U.S. Route 401 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

U.S. Route 401 is an north–south United States highway, a spur of U.S. Route 1

U.S. Route 1

U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...

, that traverses along the fall line

Fall line

A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...

from Sumter, South Carolina

Sumter, South Carolina

-Demographics:, there were 59,180 people, 34,717 households, and 4,049 families living in the city. The population density was 4,469.5 people per square mile . There were 416,032 housing units at an average density of 603.0 per square mile...

to Interstate 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...

near Wise, North Carolina.

Route description

Starting in Sumter, South Carolina

Sumter, South Carolina

, US 401 goes northeast through mostly swamp and farmland, as it connect the cities of Darlington

Darlington, South Carolina

Darlington is a city in and the county seat of Darlington County, in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is a center for tobacco farming. The population was 6,720 at the 2000 census and is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area...

and Bennettsville

Bennettsville, South Carolina

Bennettsville is a city in and the county seat of Marlboro County, South Carolina, United States. and home to the Bennettsville Historic District...

before crossing the state line into 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...

. Traversing the state for 77.2 miles (124.2 km), it is mostly a two-lane rural road, which is likely to only have local traffic along it thanks to nearby Interstate 95

Interstate 95 in South Carolina

Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine. In South Carolina, I-95 runs approximately parallel to the Atlantic Ocean shore although about inland, from Hardeeville in the south to Dillon in the northeast.-Route...

.

In North Carolina

North Carolina

, the highway becomes more utilized, as it connect to several mid-size and large cities in the state. In the sandhills

Sandhills (Carolina)

The Sandhills is a region in the interior of the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. It is a strip of ancient beach dunes which generally divides the Piedmont from the coastal plain, and is the evidence of a former coastline when the ocean level was higher, or the land lower. The...

region, it connects the cities of Laurinburg

Laurinburg, North Carolina

Laurinburg is a mid-sized city in Scotland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Scotland County. Located in southern North Carolina near the South Carolina state border, Laurinburg is southwest of Fayetteville and is home to St. Andrews Presbyterian College...

, Raeford

Raeford, North Carolina

Raeford is a city in Hoke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,386 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hoke County. The county was named after Confederate General Robert F. Hoke, as Tar Heel native....

, and Fayetteville

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....

. All three of which have business routes connecting the downtown areas. The road is typically two-lane still, but expands to four-lane (or more) in each city. The road takes a pause in the lime-light as it straddles nearby Interstate 95

Interstate 95 in North Carolina

Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine. In North Carolina, I-95 runs diagonally across the eastern third of the state, from Rowland in the southwest to Roanoke Rapids in the northeast of the Inner Banks.-Route...

again; from Fayetteville

Fayetteville, North Carolina

, through Lillington

Lillington, North Carolina

Lillington is a town in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,915 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Harnett County.-Geography:Lillington is located at ....

, to Fuquay-Varina

Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina

Fuquay-Varina is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,898 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the population was estimated to be 17,910. The town is a 30-minute drive south of Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina...

.

In Wake County

Wake County, North Carolina

Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...

, US 401 is center-stage again as a major north-south corridor, connecting bedroom communities to downtown Raleigh

Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...

. Once it leaves the county, it reverts back to a rural road connecting the small cities of Louisburg

Louisburg, North Carolina

Louisburg is a town in Franklin County, North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,111. It is the county seat of Franklin County...

and Warrenton

Warrenton, North Carolina

Warrenton is a town in Warren County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 811 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1779, it is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to one of the campuses of Vance-Granville Community College....

. US 401 finally ends at Interstate 85

Interstate 85 in North Carolina

, just north from the community of Wise; competing a 174 miles (280 km) thru the state.

Overall, the route goes through endless fields of farmland broken now and then by cities and small towns. With exceptions to both the the sandhills

Sandhills (Carolina)

region and Wake County

Wake County, North Carolina

Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...

, most travelers would be better served using Interstate 95

Interstate 95

Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...

History

The route is the third highway to bear the name, which included renaming the stretch of U.S. Route 15A from Sumter to Raleigh, and former N.C. Highway 59 from Raleigh to Norlina.

The first U.S. 401 was assigned to a route from South Hill to South Boston in 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...

from 1926 to 1932. Parts of this route were renumbered as U.S. Route 58

U.S. Route 58

U.S. Route 58 is an east–west U.S. Highway that runs for from U.S. Route 25E just northwest of Harrogate, Tennessee to U.S. Route 60 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Until 1996, when the Cumberland Gap Tunnel opened, US 58 ran only inside the commonwealth of Virginia...

. The second U.S. 401 ran from Raleigh to Waterboro in North Carolina

North Carolina

from 1933 to 1934. Parts of this route were replaced by U.S. Route 15

U.S. Route 15

U.S. Route 15 is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Carolina to Interstate 86 and NY 17 in Painted Post, New York.US...

.

Prior to 2001, current U.S. 401 ran 257 miles (414 km) from Norlina, North Carolina

Norlina, North Carolina

Norlina is a town in Warren County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,107 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Norlina is located at ....

at U.S. Route 1

U.S. Route 1

to Sumter, South Carolina

Sumter, South Carolina

at U.S. Route 76

U.S. Route 76

U.S. Route 76 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.-Tennessee:...

Business.

