North Carolina State Highway 49
Encyclopedia
NC 49 is a state highway
in the North Carolina Highway System
that traverses much of the Piedmont
region of North Carolina
.
, south of Charlotte, to Virgilina on the Virginia
state line.
The route is an important corridor for traffic as it forms a part of the shortest route between Charlotte, the largest city in the Carolinas
, and the North Carolina state capital of Raleigh. NC 49 meets US 64 in Asheboro, which forms the majority of the Charlotte-Raleigh link.
From its southern terminus, the highway passes through Charlotte and after crossing the more suburban portions of western Cabarrus County, heads north east into Stanly County. From uptown Charlotte to University City NC 49 is concurrent with US 29. After passing Mount Pleasant in eastern Cabarrus County, the road becomes a designated North Carolina Scenic Byway. The road passes close to Pfeiffer University
in Stanly County before crossing the Yadkin River
near the Tuckertown Reservoir
. After crossing the river, the road skirts the northern foothills of the ancient Uwharrie Mountains
and then drops down into the Asheboro area.
In western Asheboro, NC 49 joins US 64 for a 12 miles (19.3 km) stretch through Asheboro and the outskirts of Franklinville. In Ramseur, the two routes split; NC 49 voyages north through the towns of Liberty and Alamance and into Burlington, where it meets I-40
/85
. A concurrency of NC 49 and US 70 winds through Burlington and Haw River, where NC 49 splits to the north. In northern Alamance County, NC 49 meets a 4-way at-grade junction with NC 62. The two routes switch directions at this point; NC 49 darts east toward Roxboro. After passing through Roxboro and a short concurrency with US 158
and US 501, NC 49 continues on its final leg to the Virginia state line.
One unique fact about the route is that NC 49 is one of limited number of state highways that maintain their numbers in more than two consecutive states, which in this case is Virginia (VA 49
) and South Carolina (SC 49
).
!County
!Location
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="13" colspan="2" | Mecklenburg
City of Charlotte
|
| Southern terminus
|-
|
|
|-
|
| Diamond interchange
|-
|
Route 4
(Billy Graham Parkway)
| Access to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
; Access to I-77/US 21 south
|-
|
| Partial cloverleaf interchange; northbound exit only
|-
|
|
|-
|
| South end of concurrency with NC 27
|-
|
| Eastbound access only
|-
|
| South end of concurrency with US 29; North end of concurrency with NC 27
|-
|
| I-277 outer loop and NC 16 northbound exit only via W. 12th Street
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with US 29
|-
|
| Partial cloverleaf interchange
|-
|
| Partial cloverleaf interchange
|-
| rowspan="2" | Cabarrus
| Concord
|
| Partial interchange
|-
| Mt. Pleasant
|
| Full interchange
|-
| rowspan="2" | Stanly
| rowspan="2" | Richfield
|
|
|-
|
| South end of concurrency with NC 8
|-
| rowspan="2" | Davidson
| Newsom
|
| North end of concurrency with NC 8
|-
| Handy
|
|
|-
| rowspan="10" | Randolph
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="5" | Asheboro
|
| South end of concurrency with US 64
|-
|
| Cloverleaf interchange
|-
|
|
|-
|
| Access to North Carolina Zoo
|-
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | Ramseur
|
| South end of wrong-way concurrency with NC 22
|-
|
| North end of wrong-way concurrency with NC 22
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with US 64
|-
| Liberty
|
| Diamond interchange
|-
| rowspan="9" | Alamance
| rowspan="2" | Burlington
|
| Diamond interchange
|-
|
| South end of concurrency with NC 54
|-
| rowspan="3" | Graham
|
| South end of wrong-way concurrency with NC 87
|-
|
| North end of wrong-way concurrency with NC 87
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with NC 54
|-
| rowspan="2" | Haw River
|
| South end of concurrency with US 70
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with US 70
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pleasant Grove
|
|
|-
|
|
|-
| Orange
|
|
| South end of concurrency with NC 86
|-
| Caswell
| Prospect Hill
|
| North end of concurrency with NC 86
|-
| rowspan="4" | Person
| rowspan="4" | Roxboro
|
| South end of concurrency with US 158
|-
|
| South end of wrong-way concurrency with NC 57
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with US 158; South end of concurrency with US 501; North End of wrong-way concurrency with NC 57
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with US 501
|-
| Granville
|
|
| South end of concurrency with NC 96
|-
| Virginia State Line
| Virgilina
|
| Northern terminus
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the North Carolina Highway System
North Carolina Highway System
The North Carolina Highway System consists of a vast network of Interstate highways, U.S. routes, and state routes, managed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation...
that traverses much of the Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
region of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Route description
The highway runs from near Lake WylieLake Wylie
Lake Wylie is a reservoir, or man-made lake in the U.S. states of both South Carolina and North Carolina. The lake has a surface area of and features of shore line.-History:...
, south of Charlotte, to Virgilina on the Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
state line.
