead-ends south. Eastbound after the overlap with US 76, US 74 continues on Salisbury Street through some residential areas and businesses before coming to a traffic light separating Salisbury Street and Lumina Avenue. Drivers are directed to take a left on to North Lumina Avenue to continue on US 74 while South Lumina Avenue connects to Jack Parker Boulevard, which leads to US 76. Approximately {{Convert|1.7|mi|km}} on North Lumina, US 74 reaches its eastern terminus at a dead end circle with an entrance to the local Shell Island Resort hotel.

The highway connects the cities and towns of [[Whiteville, North Carolina|Whiteville]], [[Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina|Lake Waccamaw]], and [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]].  The road through the Cape Fear region is flat, surrounded by parts of the [[Green Swamp (North Carolina)|Green Swamp]].

===ADHS corridors===
US&nbsp;74 overlaps with two corridors that are part of the [[Appalachian Development Highway System]] (ADHS), which is part of [[Appalachian Regional Commission]] (ARC).  Passed in 1965, the purpose of ADHS is to generate economic development in previously isolated areas, supplement the interstate system, connect Appalachia to the interstate system, and provide access to areas within the Region as well as to markets in the rest of the nation.<ref>{{cite web |publisher = Appalachian Regional Commission |url = http://www.arc.gov/adhs |title = Appalachian Development Highway System |access-date = June 30, 2014 }}</ref>

* '''Corridor A''' – From [[Interstate 285 (Georgia)|I-285]], in [[Sandy Springs, Georgia|Sandy Springs]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] to [[Interstate 40 in North Carolina|I-40]], near [[Clyde, North Carolina]].  US&nbsp;74 overlap from [[U.S. Route 23 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;23]], in [[Dillsboro, North Carolina|Dillsboro]], to I-40, near Clyde; it is also completed with divided four-lane [[limited-access road|limited-access]] and [[controlled-access highway|controlled-access]] sections.  This corridor is signed as "Appalachian Highway," in white text on blue background.<ref name=ADHS-NC>{{cite web |publisher = Appalachian Regional Commission |url = http://www.arc.gov/noindex/programs/transp/adhs_status_report_2013/ADHSFY2013StatusReportNorthCarolina.pdf |title = Status of Corridors in North Carolina |date = September 30, 2013 |access-date = July 3, 2014 }}</ref>
* '''Corridor K''' – From [[Interstate 75 in Tennessee|I-75]], in [[Cleveland, Tennessee]], to [[U.S. Route 23 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;23]], in [[Dillsboro, North Carolina]].  The entire {{convert|127.7|mi|km|adj=on}} section of US&nbsp;74 is authorized for ADHS funding.  The majority of the route is a four-lane [[limited-access road]], with a section that is [[controlled-access highway|controlled-access]] between [[Bryson City, North Carolina|Bryson City]] and [[Cherokee, North Carolina|Cherokee]].  Current two-lane sections that are impending improvements are: [[Ocoee River]] to [[Ducktown, Tennessee|Ducktown]] and the [[Nantahala Gorge]].  In North Carolina, this corridor is signed as "Appalachian Highway," in white text on blue background.<ref name=ADHS-NC/><ref>{{cite web |publisher = Appalachian Regional Commission |url = http://www.arc.gov/noindex/programs/transp/adhs_status_report_2013/ADHSFY2013StatusReportTennessee.pdf |title = Status of Corridors in Tennessee |date = September 30, 2013 |access-date = July 3, 2014 }}</ref>

===Scenic byways===
The '''[[Ocoee Scenic Byway]]''' is a {{convert|26|mi|km|adj=on}} [[National Forest Scenic Byway]] that traverses through the [[Cherokee National Forest]], in [[East Tennessee]].  19 miles of the Byway are concurrent with US&nbsp;74 (in addition to [[U.S. Route 64 (Tennessee)|U.S. Route&nbsp;64]]).  Features include the [[Ocoee Whitewater Center]] and scenic bluffs along [[Toccoa/Ocoee River|Ocoee River]] and Gorge.<ref>{{Cite web |url = http://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/cherokee/recreation |title = Cherokee National Forest - Ocoee Scenic Byway }}</ref>

'''Nantahala Byway''' is a {{convert|43|mi|km|adj=on}} byway from [[Marble, North Carolina|Marble]] to [[Whittier, North Carolina|Whittier]]; it is known for its scenic views of the [[Nantahala Gorge]], The [[Great Smoky Mountains Railroad]], and whitewater rafting on the [[Nantahala River]].  US&nbsp;74 overlaps {{convert|38|mi|km}} of the byway from [[Marble, North Carolina|Marble]] to [[Bryson City, North Carolina|Bryson City]].  The byway also overlaps with [[U.S. Route 19 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;19]] and [[U.S. Route 129 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;129]].<ref name="Byways">{{cite web |url = http://www.ncdot.org/travel/scenic/ |title = NCDOT: Scenic Byways |access-date = March 1, 2011 |archive-date = January 25, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110125165457/http://www.ncdot.org/travel/scenic/ |url-status = dead }}</ref>

===Dedicated and memorial names===
[[File:Jesse Helms sign, U.S. Hwy. 74 in NC IMG 4247.JPG|A section of US&nbsp;74 in Monroe, named in honor of U.S. Senator Jesse Helms|thumb|right]]
US&nbsp;74 features several dedicated bridges and stretches of highway throughout its route.

* American Indian Highway &nbsp;– this name was authored by Tuscarora Indian Robert M. Chavis, he launched a campaign to obtain support from all the city councils and the Robeson county Commissioners, they all signed onto the partition Mr. Chavis sent to the NCDOT and it was approved by the state DOT,   official North Carolina name of the {{convert|19|mi|km}} section of US&nbsp;74/I-74 in Robeson County (mile marker 191–213). It is named to honor the large American Indian population in Robeson County (approved: November 8, 2001).<ref>{{cite web |url = https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/pio/releases/details.aspx?r=4259 |title = Media Advisory: I-74 "The American Indian Highway" Naming Ceremony |access-date = December 31, 2010 |archive-date = December 25, 2012 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20121225124123/https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/pio/releases/details.aspx?r=4259 |url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Teppl/TEPPL%20All%20Documents%20Library/Road_Bridge_Names.pdf#page=12 |format = PDF |title = Road and Bridge Namings in North Carolina |date = July 30, 2015 |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = September 3, 2018 }}</ref>
* Andrew Jackson Highway&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of US&nbsp;74 throughout the state, except in Robeson County (it is still named along the old sections of US 74 now called US 74 Business and Alternate).  It was established to honor of the seventh [[President of the United States]], [[Andrew Jackson]] (approved: April 4, 1963).<ref name="NCMH">{{cite web |publisher = [[North Carolina Department of Transportation]] |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Teppl/TEPPL%20All%20Documents%20Library/Sorted%20by%20County.pdf |title = North Carolina Memorial Highways and other Named Facilities |date = July 15, 2004 |access-date = April 21, 2014 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121229090753/https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Teppl/TEPPL%20All%20Documents%20Library/Sorted%20by%20County.pdf |archive-date = December 29, 2012 }}</ref> Signage is found primarily east of Charlotte, overlapping other official North Carolina dedicated sections.
* C. Heide Trask Bridge&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of bridge over the Inland Waterway, in [[Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina|Wrightsville Beach]] (approved: June 9, 1958).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* Cameron Morrison Bridge&nbsp;– Was an official North Carolina name of the first bridge and later westbound US&nbsp;74 bridge, over the [[Pee Dee River]].  It was named in honor of [[Cameron A. Morrison|Governor Morrison]], who was a [[Richmond County, North Carolina|Richmond County]] native.  The bridge, built in 1925, was dedicated to Morrison originally at an unknown date; in 1983, after the bridge was reconstructed to modern standards, it was rededicated to R.W. Goodman.<ref name="NCMH"/>
* Dean Arledge Memorial Highway&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of US 74 between [[Interstate 26 in North Carolina|I-26]] and [[North Carolina Highway 9|NC&nbsp;9]], in [[Polk County, North Carolina|Polk County]] (approved: March 3, 2000).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* G R Kindley Freeway&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of US&nbsp;74/[[Interstate 74 in North Carolina|I-74]] along the Rockingham-Hamlet bypass.  It is named in honor of the former mayor of Rockingham (approved: September 8, 2000).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* Herman H. West Bridge&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of bridge over the [[Valley River]], in [[Cherokee County, North Carolina|Cherokee County]].  It was dedicated in honor of the former state Senator and Representative (approved: September 8, 2000).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* Hezekiah Pridgen Sr. Bridge&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of bridge over [[U.S. Route 701 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;701]], in [[Columbus County, North Carolina|Columbus County]] (approved: August 4, 1995).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* James Archibald Hardison Bridge&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of the eastbound US&nbsp;74 bridge, over the [[Pee Dee River]].  It is named in honor of the former Highway Commissioner and member of the Highway Commission under three governors, from 1933 to 1937 and 1953-1961 (approved: December 30, 1958).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* J. Ollie Harris Highway&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of US&nbsp;74 Bypass at [[Kings Mountain, North Carolina|Kings Mountain]] (approved: October 3, 1997).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* James Arthur Callahan Freeway&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of a {{convert|2.7|mi|km|adj=on}} section of US 74/[[Interstate 26 in North Carolina|I-26]] in Rutherford County (approved: May 10, 1992).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* John Belk Freeway&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of US 74/[[Interstate 277 (North Carolina)|I-277]], from [[Interstate 77 in North Carolina|I-77]]/[[U.S. Route 21|US 21]] to Independence Boulevard, in Uptown Charlotte.  It is named in honor of [[John M. Belk]], who was mayor of Charlotte from 1969 to 1977 (approved: September 11, 1981).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway&nbsp;– Official City of Wilmington name of US&nbsp;74 from the [[Northeast Cape Fear River]] east to [[Special routes of U.S. Route 17#Wilmington_business_loop|US&nbsp;17&nbsp;Bus.]]; named in honor of the [[Martin Luther King Jr.|late civil rights leader]]. The section from 23rd Street to Market Street, which opened in the late 1990s, previously had the unofficial name "Smith Creek Parkway", named for the creek of the same name and thus indirectly named for William Smith, credited as being a founder of Wilmington.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2001/10/24/council-changes-parkway-name-to-martin-luther-king-jr/30486821007/ |title = Council changes parkway name to Martin Luther King Jr. |last = Fennell |first = Bettie |newspaper = [[Star-News]] |location = Wilmington, North Carolina |date = October 24, 2001 |access-date = February 17, 2025 |url-access = subscription }}</ref>
* R.W. Goodman Bridge&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of the westbound US&nbsp;74 bridge, over the [[Pee Dee River]].  It is named in honor of the former [[Richmond County, North Carolina|Richmond County]] sheriff [[R. W. Goodman]] (approved: March 11, 1983).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* Senator Jesse Helms Freeway&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of US&nbsp;74 between [[U.S. Route 601|US&nbsp;601]] to the [[Anson County, North Carolina|Anson]]-[[Union County, North Carolina|Union]] County line (approved: January 8, 1993). Named in honor of the [[Jesse Helms|late five-term U.S. senator]] who was born in Union County in 1921.<ref name="NCMH"/>
* Solon David Smart Memorial Highway&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of highway from [[North Carolina Highway 120|NC&nbsp;120]] to [[U.S. Route 221 Alternate (Rutherford County, North Carolina)|US&nbsp;221A]], in [[Rutherford County, North Carolina|Rutherford County]] (approved: December 1, 2000).<ref name="NCMH"/>
* W Cliff Martin Highway&nbsp;– Official North Carolina name of US&nbsp;74 from Union County line to Wadesboro, in Anson County (approved: May 2, 1997).<ref name="NCMH"/>
{{Clear}}

