U.S. Route 311
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 311 is a United States highway that runs for 85.2 mi (137.1 km) entirely within the state of North Carolina
. On its route from Eden
it passes through the cities of Madison
, Winston-Salem
and High Point
. Originally a spur route from US 11
starting in Roanoke, Virginia
and ending at Rowland, North Carolina
, much of the route was absorbed by US 220 in 1934. Now mostly serving as an alternate routing of U.S. 220, this highway mainly connects Rockingham County with Forsyth, Guilford, and Randolph Counties.
and Interstate 40
in Forsyth County and Interstate 74
in Forsyth, Guilford and Randolph Counties. As part of I-74 (signed as Future in Guilford County), it runs from I-40 at Exit 196 across Interstate 85
at Exit 113 near High Point and ending at Cedar Square Road in Randolph County. The last 13 miles are part of a U.S. 311 Bypass around High Point whose third and last segment was completed on November 22, 2010. When the second segment from N. Main Street to Business 85 was completed in 2004, U.S. 311 was routed onto the Bypass and the old route through downtown was signed as Business U.S. 311. The business route was decommissioned at the request of High Point officials, however, in 2009. The remaining freeway segment under construction will take the route to U.S. Route 220
, part of Future Interstate 73
, near Randleman. This should be completed by the end of 2012. Currently from the temporary end of the Bypass, U.S. 311 runs west briefly along Cedar Square Road back to its old alignment along So. Main Street near the Randolph County town of Glenola. The future old alignment of the route then goes southeast through the towns of Haymarket and Sophia and finally terminating in Randleman at an interchange with U.S. 220 (Future Interstate 73
/74).
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...
. On its route from Eden
Eden, North Carolina
Eden is a city in Rockingham County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 15,908 at the 2000 census. The city was incorporated in 1967 through the consolidation of three separate towns: Leaksville, Spray, and Draper....
it passes through the cities of Madison
Madison, North Carolina
Madison is a town located in Rockingham County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 2,262. It is home to the corporate headquarters of Remington Arms.-Schools:...
, Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
and High Point
High Point, North Carolina
High Point is a city located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. As of 2010 the city had a total population of 104,371, according to the US Census Bureau. High Point is currently the eighth-largest municipality in North Carolina....
. Originally a spur route from US 11
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
starting in Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
and ending at Rowland, North Carolina
Rowland, North Carolina
Rowland is a town in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,146 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rowland is located at ....
, much of the route was absorbed by US 220 in 1934. Now mostly serving as an alternate routing of U.S. 220, this highway mainly connects Rockingham County with Forsyth, Guilford, and Randolph Counties.
Route description
Along its present alignment, U.S. 311 shares pavement with US 52U.S. Route 52 in North Carolina
U.S. Route 52 is an north–south United States highway that runs for from the South Carolina state line, near McFarlan, to the Virginia state line, near Mount Airy. It serves as a strategic highway through the central North Carolina Piedmont....
and Interstate 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:...
in Forsyth County and Interstate 74
Interstate 74 in North Carolina
In the U.S. state of North Carolina, Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway that is partially completed. Currently in four distinct segments in the state; when completed, it will traverse in a southeasterly direction from Virginia to South Carolina, connecting the cities of Winston-Salem, High...
in Forsyth, Guilford and Randolph Counties. As part of I-74 (signed as Future in Guilford County), it runs from I-40 at Exit 196 across Interstate 85
Interstate 85
Interstate 85 is a major interstate highway in the Southeastern United States. Its current southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus interchanges with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond...
at Exit 113 near High Point and ending at Cedar Square Road in Randolph County. The last 13 miles are part of a U.S. 311 Bypass around High Point whose third and last segment was completed on November 22, 2010. When the second segment from N. Main Street to Business 85 was completed in 2004, U.S. 311 was routed onto the Bypass and the old route through downtown was signed as Business U.S. 311. The business route was decommissioned at the request of High Point officials, however, in 2009. The remaining freeway segment under construction will take the route to U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220 is a long U.S. Route in the eastern United States.US 220 is a spur route of U.S. Route 20 but at present, the two routes do not intersect nor do they connect via other spurs of US 20. The former U. S. Route 120, which was signed in Pennsylvania between 1926 and 1967, intersected...
, part of Future Interstate 73
Interstate 73
Interstate 73 is a main route of the Interstate Highway System, currently located entirely within the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of a longer planned corridor, defined by various Federal laws to run from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Grayling, Michigan, but only the part south of...
, near Randleman. This should be completed by the end of 2012. Currently from the temporary end of the Bypass, U.S. 311 runs west briefly along Cedar Square Road back to its old alignment along So. Main Street near the Randolph County town of Glenola. The future old alignment of the route then goes southeast through the towns of Haymarket and Sophia and finally terminating in Randleman at an interchange with U.S. 220 (Future Interstate 73
Interstate 73
Interstate 73 is a main route of the Interstate Highway System, currently located entirely within the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of a longer planned corridor, defined by various Federal laws to run from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Grayling, Michigan, but only the part south of...
/74).
Northern terminus extended
Sometime between 2000 and 2010, NCDOT officially moved the northern terminus of US 311 17.8 miles from Madison to Eden. This was done at the request of the City of Eden in hopes that having a US route leading into the city would help improve the local economy. The northern extension of US 311 was signed in the field in August 2011. From the former northern terminus in Madison, at US 220 Business / NC 704, North 311 now joins South Business 220 / East 704 out of Madison to US 220. North 311 then joins North 220 to the NC 135 interchange. There North 311 joins East 135 to Eden. Just inside the Eden city limit, East 135 ends at NC 770. North 311 joins East 770 to NC 87 where both routes are joined by North 87. North 311 / 87 / East 770 continue to NC 14. North 311 now ends at the junction with NC 14 while East 770 / North 87 join North 14.See also
- List of U.S. Routes
- Interstate 74Interstate 74Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an intersection with Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio...
- Winston-Salem BeltwayWinston-Salem BeltwayThe Winston-Salem Beltway is a proposed freeway loop around the North Carolina city of Winston-Salem. The northeastern and northwestern segments of this beltway, deemed the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway project, are the parts of the loop currently underway...
- U.S. Route 220U.S. Route 220U.S. Route 220 is a long U.S. Route in the eastern United States.US 220 is a spur route of U.S. Route 20 but at present, the two routes do not intersect nor do they connect via other spurs of US 20. The former U. S. Route 120, which was signed in Pennsylvania between 1926 and 1967, intersected...