The route is an important corridor for traffic as it forms a part of the shortest route between Charlotte, the largest city in the Carolinas
The Carolinas
The Carolinas is a term used in the United States to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina. Together, the two states + have a population of 13,942,126. "Carolina" would be the fifth most populous state behind California, Texas, New York, and Florida...
, and the North Carolina state capital of Raleigh. NC 49 meets US 64 in Asheboro, which forms the majority of the Charlotte-Raleigh link.
From its southern terminus, the highway passes through Charlotte and after crossing the more suburban portions of western Cabarrus County, heads north east into Stanly County. From uptown Charlotte to University City NC 49 is concurrent with US 29. After passing Mount Pleasant in eastern Cabarrus County, the road becomes a designated North Carolina Scenic Byway. The road passes close to Pfeiffer University
Pfeiffer University
Pfeiffer University is a private university located in the village of Misenheimer near Richfield, North Carolina.- History :Pfeiffer originated from a home school operated by Miss Emily Prudden in the late 19th century...
in Stanly County before crossing the Yadkin River
Yadkin River
The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee...
near the Tuckertown Reservoir
Tuckertown Reservoir
The Tuckertown Reservoir is the reservoir formed by the Tuckertown Dam at the North end of Badin Lake and the High Rock Dam at the bottom of High Rock Lake in the Uwharrie Lakes Region in the U.S...
. After crossing the river, the road skirts the northern foothills of the ancient Uwharrie Mountains
Uwharrie Mountains
The Uwharrie Mountains are a mountain range in North Carolina. The range lies in the counties of Randolph, Montgomery, Stanly, and Davidson, although its foothills stretch into Cabarrus, Anson, Union counties and terminate in the hills of Person. Formed approximately 500 million years ago by...
and then drops down into the Asheboro area.
In western Asheboro, NC 49 joins US 64 for a 12 miles (19.3 km) stretch through Asheboro and the outskirts of Franklinville. In Ramseur, the two routes split; NC 49 voyages north through the towns of Liberty and Alamance and into Burlington, where it meets I-40
Interstate 40 in North Carolina
Interstate 40 runs through the state of North Carolina from the Tennessee state line in the west to its eastern terminus in Wilmington.-Pigeon River Gorge:...
/85
Interstate 85 in North Carolina
In the U.S. state of North Carolina, Interstate 85 scales the state for from the South Carolina border to the Virginia border. As the second-longest interstate in the state , it provides an important link between the cities of Atlanta, Georgia, Charlotte, Greensboro, Richmond, Virginia and...
. A concurrency of NC 49 and US 70 winds through Burlington and Haw River, where NC 49 splits to the north. In northern Alamance County, NC 49 meets a 4-way at-grade junction with NC 62. The two routes switch directions at this point; NC 49 darts east toward Roxboro. After passing through Roxboro and a short concurrency with US 158
U.S. Route 158
U.S. Route 158 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Mocksville to Nags Head, entirely in the U.S. state of North Carolina.-Route description:...
and US 501, NC 49 continues on its final leg to the Virginia state line.
One unique fact about the route is that NC 49 is one of limited number of state highways that maintain their numbers in more than two consecutive states, which in this case is Virginia (VA 49
Virginia State Route 49
Virginia State Route 49 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from the North Carolina state line in Virgilina, Virginia in Halifax County, where the highway continues south as North Carolina Highway 49 , north to U.S. Route 360 near Burkeville in...
) and South Carolina (SC 49
South Carolina Highway 49
South Carolina Highway 49 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It traverses north–south from Watts Mill to the North Carolina state line, in Lake Wylie.-Route description:...
).
See also
- Bank of America StadiumBank of America StadiumBank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...
- Cabarrus Arena & Events CenterCabarrus Arena & Events CenterThe Cabarrus Arena & Events Center is located in Concord, North Carolina, about 24-miles northeast of Charlotte.The complex consisits of a main Arena, Event Center A & B, Gold Halls 1 & 2, and the Cabarrus Rooms which is a very popular space for business meetings and wedding receptions.The venue is...
- Carowinds
- Cedarock Historical FarmCedarock Park Historic DistrictThe Cedarock Historical Farm, located at Cedarock Park in Alamance County, North Carolina, provides an example of life on a farm in North Carolina during the 19th Century. Populated with farm animals, antique and replica farm equipment, and a farmhouse, the Historical Farm provides a fun,...
- Cedarock ParkCedarock parkCedarock Park is a nature preserve, historic farm, and passive-use park located near Bellemont in Alamance County, North Carolina.-Geographic setting:...
- Charlotte Motor SpeedwayCharlotte Motor SpeedwayCharlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
- Lake WylieLake WylieLake Wylie is a reservoir, or man-made lake in the U.S. states of both South Carolina and North Carolina. The lake has a surface area of and features of shore line.-History:...
- Mayo ReservoirMayo LakeMayo Lake is a reservoir located in northeastern Person County, North Carolina. Boating entrance, walking trails, swimming access, picnic and camp site areas are accessed from Neals Store Road about 9 miles north of the city of Roxboro along NC 49...