==History==
Established as an original U.S. Route in late 1926, US 74 traversed from [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]] to [[Chadbourn, North Carolina|Chadbourn]], in [[North Carolina]].  It was extended eastward in late 1934 to [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]], replacing an old alignment of [[U.S. Route 17 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;17]].<ref name=NCRoads.com>{{cite web |url = http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/us074.html |title = NCRoads.com: U.S. 74 |access-date = August 13, 2012 }}</ref>

In 1936, US&nbsp;74 was extended eastward again from [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]], via Market Street, to [[Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina|Wrightsville Beach]], then going north on Lumina Avenue to its current eastern terminus. US 74 also spawned two alternate routes the same year, the first and shortest ({{convert|0.14|mi|km}}) in [[Leland, North Carolina|Leland]], and a second in [[Shelby, North Carolina|Shelby]]; which eventually replaced all of US&nbsp;74 through the downtown area by 1949 (later renamed [[U.S. Route 74 Business (Shelby, North Carolina)|US&nbsp;74 Business]] in 1960).<ref name=NCRoads.com /><ref name=74A>{{cite web |url = http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/us74a.html |title = NCRoads.com: U.S. 74-A |access-date = August 13, 2012 }}</ref><ref name=74B>{{cite web |url = http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/us74b.html |title = NCRoads.com: U.S. 74 Business |access-date = August 13, 2012 }}</ref>

In 1937, US&nbsp;74 was rerouted through [[Kings Mountain, North Carolina|Kings Mountain]], replacing part of [[North Carolina Highway 7|NC&nbsp;7]].  Its old alignment became an alternate route, but was replaced a year later by both [[North Carolina Highway 161|NC&nbsp;161]] and [[North Carolina Highway 274|NC&nbsp;274]].

By 1949, US&nbsp;74 was on its first bypass around [[Rutherfordton, North Carolina|Rutherfordton]], via [[Ruth, North Carolina|Ruth]]; its former route becoming an alternate route (later renamed [[U.S. Route 74 Business (Forest City, North Carolina)|US&nbsp;74 Business]] in 1960). In 1952, the first [[Monroe, North Carolina|Monroe]] Bypass was completed, leaving a short-lived alternate route going through the downtown area. By 1953, the first bypass around [[Rockingham, North Carolina|Rockingham]] was completed, leaving a short lived alternate route through the downtown area.<ref name=NCRoads.com /><ref name=74A /><ref name=74B />

In 1970, US&nbsp;74 was placed on new freeway alignment bypassing [[Spindale, North Carolina|Spindale]], [[Forest City, North Carolina|Forest City]], [[Ellenboro, North Carolina|Ellenboro]], and [[Mooresboro, North Carolina|Mooresboro]]; the old route was replaced by an extension of [[U.S. Route 74 Business (Forest City, North Carolina)|US&nbsp;74 Business]].  In 1973, US&nbsp;74 was realigned onto new road south of [[Lumberton, North Carolina|Lumberton]].  In 1975, US&nbsp;74/US&nbsp;76 was rerouted onto new freeway bypass south of [[Leland, North Carolina|Leland]] and then east of [[Belville, North Carolina|Belville]], its old alignment becoming secondary roads.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/1975_09_01.pdf |title = US Route Change (1975-09-01) |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |date = September 1, 1975 |access-date = August 31, 2014 }}</ref>  In 1976, US&nbsp;74/US&nbsp;76 was bypassed north of [[Chadbourn, North Carolina|Chadbourn]] and [[Whiteville, North Carolina|Whiteville]], leaving behind [[U.S. Route 74 Business (Whiteville, North Carolina)|US&nbsp;74 Bus.]]/[[U.S. Route 76 Business (Whiteville, North Carolina)|US&nbsp;76 Bus.]]<ref>{{cite web |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/1976_02_01.pdf |title = US Route Change (1976-02-01) |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |date = February 1, 1976 |access-date = August 31, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1977S |page=2 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AASHTO_USRN_1977-07-06.pdf}}</ref>

In 1984, [[Maxton, North Carolina|Maxton]] was bypassed, replaced by an extension of [[U.S. Route 74 Business (Laurinburg, North Carolina)|US&nbsp;74 Bus.]]<ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1984A |page=4 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/AASHTO_USRN_1984-12-07.pdf}}</ref>  In 1985, US&nbsp;74 was rerouted north of [[Kings Mountain, North Carolina|Kings Mountain]] onto new freeway bypass; its old alignment becoming [[U.S. Route 74 Business (Kings Mountain, North Carolina)|US&nbsp;74 Bus.]]<ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1985S |page=3-4 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AASHTO_USRN_1985-06-26.pdf}}</ref>  In 1986, [[Hallsboro, North Carolina|Hallsboro]] and [[Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina|Lake Waccamaw]] were bypassed; its old alignment replaced by [[North Carolina Highway 214|NC&nbsp;214]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/1986_10_01.pdf |title = US Route Change (1986-10-01) |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |date = October 1, 1986 |access-date = August 31, 2014 }}</ref>

Also in 1986, US&nbsp;74 was extended west, from [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]] to [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]].  The routing extension started at its former western terminus with [[U.S. Route 70 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;70]], going northerly, in concurrency with US&nbsp;70, to I-240, where it overlapped briefly before joining [[U.S. Route 19 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;19]]/[[U.S. Route 23 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;23]].  From Asheville, in concurrency with US&nbsp;19/US&nbsp;23, it went through [[Canton, North Carolina|Canton]] and [[Lake Junaluska, North Carolina|Lake Junaluska]].  From Lake Junaluska, in concurrency with US&nbsp;23, it went through [[Waynesville, North Carolina|Waynesville]].  Near [[Dillsboro, North Carolina|Dillsboro]] it switches US&nbsp;23 for [[U.S. Route 441 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;441]] and continues till it splits north within the [[Qualla Boundary]].  West of [[Bryson City, North Carolina|Bryson City]], it overlaps with [[North Carolina Highway 28|NC&nbsp;28]].  In [[Topton, North Carolina|Topton]], it joins with [[U.S. Route 129 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;129]] and continues southwesterly till at [[Murphy, North Carolina|Murphy]], where it joins with [[U.S. Route 64 in North Carolina|US&nbsp;64]] and separates from US&nbsp;19/US&nbsp;129.  Heading west, in concurrency with US&nbsp;64, it enters [[Tennessee]]; traversing through [[Ducktown, Tennessee|Ducktown]], it reaches [[Cleveland, Tennessee|Cleveland]], where it then follows the [[U.S. Route 64 in Tennessee|US&nbsp;64 Bypass]] to [[Interstate 75 in Tennessee|I-75]].  Continuing southeasterly, as a hidden concurrency with I-75, it connects with [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]], ending at its new terminus at [[Interstate 24 in Tennessee|I-24]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/AASHTO_USRN_1986-06-09.pdf |title = US Route Change (1986-06-09) |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |date = June 9, 1986 |access-date = August 31, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1986S |page=3 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/AASHTO_USRN_1986-06-09.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1986A |page=4 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/AASHTO_USRN_1986-11-08.pdf}}</ref>

In 1988, US&nbsp;74 was extended {{convert|1.46|mi|km}} east to its current eastern terminus in [[Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina|Wrightsville Beach]].<ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1988A |page=4 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/AASHTO_USRN_1988-12-02.pdf}}</ref>  In 1990, US&nbsp;74 was rerouted onto [[Interstate 277 (North Carolina)|I-277]] (John Belk Freeway), this left a section of Independence Boulevard that was still overlapped with [[North Carolina Highway 27|NC&nbsp;27]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/1990_08_10.pdf |title = US Route Change (1990-08-10) |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |date = August 10, 1990 |access-date = August 31, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1990S |page=3 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=http://route.transportation.org/Documents/1990-USRN_Cmte.pdf}}</ref>  In 1992–1993, [[Bolton, North Carolina|Bolton]] was bypassed to the north, with its old alignment becoming an extension of NC&nbsp;214.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/1993_07_14.pdf |title = US Route Change (1993-07-14) |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |date = July 14, 1993 |access-date = August 31, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1992A |page=14 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=http://route.transportation.org/Documents/1992-USRN_Cmte.pdf}}</ref>

In 1994, US&nbsp;74 was rerouted onto I-40 for {{convert|1.58|mi|km}}, in Asheville, and then onto [[Interstate 26 in North Carolina|I-26]], from Asheville to [[Columbus, North Carolina|Columbus]].  East of Columbus, it traverses along new freeway to [[Forest City, North Carolina|Forest City]], where it meets back with its old alignment.  The former routing between Asheville and Forest City becomes [[U.S. Route 74A in North Carolina|US&nbsp;74A]].<ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1994A |page=11 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=http://route.transportation.org/Documents/1994-USRN_Cmte.pdf}}</ref>  In 1996, US&nbsp;74 was rerouted through Wilmington.<ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1996S |page=8 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=http://route.transportation.org/Documents/1996-USRN_Cmte.pdf}}</ref>  In late 1997, US&nbsp;74 was rerouted onto I-40, between [[Clyde, North Carolina|Clyde]] and Asheville.<ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=1997S |page=13 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=http://route.transportation.org/Documents/1997-USRN_Cmte.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/Route%20Changes/US74_19980130B.pdf |title = US 74 Route Change (1998-01-30) |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |date = January 30, 1998 |access-date = August 31, 2014 }}</ref>

In 2002, US&nbsp;74 was placed on its second bypass around both [[Rockingham, North Carolina|Rockingham]] and [[Hamlet, North Carolina|Hamlet]], its old alignment becoming [[U.S. Route 74 Business (Rockingham, North Carolina)|US&nbsp;74 Business]].<ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=2002A |page=4 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=http://route.transportation.org/Documents/2002_USRN_Cmte.pdf}}</ref>  In 2005, US&nbsp;74 was rerouted north of downtown [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]].<ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year=2005S |page=4 |access-date=August 31, 2014 |link=http://route.transportation.org/Documents/Posted_Results_on_SCOH_6-9-05.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2005/08/27/mlk-parkway-approaches-completion/30793009007/ |title = MLK Parkway approaches completion |last = McGrath |first = Gareth |newspaper = [[Star-News]] |location = Wilmington, North Carolina |date = August 27, 2005 |access-date = February 17, 2025 |url-access = subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.wect.com/story/3980750/mlk-parkway-to-open-this-weekend/ |title = MLK Parkway to Open This Weekend |last = Keiley |first = Joe |publisher = [[WECT]] |date = October 14, 2005 |access-date = February 17, 2025 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://archive.today/20250218002814/https://www.wect.com/story/3980750/mlk-parkway-to-open-this-weekend/ |archive-date = February 18, 2025 }}</ref> In 2007, US&nbsp;74 was placed on new freeway, in concurrency with [[Interstate 74 in North Carolina|I-74]] from [[Maxton, North Carolina|Maxton]] to just east of [[Interstate 95 in North Carolina|I-95]]; its old alignment becoming [[U.S. Route 74 Alternate (Pembroke, North Carolina)|US&nbsp;74 Alternate]].<ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year = 2007A |page = 4 |access-date = August 31, 2014 }}</ref>

In 2018, US 74's [[Special routes of U.S. Route 74#Monroe bypass|new toll bypass]] around Monroe was completed.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Henson |first1 = Christian |title = The Charlotte Area's First Toll Road, the Monroe Expressway, Opens |url = http://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2018/11/27/the-monroe-expressway-opens |agency = Spectrum News Charlotte |publisher = Charter Communications |date = November 27, 2018 |access-date = December 18, 2018 }}</ref>

===Independence Boulevard===
'''Independence Boulevard''' and '''Independence Expressway''' are two major interconnected roads in [[Mecklenburg County, North Carolina|Mecklenburg County]], [[North Carolina]] that carry US&nbsp;74. Originally constructed in the 1940s and early 1950s, Independence Boulevard was the city of [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]'s first [[Limited-access road|expressway]]. The road has undergone numerous realignments, extensions, upgrades, truncations, and renamings since the mid-20th century.

[[Ben Elbert Douglas Sr.|Ben Douglas]], former mayor of Charlotte and member of the North Carolina State Highway Commission, helped lead the push for the urban highway project in the 1940s that would become Independence Boulevard. In 1946, Charlotte voters passed a [[referendum]] in favor of a $200,000 bond issue to fund the project; this was coupled with over $2 million in federal funding. The expressway was to be named after [[Independence Park (Charlotte, North Carolina)|Independence Park]] that was largely demolished to make way for the road; the name suggestion was coined by City Clerk Lillian Hoffman on May 4, 1949, after a previous suggestion naming it after the current mayor, Herbert Baxter, was rejected. Construction commenced in the late 1940s and the new expressway which traversed east&ndash;west along the southern part of the city opened in two parts; the first opened to traffic in 1949 and the other opened in 1950. US 74 and [[North Carolina Highway 27|NC&nbsp;27]] were subsequently shifted from their central business district alignments to the new expressway.

Major changes to Independence Boulevard occurred in the 1980s. A portion of West Independence Boulevard was converted from expressway to [[limited-access road|limited-access freeway]] and made a part of the '''John Belk Freeway''' and Interstate 277. The portion west of [[Interstate 77 in North Carolina|Interstate 77]] was renamed '''Wilkinson Boulevard'''. A new intersection with I-277 (which would also connect to the [[North Carolina Highway 16|Brookshire Freeway]] that was upgraded as part of the I-277 project) was constructed and the connecting freeway along with the updated portion of East Independence Boulevard was given the name Independence Freeway; US&nbsp;74 was shifted to this new alignment. After the massive transportation revamp, a few disconnected segments of the original Independence Boulevard remained. These segments were later reorganized and given the names Carson Boulevard, Stonewall Street, and South Independence Boulevard; the latter was downgraded to a surface street and renamed Charlottetown Avenue in 2007 to prevent confusion with the unconnected East Independence Boulevard. In 2021, Stonewall Street was renamed to Brooklyn Village Avenue to honor a Charlotte neighborhood that had been demolished for expansion of the Uptown area.