- Tryon StreetTryon StreetTryon Street is a major north-south street of Charlotte, North Carolina. It traverses through the center of Uptown Charlotte and is the address for some of the city's tallest buildings like the Bank of America Corporate Center and Hearst Tower. U.S...
- Tuckertown ReservoirTuckertown ReservoirThe Tuckertown Reservoir is the reservoir formed by the Tuckertown Dam at the North end of Badin Lake and the High Rock Dam at the bottom of High Rock Lake in the Uwharrie Lakes Region in the U.S...
- University of North Carolina at CharlotteUniversity of North Carolina at CharlotteThe University of North Carolina at Charlotte , also known as UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte, is a public research university located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States...
- Uwharrie National ForestUwharrie National ForestUwharrie National Forest is a federally-designated national forest region located primarily in Montgomery County, but also extending into Randolph and Davidson counties in south central North Carolina. It is the smallest of the four National Forests in North Carolina, with a total area of 50,369...
- Verizon Wireless AmphitheatreVerizon Wireless Amphitheatre CharlotteThe Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Charlotte is an outdoor amphitheater in Charlotte, North Carolina that specializes in hosting large concerts. The facility originally opened as the Blockbuster Pavilion in 1991, and largely replaced the Paladium Amphitheater at Carowinds as the premier outdoor...
Major intersections
{| class=wikitable!County
!Location
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="13" colspan="2" | Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County is the name of two counties in the United States:* Mecklenburg County, North Carolina* Mecklenburg County, Virginia...
City of Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
|
| Southern terminus
|-
|
|
|-
|
| Diamond interchange
|-
|
Charlotte Route 4
Route 4 is an 18.6-mile partial ring road around Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, marked along four-lane state-maintained secondary roads; it is sometimes considered to use Interstate 85 to complete the loop, though this part is not signed...
(Billy Graham Parkway)
| Access to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr...
; Access to I-77/US 21 south
|-
|
| Partial cloverleaf interchange; northbound exit only
|-
|
|
|-
|
| South end of concurrency with NC 27
|-
|
| Eastbound access only
|-
|
| South end of concurrency with US 29; North end of concurrency with NC 27
|-
|
| I-277 outer loop and NC 16 northbound exit only via W. 12th Street
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with US 29
|-
|
| Partial cloverleaf interchange
|-
|
| Partial cloverleaf interchange
|-
| rowspan="2" | Cabarrus
| Concord
|
| Partial interchange
|-
| Mt. Pleasant
|
| Full interchange
|-
| rowspan="2" | Stanly
| rowspan="2" | Richfield
|
|
|-
|
| South end of concurrency with NC 8
|-
| rowspan="2" | Davidson
| Newsom
|
| North end of concurrency with NC 8
|-
| Handy
|
|
|-
| rowspan="10" | Randolph
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="5" | Asheboro
|
| South end of concurrency with US 64
|-
|
| Cloverleaf interchange
|-
|
|
|-
|
| Access to North Carolina Zoo
North Carolina Zoo
The North Carolina Zoo is located in Asheboro in Randolph County, North Carolina in the Uwharrie Mountains near the geographic center of the state, approximately west of Raleigh, NC, United States. At , it is the largest "walk-through" natural-habitat zoo in the world, the first in the United...
|-
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | Ramseur
|
| South end of wrong-way concurrency with NC 22
|-
|
| North end of wrong-way concurrency with NC 22
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with US 64
|-
| Liberty
|
| Diamond interchange
|-
| rowspan="9" | Alamance
| rowspan="2" | Burlington
|
| Diamond interchange
|-
|
| South end of concurrency with NC 54
|-
| rowspan="3" | Graham
|
| South end of wrong-way concurrency with NC 87
|-
|
| North end of wrong-way concurrency with NC 87
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with NC 54
|-
| rowspan="2" | Haw River
|
| South end of concurrency with US 70
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with US 70
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pleasant Grove
|
|
|-
|
|
|-
| Orange
|
|
| South end of concurrency with NC 86
|-
| Caswell
| Prospect Hill
Prospect Hill, North Carolina
Prospect Hill is a small community in Hightowers Township, Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. It lies at the intersection of North Carolina Highways 49 and 86. It is in extreme southeastern Caswell County, North Carolina, and has about 789 people....
|
| North end of concurrency with NC 86
|-
| rowspan="4" | Person
| rowspan="4" | Roxboro
|
| South end of concurrency with US 158
|-
|
| South end of wrong-way concurrency with NC 57
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with US 158; South end of concurrency with US 501; North End of wrong-way concurrency with NC 57
|-
|
| North end of concurrency with US 501
|-
| Granville
|
|
| South end of concurrency with NC 96
|-
| Virginia State Line
| Virgilina
Virgilina, Virginia
Virgilina is a town in Halifax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 159 at the 2000 census. Virgilina was once a copper mining town...
|
| Northern terminus