The freeway and bus lanes of Independence Freeway were extended to Albemarle Road in 2005. The limited-access road extension has caused numerous businesses along the corridor to leave the area and vacate their commercial real estate, resulting in [[brownfield land]].

==="American Indian Highway" controversy===
In Robeson County, the highway is designated "American Indian Highway," a name that was the brain child of Robert M. Chavis, the  Wolfclan chief of the NC Tuscarora; Cherokee Indians of Robeson County, and Nottoway Nation, who authored the name in the late 1990s. American Indian people of Robeson County, NC had attempted to remove Andrew Jackson's name from the highway for some sixty years. Knowing that the new US&nbsp;74 was to come, Chavis started a campaign to change the name to American Indian Highway. Chavis did this in honor of all the Indian people that had lost their lives along the Trail of Tears during the Indian Removal Act of the 1830s authored by Andrew Jackson. Chavis was cited in many newspapers across North Carolina stating that the name should be changed, because that name on this section of road was tantamount to having a major road named Adolf Hitler that ran across a Jewish state or county.  Chavis, with the help of the Tuscarora East of the Mountains, obtained the information on how to attempt the name change from Rep. Ronnie Sutton and the NCDOT. Then Chavis presented the reasons for the name change to all the cities of Robeson County and the Robeson County Commissioners. Once he obtained support from these entities, he presented the proposal to the NCDOT. Rep. Sutton supported the name change at the state level and the name change was approved by the NCDOT. The new signs of American Indian Highway were placed on the new sections of I-74 once the highway construction was completed.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.duke.edu/~rmalme/i74exit.html |title = I-74 North Carolina exit list |access-date = November 19, 2009 }}</ref>

==Future==
===Western North Carolina===
In [[Graham County, North Carolina|Graham County]], NCDOT has proposed to relocate US 74 onto a new divided four-lane highway from [[Robbinsville, North Carolina|Robbinsville]] to Stecoah. This new routing will feature controlled at-grade intersections, viaduct and tunnel (at Stecoah Gap).<ref>{{cite map |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |url = http://www.ncdot.gov/download/projects/publichearings/a9_rdy_phm_psh1_red.pdf |format = PDF |title = US 74 Relocation, from US 129 to NC 28: Roll 1 of 2 |access-date = April 21, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite map |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |url = http://www.ncdot.gov/download/projects/publichearings/a9_rdy_phm_psh2_red.pdf |format = PDF |title = US 74 Relocation, from US 129 to NC 28: Roll 2 of 2 |access-date = April 21, 2014 }}</ref>  At a cost of $383 million, right-of-way acquisition is scheduled to begin in 2014 and construction is scheduled to begin in 2016; however, this is subject to reprioritization. The project is part of an overall project to bypass the current routing through the [[Nantahala Gorge]], where bottlenecks are common along the two-lane highway through protected valley area within the [[Nantahala National Forest]]. The overall project, from [[Andrews, North Carolina|Andrews]] to [[Almond, North Carolina|Almond]], would complete a four-lane expressway from [[Cherokee County, North Carolina|Cherokee County]] to [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]].<ref>{{cite web |author = Staff |url = http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/US74Relocation/ |title = US 74 Relocation Project |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = April 21, 2014 }}</ref>

The portion of US 74 that is concurrent with I-40 near [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]] and I-26 south of Asheville is being improved as part of the Asheville I-26 Connector project and the widening project of I-26 between [[Hendersonville, North Carolina|Hendersonville]] and Asheville.<ref name=2024-STIP>{{cite web |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/STIPDocuments1/NCDOT%20Current%20STIP.pdf |title = 2024-2033 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |date = January 2024 |access-date = February 2, 2024 }}</ref>

===Future interstate corridor (Columbus to Kings Mountain, North Carolina)===
On April 10, 2023, a bill was introduced to further upgrade the entire stretch of US 74 from I-26 in [[Columbus, North Carolina|Columbus]], and I-85 in [[Kings Mountain, North Carolina|Kings Mountain]] to interstate highway standards.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Robinson |first1 = Chuck |title = Bill proposes making North Carolina's U.S. 74 a future interstate |url = https://landline.media/bill-proposes-making-north-carolinas-u-s-74-a-future-i-26/ |access-date = May 17, 2023 |work = Land Line |date = April 18, 2023 }}</ref> Most of the corridor is already a freeway with the exception of sections in [[Mooresboro, North Carolina|Mooresboro]] and [[Shelby, North Carolina|Shelby]] in [[Cleveland County, North Carolina|Cleveland County]].<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Pridgen |first1 = Denise |title = Edwards introduces bill to designate part of US 74 a future interstate |url = https://wlos.com/news/local/edwards-introduces-bill-to-designate-part-of-us-74-a-future-interstate |access-date = July 13, 2023 |publisher = WLOS |date = April 14, 2023 |language = en }}</ref> Currently, a {{convert|18.5|mi|km|adj=on}} [[controlled-access highway]] is being constructed under the designation of [[Shelby Bypass|US 74 Bypass]] to bypass Shelby to the north. When completed, it will improve vehicle capacity along the US 74 corridor, reduce future traffic congestion, increase safety and improve roadway continuity between I-26 and I-85. Being built in six sections, the cost is estimated at $295.9 million and has been fully funded. Construction first began on Section AA in July 2013 and was completed in September 2016. The next two sections (AB and B) started in July 2014 and were both completed in April 2018. An additional paving project for Section AB (listed as Section F) was completed in 2020 as well. Construction on Section C began in 2017 and was completed by June 2024. The final design as well as right-of-way purchase for sections D and E are underway and construction of these final sections began by the end of 2023 and will be completed by 2029.<ref>{{cite web |author = Staff |url = http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us74bypass/ |title = US 74 Bypass (Shelby Bypass) |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = April 21, 2014 }}</ref>

In Mooresboro, there are plans to convert the last remaining at-grade intersections (US 74 Business/Lattimore Road/Academy Street) into an interchange, as well as improving the bridges over Sandy Run Creek. When the interchange and the rest of the Shelby Bypass are completed, US 74 will become a full freeway between I-26 in Asheville and I-85 in Kings Mountain. The project had been in the State Transportation Improvement Program since 2000, but activities on it were limited until funding was secured in 2018. Public input from the community on these improvements, which gave four alternatives construction plans (1, 1A, 2, and 2A) as well as three options for service roads, was requested from late August to early September 2022. In December 2022, NCDOT announced the findings from the responses given and later stated that they had chosen Alternative 1A. This alternative will transform the US 74 Business/Lattimore Road/Academy Street intersection with a parclo interchange that will include a roundabout on the ramps to and from eastbound lanes. Service road plans were not announced, but public feedback showed almost unanimous support for option 3. Right-of-way acquisition and construction both began in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |author = Staff |url = https://publicinput.com/US74-Mooresboro |title = Public Input for US 74 Improvements in Mooresboro |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = August 28, 2022 }}</ref>

===Charlotte and Wadesboro===
The Independence Widening project, in [[Mecklenburg County, North Carolina|Mecklenburg County]], is to enhance and improve traffic flow and safety along US 74 in east [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], by converting the corridor into an [[Limited-access road|expressway grade]] highway from [[Charlotte center city|Center City]] to [[Matthews, North Carolina|Matthews]]. Construction on three new interchanges at Sharon-Amity Road, Idlewild Road and Conference Drive were completed by October 15, 2016, at a cost of $101.2 million.<ref>{{cite web |author = Staff |url = http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/US74WideningImprovements/ |title = US 74 Widening & Improvements |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = April 21, 2014 }}</ref> NCDOT is now planning to add two-way grade-separated express lanes to this segment along with converting it to an expressway with additional interchanges as well.<ref>{{cite web |title = NCDOT: U.S. 74 Express Lanes: I-277 to Idlewild Road |url = https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-74-express-lanes-i-277/Pages/default.aspx |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = October 6, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = NCDOT: U.S. 74 Express Lanes: Conference Drive to I-485 |url = https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-74-express-lanes/Pages/default.aspx |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = October 6, 2023 }}</ref> Partial funding for part of the project was provided in the NCDOT's 2024-2033 State Transportation Improvement Program and right-of-way acquisition started in 2024; construction will begin in 2028.<ref name=2024-STIP/>

In [[Union County, North Carolina|Union]] and [[Anson County, North Carolina|Anson]] counties, the US&nbsp;74 freeway upgrade and Wadesboro Bypass is an estimated $741 million project. Plans include linking with the [[Monroe Expressway]] and the Rockingham Bypass with upgrading to existing facilities to freeway standards and bypass the cities of both [[Marshville, North Carolina|Marshville]] (to the south) and [[Wadesboro, North Carolina|Wadesboro]] (to the north).<ref>{{cite web |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/STIResults/H090281.pdf |title = SPOT ID: H090281 |date = May 29, 2014 |access-date = June 7, 2014 }}</ref> The Wadesboro Bypass project remains only partially funded, but it was included in the NCDOT's 2024-2033 State Transportation Improvement Program.<ref name=2024-STIP/> Feedback from Anson County residents was requested from late-November–December 2023. Currently, the right of way for the project is tentatively scheduled for summer of 2028, with construction on the bypass beginning summer of 2030.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Monica |first1 = Lauren |title = State transportation leaders give update on projects planned for Anson County |url = https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/news/192845/state-transportation-leaders-give-update-on-projects-planned-for-anson-county |access-date = December 4, 2023 |work = Richmond County Daily Journal |date = November 30, 2023 }}</ref>

===Interstate 74 upgrades (Rockingham to Bolton, North Carolina)===
The US 74 corridor from [[Rockingham, North Carolina|Rockingham]] to [[Bolton, North Carolina|Bolton]] is being upgraded to interstate standards as part of the I-74 extension. Currently, the only segment that has been completed and been officially signed as I-74 is between [[Maxton, North Carolina|Maxton]] and [[Lumberton, North Carolina|Lumberton]]. This segment has an interchange with [[Interstate 95 in North Carolina|I-95]], which meant that it could be signed as an interstate since it connected to the interstate highway system. The other portions of the route are in various stages of planning.<ref>{{cite web |title = NCDOT: I-74 Feasibility Study - Project Highlights |url = https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/i-74-study/Pages/project-highlights.aspx |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = October 7, 2023 }}</ref>
{{clear}}

==Junction list==
{{jcttop|exit|state_col=State|length_ref=<ref name="google">{{google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=US-74+W%2FUS-74+Scenic+W&daddr=35.2624,-81.16504+to:35.24866,-81.02087+to:35.23387,-80.93373+to:34.2581172,-77.9360409+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=FehhGAIdKMrv-g%3BFcAPGgIdEIUp-ynDHjT6CsBWiDE_uUyYtIhxAg%3BFRTaGQIdOrgr-ykVDtUecr1WiDHoW1q-sJHoAg%3BFU6gGQIdngwt-yl3eJFVeqJWiDEjLIcA3OrEIg%3BFcW8CgIdWMpa-ynlBw9J-h-qiTHNFr5NzTU5Kg%3BFWRoCgIdhD1d-w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=4&sz=13&via=1,2,3,4&sll=34.254946,-77.911606&sspn=0.105988,0.222988&ie=UTF8&ll=34.551811,-80.650635&spn=6.756792,14.27124&z=7|title=US 74|access-date=February 1, 2011}}</ref>}}
{{TNint|exit
|sspan=19
|county=Hamilton
|cspan=8
|location=Chattanooga
|lspan=8
|type=concur
|mile=0.0
|exit=2
|road={{jct|country=USA|I|24|dir1=west|I|75|dir2=south|I|59|to3=to|location1=[[Atlanta]]|location2=[[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]]|location3=[[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]]}}
|notes=Western terminus of US 74; west end of I-75 overlap; exit numbers follow I-75; US 74 begins unsigned}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=2.2
|exit=3
|road={{jct|state=TN|Sec|320|name1=East Brainerd Road}}
|notes=Signed as exits 3A (east) and 3B (west) westbound}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=2.9
|exit=4
|road={{jct|state=TN|SR|153|dir1=north|location1=[[Chattanooga Airport]]|location2=[[Chickamauga Dam]]}}}}
{{TNint|exit
|type=incomplete
|mile=3.0
|exit=4A
|road=Hamilton Place Boulevard
|notes=westbound exit and eastbound entrance}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=4.4
|exit=5
|road=Shallowford Road}}
{{TNint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=6.2
|exit=7
|road={{jct|state=TN|US|11|dir1=south|US|64|dir2=west|name2=[[SR-2 (TN)|SR 2]] west|Sec|317|dir3=west|name3=Bonny Oaks Drive|road|[[Lee Highway|Old Lee Highway]]|location1=Summit|city2=Collegedale}}
|notes=West end of US&nbsp;11/US&nbsp;64/SR&nbsp;2/SR&nbsp;317 overlap; signed as exits 7A (Old Lee Hwy.) and 7B (SR 317) northbound}}
{{TNint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=7.8
|exit=9
|road={{jct|state=TN|Sec|317|dir1=east|name1=Apison Pike|city1=Collegedale|road|Volkswagen Drive}}
|notes=East end of SR&nbsp;317 overlap; serves [[Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant]]}}
{{TNint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=10.3
|exit=11
|road={{jct|state=TN|US|11|dir1=north|US|64|dir2=east|name2=[[SR-2 (TN)|SR&nbsp;2]] east|city1=Ooltewah}}
|notes=East end of US 11/US&nbsp;64/SR&nbsp;2 overlap}}
{{TNint|exit
|county=Bradley
|cspan=7
|location=Cleveland
|lspan=5
|type=concur
|mile=19.2
|exit=20
|road={{Jct|state=TN|I|75|dir1=north|US-Byp|64|dab2=Cleveland|dir2=begins|name2=SR&nbsp;311 begins|city1=Knoxville}}
|notes=East end of I-75 and west end of US 64 Byp./SR&nbsp;311 overlap}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=19.8
|road=Cherokee Gateway
|notes=Interchange}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=20.7
|road={{jct|state=TN|US|11|US|64|name2=N Lee Highway/{{jct|state=TN|SR|2|noshield1=yes}}|city1=Cleveland}}
|notes=Interchange}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=22.9
|road=Blue Springs Road&nbsp;– [[Red Clay State Park|Red Clay State Historic Area]]
|notes=Interchange}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=24.2
|road={{jct|state=TN|SR|60|name1=Dalton Pike|location1=[[Dalton, Georgia|Dalton Ga.]]}}
|notes=Interchange via access road (McGrady Drive)}}
{{TNint|exit
|location=East Cleveland
|lspan=2
|mile=24.6
|road={{jct|state=TN|Sec|74|name1=Spring Place Road}}
|notes=Interchange}}
{{TNint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=25.8
|road={{jct|state=TN|US-Byp|64|dab1=Cleveland|dir1=ends|US|64|dir2=west|SR|60|name1=SR 311 ends|name3=[[APD-40]]/Waterlevel Highway/{{jct|state=TN|Sec|40|dir1=west|noshield1=yes}}|city1=Cleveland|city2=Dayton}}
|notes=Cloverleaf interchange; east end of US 64 Byp./SR&nbsp;311 overlap; west end of US 64/SR&nbsp;40 overlap; US 74 becomes signed}}
{{TNint|exit
|county=Polk
|cspan=4
|location=Ocoee
|mile=33.3
|road={{Jct|state=TN|US|411|name1=[[Tennessee State Route 33|SR 33]]|city1=Benton|location2=[[Chatsworth, Georgia|Chatsworth, GA]]}}
|notes=Interchange}}
{{TNint|exit
|location=Parksville
|mile=37.7
|road={{Jct|state=TN|Sec|314|dir1=north|name1=Parksville Road|city1=Benton}}
|notes=Southern terminus of SR 314}}
{{TNint|exit
|location=none
|mile=42.9
|road={{Jct|state=TN|Sec|30|dir1=west|location1=[[Reliance, Polk County, Tennessee|Reliance]]}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of SR 30}}
{{TNint|exit
|location=Ducktown
|mile=59.2
|road={{Jct|state=TN|SR|68|city1=Copperhill|city2=Ducktown}}
|notes=Interchange}}
{{jctplace|exit
|river=&nbsp;
|river_wide=yes
|mile=63.0
|mile2=0.0
|line=yes
|place=[[Tennessee]]&ndash;[[North Carolina]] line}}
{{NCint|exit
|sspan=144
|county=Cherokee
|cspan=10
|location=none
|mile=12.2
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|294|dir1=west|city1=Hiwassee}}
|notes=To [[Hiwassee Dam]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=14.0
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|60|dir1=south|location1=[[Blue Ridge, Georgia|Blue Ridge]]}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|type=concur
|mile=14.7
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|19|US|129|dir1=south|dir2=south|name2=Blairsville Highway|location1=[[Blairsville, Georgia|Blairsville]]}}
|notes=West end of US&nbsp;19/US&nbsp;129 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Murphy
|lspan=2
|mile=19.9
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|19|dab1=Murphy|dir1=north|name1=Hiwassee Street}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=20.3
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|64|dir1=east|city1=Hayesville|city2=Franklin}}
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;64 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=23.1
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|19|dab1=Murphy|dir1=south|name1=Andrews Road}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Marble
|mile=29.1
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|141|dir1=south|city1=Hayesville}}
|notes=To [[Tri-County Community College]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Andrews
|lspan=2
|mile=34.4
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|19|dab1=Andrews|dir1=north|name1=Main Street|road|Airport Road|location1=[[Western Carolina Regional Airport]]}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=37.4
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|19|dab1=Andrews|dir1=south|name1=Main Street}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Topton
|type=concur
|mile=44.4
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|129|dir1=north|name1=Tallulah Road|city1=Robbinsville|city2=Fontana|location3=[[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]]}}
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;129 overlap}}
{{jctco|state=NC|county=Macon}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Swain
|cspan=5
|location=Almond
|type=concur
|mile=58.6
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|28|dir1=north|name1=Mtn. Waters Scenic Byway|city1=Robbinsville|city2=Fontana}}
|notes=West end of NC&nbsp;28 overlap; to [[Fontana Dam]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Lauada
|type=concur
|mile=61.7
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|28|dir1=south|city1=Franklin}}
|notes=East end of NC&nbsp;28 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|type=concur
|mile=64.0
|exit=64
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|19|dir1=north|name1=Alarka Road|city1=Bryson City|city2=Cherokee}}
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;19 overlap; west end of [[Great Smoky Mountains Expressway]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Bryson City
|mile=66.9
|exit=67
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Conn|19|dab1=Bryson City|name1=Veterans Boulevard|city1=Bryson City|location2=[[Great Smoky Mountains National Park|Great Smoky Mts National Park]]}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=69.5
|exit=69
|road=Hyatt Creek Road &ndash; [[Ela, North Carolina|Ela]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Jackson
|cspan=6
|location=Whittier
|mile=71.9
|exit=72
|road=[[Whittier, North Carolina|Whittier]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|type=concur
|mile=73.6
|exit=74
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|441|dir1=North|location1=[[Great Smoky Mountains National Park|Great Smoky Mts National Park]]|city2=Cherokee}}
|notes=West end of US&nbsp;441 overlap; to [[Blue Ridge Parkway]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Dillsboro
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|mile=81.1
|mspan=2
|exit=81A
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|23|US|441|dir2=South|city1=Dillsboro|city2=Franklin|location3=[[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]]}}
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;441 overlap; West end of US&nbsp;23; signed as exit 81 westbound}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=none
|exit=81B
|road=Rufus Robinson Road
|notes=No signage for exit; westbound access via exit 81 (see above)}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Sylva
|lspan=2
|mile=83.2
|exit=83
|road=Grindstaff Cove Road&nbsp;– [[Sylva, North Carolina|Sylva]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=85.2
|exit=85
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|23|dab1=Sylva|to2=To|NC|107|location1=[[Sylva, North Carolina|East Sylva]]|city2=Cullowhee}}
|notes=To [[Western Carolina University]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Haywood
|cspan=10
|location=Balsam
|mile=94.1
|road={{jct|state=NC|BRP}}
|notes=[[At-grade intersection]]; access via connector road}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Waynesville
|lspan=3
|mile=98.4
|exit=98
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|23|dab1=Waynesville|name1=Balsam Road|location1=[[Waynesville, North Carolina|West Waynesville]]}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=99.5
|exit=100
|road=Hazelwood Avenue}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=101.7
|exit=102
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|276|city1=Waynesville|city2=Brevard|city3=Maggie Valley}}
|notes=Signed eastbound as exits 102A (south) and 102B (north)}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Lake Junaluska
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|mile=103.3
|exit=103
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|19|dir1=south|city1=Maggie Valley|city2=Cherokee}}
|notes=West end of US&nbsp;19 overlap; eastbound entrance and westbound exit}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=104.0
|exit=104
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|23|NC|209|dab1=Waynesville|city1=Lake Junaluska|city2=Waynesville|city3=Hot Springs}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=105.2
|exit=105
|road=West Jones Cove}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Clyde
|lspan=3
|type=concur
|mile=106.0
|exit=106
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|19|dir1=north|US|23|dir2=north|city1=Clyde|city2=Canton}}
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;19/US&nbsp;23 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=106.1
|exit=107
|road=East Jones Cove
|notes=Westbound exit and entrance only; integrated with exit 106}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=107.0
|exit=<!-- No exit number -->
|road={{Jct|state=NC|I|40|dir1=west|location1=[[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]]}}
|notes=West end of I-40 overlap; I-40 exit 27; east end of [[Great Smoky Mountains Expressway]]}}
{{jctgap|text=US&nbsp;74 overlaps with [[Interstate 40 in North Carolina#Exit list|Interstate 40]] (exits 27 to 46A) and [[Interstate 26#Exit list|Interstate 26]] (exits 31B to 67)}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Polk
|cspan=4
|location=Columbus
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|mile=161
|exit=161
|road={{Jct|state=NC|I|26|dir1=east|NC|108|to2=to|city1=Tryon|location2=[[Spartanburg, South Carolina|Spartanburg]]}}
|notes=East end of I-26 overlap; I-26 exit 67}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=163
|exit=163
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|108|city1=Columbus|city2=Mill Spring}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=167
|exit=167
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|9|city1=Mill Spring|city2=Lake Lure|city3=Chimney Rock}}, [[New Prospect, South Carolina|New Prospect]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=170
|exit=170
|road=Pea Ridge Road
|notes=To Tryon International Equestrian Center}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Rutherford
|cspan=7
|location=none
|mile=173
|exit=173
|road=Union Road}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=178
|exit=178
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|221|US-Bus|74|dab2=Forest City|city1=Rutherfordton|location2=[[Spartanburg, South Carolina|Spartanburg]]}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Forest City
|lspan=2
|mile=181
|exit=181
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|74A|US|64|to2=to|city1=Spindale}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=182
|exit=182
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Alt|221|dab1=Rutherford County|city1=Forest City}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=184
|exit=184
|road=Old Caroleen Road}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=187
|exit=187
|road=[[Henrietta, North Carolina|Henrietta]], [[Caroleen, North Carolina|Caroleen]], [[Ellenboro, North Carolina|Ellenboro]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=189
|exit=189
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|120}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Cleveland
|cspan=15
|location=Mooresboro
|mile=191
|exit=<!-- Leave blank till signage updated, to be exit 192 -->
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|74|dir1=west|dab1=Forest City|city1=Mooresboro}}
|notes=To be reconstructed as an interchange (future exit 192)<ref name="US Route 74 By-pass Signing Plan">{{cite web |title = Signing Plan |url = http://dotw-xfer01.dot.state.nc.us/dsplan/2013%20Highway%20Letting/05-21-13/Plans%20and%20Proposals/Cleveland%20R-2707AA%20C203026/Plans/Signing.pdf |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = November 4, 2013 }}</ref>}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=193
|exit=193
|road=[[Lattimore, North Carolina|Lattimore]], [[Boiling Springs, North Carolina|Boiling Springs]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|type=
|mile=194
|exit=194
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|226|dir1=north|to1=to|name1=[[Shelby Bypass]]}}
|notes=Interchange paved in 2018;<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/STIPDocuments1/LIVE_STIP.pdf |title = NCDOT Current STIP: January 2017 |access-date = May 8, 2017 |archive-date = January 26, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170126233639/https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/STIPDocuments1/LIVE_STIP.pdf |url-status = dead }}</ref> Future US 74 Byp.;<ref name="US Route 74 By-pass Signing Plan"/><ref name=R-2707AA>{{cite web |title = US 74 Bypass (Shelby Bypass) |url = http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us74bypass/ |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = November 4, 2013 }}</ref> future east end of freeway section}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Shelby
|lspan=6
|type=concur
|mile=198
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|226|dir1=north|name1=Polkville Road|city1=Polkville|city2=Marion}}
|notes=West end of NC&nbsp;226 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=199
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|74|dir1=east|dab1=Shelby|name1=Marion Street}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=201
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|18|name1={{jct|state=NC|NC|150|noshield1=yes}}|location1=[[Gaffney, South Carolina|Gaffney]]}}
|notes=Interchange; access via connector road (Pine Street); signage only shows "To NC&nbsp;18," ignoring NC&nbsp;150 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=201.5
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|226|dir1=south|name1=Earl Road|city1=Grover}}
|notes=East end of NC&nbsp;226 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=203
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|180|name1=Post Road|location1=[[Gaffney, South Carolina|Gaffney]]}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=204
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|74|dir1=west|dab1=Shelby|name1=Marion Street}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|type=unbuilt
|mile=<!-- Leave blank till interchange completed -->
|exit=<!-- Leave blank till identified and referenced -->
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Byp|74|dir1=west|dab1=Shelby|city1=Asheville}}
|notes=Future interchange }}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|type=unbuilt
|mile=209
|exit=209
|road=David Baptist Church Road, Bethlehem Road
|notes=Future roundabout interchange }}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Kings Mountain
|lspan=6
|mile=211
|exit=211
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|74|dir1=east|dab1=Kings Mountain|name1=Shelby Road|city1=Moss Lake|city2=Waco}}
|notes=West end of freeway section}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=212
|exit=<!-- No exit number -->
|road=Oak Grove Road}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=213
|exit=<!-- No exit number -->
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|216|name1=Piedmont Avenue|city1=Kings Mountain|city2=Cherryville}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=214
|exit=<!-- No exit number -->
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|161|name1=Cleveland Avenue|city1=Bessemer City}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Gaston
|cspan=11
|type=incomplete
|mile=215
|exit=<!-- No exit number -->
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|74|dir1=west|dab1=Kings Mountain|name1=King Street|city1=Kings Mountain}}
|notes=Westbound entrance and eastbound exit}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=215.1
|mile2=216
|exit=<!-- No exit number -->
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|29|dir1=south|I|85|city1=Charlotte|location2=[[Spartanburg, South Carolina|Spartanburg]]}}
|notes=West end of US&nbsp;29 overlap; east end of freeway section}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Gastonia
|lspan=6
|type=concur
|mile=220
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|274|dir1=north|name1=Bessemer City Road|city1=Bessemer City}}
|notes=West end of NC&nbsp;274 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=222
|mspan=2
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|321|dir1=south|name1=Chester Street}}
|notes=One-way street}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=none
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|321|dir1=north|name1=York Street}}
|notes=One-way street}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=223
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|274|dir1=south|name1=Broad Street}}
|notes=East end of NC&nbsp;274 overlap; train tracks in median of road}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=224
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|279|name1=New Hope Road}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=224.5
|road=Aberdeen Boulevard
|notes=To Cox Road/Shopping Mall}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Belmont
|lspan=3
|mile=231
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|7|name1=Main Street}}
|notes=To [[Belmont Abbey College]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=231.5
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|273|name1=Park Street|city1=Mount Holly}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=232
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|7|dir1=west|name1=Catawba Street}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Mecklenburg
|cspan=16
|location=Charlotte
|lspan=14
|mile=235
|road={{Jct|state=NC|I|485|city1=Pineville|city2=Huntersville}}
}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=236
|road={{jct|state=NC|extra=airport}} Little Rock Road &ndash; [[Charlotte Douglas International Airport|CLT Airport]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=237
|road={{jct|state=NC|extra=airport}} Boyer Street to {{jctname|state=NC|Charlotte|4|name1=[[Billy Graham Parkway]]|noshield=yes|location1=[[Charlotte Douglas International Airport|CLT Airport]]}}
}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=239.5
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|29|dir1=north|name1=Morehead Street}}
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;29 overlap
}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=240
|road={{Jct|state=NC|I|77|US|21|I|277|dir3=begins|city1=Statesville|location2=[[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]]}}
|notes=South end of I-277 overlap; west end of freeway section}}
{{jctgap|text=US&nbsp;74 overlaps with [[Interstate 277 (North Carolina)#Exit list|Interstate 277]] (exits 1A to 2B)
}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=242
|exit=242
|road={{Jct|state=NC|I|277|NC|16|dir2=north|name2=Brookshire Freeway}}
|notes=East end of I-277/NC&nbsp;16 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=243
|exit=243
|road=Charlottetowne Avenue
|notes=
}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=244
|exit=244
|road=Briar Creek Road &ndash; [[Bojangles' Coliseum]]
|notes=East end of freeway section
}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=245
|exit=245
|road=[[Charlotte Route 4|Wendover Road / Eastway Drive]] ([[Charlotte Route 4]])
|notes=Interchange; signed as exits 245A (Wendover) and 245B (Eastway)
}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=246
|mspan=2
|exit=246
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|27|dir1=east|name1=Albemarle Road}}
|notes=Interchange; east end of NC&nbsp;27 overlap; eastbound left exit and westbound entrance
}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=incomplete
|mile=none
|road={{Jct|state=NC|to1=To|US|74|dir1=west|nolink1=yes|road|Pierson Drive}}
|notes=Interchange; eastbound exit and entrance only}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=<!-- leave blank until mile known -->
|exit=247
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|27|dir1=east|to1=to|road|Sharon Amity Road}}
|notes=Interchange
}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=<!-- leave blank until mile known -->
|exit=248
|road=Idlewild Road
|notes=Interchange<ref name="Signing Plan">{{cite web |title = Signing Plan |url = http://dotw-xfer01.dot.state.nc.us/DSPlan/2013%20Highway%20Letting/02-19-13/Plans%20and%20Proposals/Mecklenburg%20U-0209B%20C202824/Plans/Signing.pdf |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = May 26, 2013 }}</ref><ref name=U-209B>{{cite web |title = U.S. 74 Widening & Improvements |url = http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/US74WideningImprovements/download/EnglishBoardsFinal.pdf |publisher = North Carolina Department of Transportation |access-date = May 26, 2013 }}</ref>
}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Matthews
|lspan=2
|mile=252
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|51|name1=Matthews Township Parkway|city1=Matthews|city2=Mint Hill}}
|notes=Interchange}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=254
|exit=253
|road={{Jct|state=NC|I|485|city1=Pineville|city2=Huntersville}}
|notes=Interchange; I-485 exits 51A-B}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Union
|cspan=9
|location=Stallings
|lspan=2
|type=
|mile=
|exit=254
|road=McKee Road / Stallings Road / Marie Garris Drive
|notes=}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=toll
|mile=
|exit=255
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Toll-Byp|74|dir1=east|dab1=Monroe|name1=Monroe Expressway|city1=Rockingham|city2=Wilmington}}
|notes=Toll road; eastbound left exit and westbound entrance}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Monroe
|lspan=5
|type=concur
|mile=264.5
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|200|dir2=south|name1=Dickerson Boulevard}}
|notes=West end of NC&nbsp;200 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=265
|road=Concord Avenue
|notes=Interchange}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=265.5
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|601|dir1=north|NC|207|dir2=south|name2=Skyway Drive|location1=[[Fairview, North Carolina (town)|Fairview]]|city2=Concord}}
|notes=Interchange; West end of US&nbsp;601 overlap; Northern terminus of NC 207}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=266
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|200|dir1=North|city1=Unionville}}
|notes=East end of NC&nbsp;200 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=268
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|601|dir1=South|location1=[[Pageland, South Carolina|Pageland]]}} 
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;601 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|type=toll
|mile=
|exit=273
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Toll-Byp|74|dir1=west|dab1=Monroe|name1=Monroe Expressway|city1=Charlotte}}
|notes=Toll road; westbound left exit and eastbound entrance}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Marshville
|mile=276
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|205|name1=Elm Street|city1=New Salem}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Anson
|cspan=5
|location=Polkton
|mile=285
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|218|dir1=west|name1=Williams Street|city1=New Salem|city2=Mint Hill}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Wadesboro
|lspan=3
|type=concur
|mile=285
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|52|NC|742|extra=airport|dir1=north|dir2=north|city1=Albemarle|location2=[[Anson County Airport]]}}
|notes=West end of US&nbsp;52/NC&nbsp;742 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=293
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|109|NC|742|dir2=south|name1=Greene Street|city1=Mount Gilead}}
|notes=East end of NC&nbsp;742 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=295
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|52|dir1=south}} &ndash; [[Cheraw, South Carolina|Cheraw]]
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;52 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=304
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|145|dir1=south|city1=Morven}}, [[Chesterfield, South Carolina|Chesterfield]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Richmond
|cspan=7
|location=Rockingham
|lspan=3
|type=concur
|mile=306
|exit=306
|road={{Jct|state=NC|I|73|I|74|US-Bus|74|dir1=north|dir2=west|dir3=east|dab3=Rockingham|city1=Asheboro|city2=Rockingham}}
|notes=Temporary southern terminus of I-73; western end of I-74 overlap; future west end of I-73/I-74 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=308
|exit=308
|road=[[Cordova, North Carolina|Cordova]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=311
|exit=311
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|1|US|220|to2=to|city1=Rockingham|city2=Southern Pines}}, [[Cheraw, South Carolina|Cheraw]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Hamlet
|lspan=4
|mile=316
|exit=316
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|177|city1=Hamlet}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=319
|exit=319
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|38|dir1=East}} &ndash; [[Bennettsville, South Carolina|Bennettsville]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=320
|exit=320
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|381|city1=Hamlet|city2=Gibson}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=incomplete
|mile=321
|exit=321
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|74|dab1=Rockingham|city1=Hamlet}}
|notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; temporary eastern terminus of I-74}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Scotland
|location=Laurel Hill
|ctdab=Scotland
|mile=329
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|144|dir1=east|name1=Morgan Street}}}}
{{jctgap|text=US&nbsp;74 overlaps with [[Interstate 74 in North Carolina#Exit list|Interstate 74]] (exit 181 to Broadridge Road)}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Robeson
|cspan=4
|location=Orrum
|lspan=3
|mile=373
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|72|dir1=west|name1=Wilmington Highway|city1=Lumberton|city2=Red Springs}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of NC 72}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=unbuilt
|mile=
|exit=
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|130|NC|72|dir1=west|city1=Fairmont|dir2=west|name2=Wilmington Highway|city2=Lumberton|city3=Red Springs}}
|notes=Future interchange; future west end of NC&nbsp;130 overlap; future eastern terminus of NC 72<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Bright |first1 = Dennis |title = $24.6M awarded to upgrade Highway 74 intersections in Robeson County to interstate standards |url = https://www.wbtw.com/news/state-regional-news/robeson-county/24-6m-awarded-to-upgrade-highway-74-intersections-in-robeson-county-to-interstate-standards/ |access-date = July 13, 2023 |publisher = WBTW |date = March 8, 2023 }}</ref>}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=374
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|130|dir1=west|city1=Fairmont}}
|notes=West end of NC&nbsp;130 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Boardman
|mile=
|exit=225
|road=Macedonia Church Road / Old Boardman Road
|notes=Interchange opened in September 2023}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Columbus
|cspan=13
|location=Evergreen
|mile=380
|exit=228
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|242|name1=Haynes Lennon Highway|city1=Bladenboro}}
|notes=West end of freeway section; exit numbers follow Future I-74}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Chadbourn
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|mile=385
|exit=233
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|74|NC|130|NC|410|dir1=east|dir2=east|dab1=Whiteville|city1=Chadbourn|city2=Bladenboro}}
|notes=East end of NC&nbsp;130 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=387
|exit=235
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|76|dir1=west|city1=Chadbourn|city2=Fair Bluff}}
|notes=West end of US&nbsp;76 overlap; westbound exit and eastbouond entrance}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|mile=390
|exit=238
|road=Union Valley Road &ndash; [[Southeast Regional Industrial Park]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Whiteville
|lspan=2
|mile=392
|exit=241
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|701|city1=Whiteville|city2=Clarkton}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=395
|exit=244
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|74|US-Bus|76|dir2=west|dab1=Whiteville|dab2=Whiteville|city1=Whiteville}}
|notes=Also to NC&nbsp;214}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Hallsboro
|mile=400
|exit=248
|road=Hallsboro Road (SR 1001)
|notes=Opened to traffic June 12, 2020}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Lake Waccamaw
|mile=404
|exit=252
|road=Chauncey Town Road (SR 1735)
|notes=Roundabout interchange opened in October 2024; exit number follows Future I-74}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Bolton
|lspan=3
|mile=410
|exit=258
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|211|city1=Clarkton|city2=Bolton|city3=Supply}}
|notes=Interchange; exit number follows Future I-74}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=unbuilt
|mile=
|exit=
|road={{jct|state=NC|I|74|dir1=east|location1=[[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina|Myrtle Beach]]}}
|notes=Proposed interchange (unconfirmed); future east end of I-74 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=413
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|214|dir1=west|name1=Sam Potts Highway|city1=Bolton}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of NC&nbsp;214}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Freeman
|mile=417
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|11|dir1=North|city1=Burgaw}}
|notes=Southern terminus of NC&nbsp;11}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Delco
|type=concur
|mile=422
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|87|dir1=North|name1=Old Stage Road|city1=Riegelwood|city2=Elizabethtown}}
|notes=West end of NC&nbsp;87 overlap; formerly marked as Exit 270}}
{{NCint|exit
|county=Brunswick
|cspan=6
|location=Maco
|type=concur
|mile=426
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|87|dir1=South|city1=Southport|city2=Northwest}}
|notes=East end of NC&nbsp;87 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Leland
|lspan=4
|mile=429.7
|road={{jct|state=NC|I|140|city1=Shallotte|location2=[[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina|Myrtle Beach]]|city3=Topsail Island|city4=Jacksonville}}
|notes=Interchange
}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=431
|exit=<!-- No exit number -->
|road=Lanvale Road &ndash; [[Leland, North Carolina|Leland]]
|notes=}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=435
|exit=<!-- No exit number -->
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|17|dir1=South|city1=Shallotte|location2=[[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina|Myrtle Beach]]}}
|notes=West end of US&nbsp;17 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=436
|exit=<!-- No exit number -->
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|133|dir1=South|city1=Leland|city2=Belville|city3=Southport|city4=Oak Island}}
|notes=West end of NC&nbsp;133 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=none
|type=concur
|mile=438
|exit=<!-- No exit number -->
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|17|US|76|US|421|dir1=north|dir2=east|dir3=south|city1=Wilmington|city2=Carolina Beach}}
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;17, east end of US&nbsp;76 and west end of US&nbsp;421 overlap}}
{{jctbridge|exit
|state=NC
|county=New Hanover
|cspan=12
|location=Wilmington
|lspan=10
|mile=439
|bridge=S. Thomas Rhodes Bridge over the [[Cape Fear River]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=439.2
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|421|dir1=north|to2=To|I|140|city1=Jacksonville|city2=Clinton}}
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;421 overlap}}
{{Jctbridge|exit
|mile=440
|bridge=Isabel Stellings Holmes Bridge over the [[Northeast Cape Fear River]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=440.6
|road=3rd Street &ndash; [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Downtown Wilmington]]
|notes=Interchange}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=incomplete
|mile=441
|road=McRae Street
|notes=Interchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=441.5
|road={{Jct|state=NC|NC|133|dir1=North|city1=Castle Hayne}}
|notes=East end of NC&nbsp;133 overlap; [[trumpet interchange]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=442
|road=[[Image:Airport Sign.svg|20px]] 23rd Street/Airport Boulevard &ndash; [[Wilmington International Airport]]
|notes=[[Partial cloverleaf interchange#A2 and B2|Partial cloverleaf interchange (B2)]]}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=445
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|117|NC|132|to3=To|I|40|US|421|city1=Castle Hayne|city2=Raleigh|location3=[[North Carolina State Ports Authority|State Port]]|city4=Carolina Beach}}
}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=446
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|17|dab1=Wilmington|name1=Market Street|city1=Wilmington|city2=Ogden}}}}
{{NCint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=448
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|17|US|76|dir2=west|name2=Military Cutoff Road|city1=Wilmington|city2=Jacksonville}}
|notes=West end of US&nbsp;76 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|location=Wrightsville Beach
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|mile=449
|road={{Jct|state=NC|US|76|dir1=east|name1=Causeway Drive}}
|notes=East end of US&nbsp;76 overlap}}
{{NCint|exit
|mile=450
|road=Lumina Avenue
|notes=End of US&nbsp;74 is {{convert|1.8|mi|km}} from intersection, north on Lumina Avenue}}
{{Jctbtm|col=8|keys=concur,incomplete,toll,unbuilt}}

==See also==
{{Portal|United States|U.S. Roads}}
* [[Special routes of U.S. Route 74]]
* [[North Carolina Bicycle Route 2]]
* [[North Carolina Bicycle Route 5]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Attached KML}}
* {{commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/us074.html NCRoads.com: US 74]
* [http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/us74a.html NCRoads.com: US 74-A]
* [http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/us74b.html NCRoads.com: US 74 Business]
* [http://usends.com/74.html Endpoints of U.S. Highway 74]

{{US Highways}}

[[Category:U.S. Route 74|U.S. Route 74]]
[[Category:United States Numbered Highway System|74]]
[[Category:U.S. Highways in Tennessee|74]]
[[Category:U.S. Highways in North Carolina|74]]
[[Category:Transportation in Hamilton County, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Transportation in Bradley County, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Transportation in Polk County, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Transportation in Cherokee County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Graham County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Swain County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Jackson County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Haywood County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Buncombe County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Polk County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Rutherford County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Cleveland County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Gaston County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Union County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Anson County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Richmond County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Scotland County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Robeson County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Columbus County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Brunswick County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in New Hanover County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Charlotte, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Chattanooga, Tennessee]]