Future

Considered an important link between Fayetteville

Fayetteville, North Carolina

, Lillington

Lillington, North Carolina

Lillington is a town in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,915 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Harnett County.-Geography:Lillington is located at ....

and Raleigh

Raleigh, North Carolina

, NCDOT

North Carolina Department of Transportation

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is responsible for building, repairing, and operating highways, bridges, and other modes of transportation, including ferries in the U.S. state of North Carolina.-History:...

has setup the US 401 Corridor Study. The purpose of the study is to identify deficiencies in the existing corridor and develop alternatives for accommodating future growth in traffic volumes (i.e. widen to multi-lanes). The corridor study also includes NC 55 and NC 210

North Carolina Highway 210

NC 210 is a 195-mile North Carolina state highway that connects settlements in the Atlantic Coastal Plain region. Due to its meandering route NC 210 changes directional orientation three times, changing from east-west to north-south near Angier, changing from north-south to west-east near Moores...

. Estimated costs for all road improvements along the corridor is around $193-222.6 million. Property acquisition and construction is unfunded at this time.

South Carolina

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!County
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!Exit

Exit number

An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....

Sumter, South Carolina

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|style="background:#ddffdd"|US 401 begins; north end of US 521 overlap
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|Lamar

Lamar, South Carolina

Lamar is a town in Darlington County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,015 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Lamar is located at ....

|25
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|Main Street / Lee State Park Road – Lee State Park

Lee State Natural Area

Lee State Natural Area is one of South Carolina's first state parks. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression of the 1930s as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal...

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|rowspan=2|Darlington

Darlington, South Carolina

Society Hill, South Carolina

Society Hill is a town in Darlington County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 700 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area...

Bennettsville, South Carolina

Bennettsville is a city in and the county seat of Marlboro County, South Carolina, United States. and home to the Bennettsville Historic District...

McColl, South Carolina

McColl is a town in Marlboro County, South Carolina, United States, located within 1.5 miles of the border with North Carolina. The population was 2,498 at the 2000 census.-Geography:McColl is located at ....

|75.5
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|, Hamlet

Hamlet, North Carolina

Hamlet is a town in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 6,018 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hamlet is located at ....

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North Carolina

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!County
!Location
!Mile
!Exit

Exit number

An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....

!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=6|Scotland

Scotland County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,998 people, 13,399 households, and 9,674 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 14,693 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...

|rowspan=5|Laurinburg

Laurinburg, North Carolina

|5
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|Wagram

Wagram, North Carolina

Wagram is a town in Scotland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 801 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wagram is located at ....

Hoke County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 46,952 people, 11,373 households, and 8,745 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 12,518 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...

|rowspan=2|Raeford

Raeford, North Carolina

|27
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|rowspan=7|Cumberland

Cumberland County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 302,963 people, 107,358 households, and 77,619 families residing in the county. The population density was 464 people per square mile . There were 118,425 housing units at an average density of 181 per square mile...

|rowspan=6|Fayetteville

Fayetteville, North Carolina

|44
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|style="background:#fdd;"|Signed Future I-295
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|rowspan=4|Harnett

Harnett County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 91,025 people, 33,800 households, and 24,099 families residing in the county. The population density was 153 people per square mile . There were 38,605 housing units at an average density of 65 per square mile...

|rowspan=4|Lillington

Lillington, North Carolina

Lillington is a town in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,915 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Harnett County.-Geography:Lillington is located at ....

Raven Rock State Park

Raven Rock State Park is a North Carolina state park in Harnett County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Lillington, North Carolina, it covers along the banks of the Cape Fear River...

Wake County, North Carolina

Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...

Garner, North Carolina

Garner is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States and a suburb of Raleigh. The population was 17,757 at the 2000 census and was 27,533 in 2009.-Geography:Garner is located at ....

Raleigh, North Carolina

|105
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|Wilmington – Downtown Raleigh

Raleigh, North Carolina

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|Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard / Western Boulevard
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|Peace Street
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|style="background:#ddffdd"|109
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"| – RDU Intl Airport

Raleigh-Durham International Airport

Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a public international airport located 4.5 miles northeast of the town of Morrisville in suburban Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The airport covers and operates three runways, providing direct service to 40 domestic and international...

, Res Tri Park

Research Triangle Park

The Research Triangle Park is a research park in the United States. It is located near Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina...

Franklin County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 47,260 people, 17,843 households, and 12,882 families residing in the county. The population density was 96 people per square mile . There were 20,364 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...

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|rowspan=4|Louisburg

Louisburg, North Carolina

Louisburg is a town in Franklin County, North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,111. It is the county seat of Franklin County...

Ingleside, North Carolina

Ingleside is an unincorporated community in northern Franklin County, North Carolina, United States. It lies at the intersection of U.S. Route 401, and North Carolina Highway 39, north of Louisburg, at an elevation of 394 feet ....

Warren County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,972 people, 7,708 households, and 5,449 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 10,548 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...

|Warrenton

Warrenton, North Carolina

Norlina, North Carolina

Norlina is a town in Warren County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,107 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Norlina is located at ....

South Hill, Virginia

South Hill is a town in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2006 census, the town population was 4,608. Located on major Interstate and U.S. highways, it has a full service hospital , a tobacco market, and several hotels. South Hill has a close relationship with the neighboring...

, Richmond

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...

|style="background:#ddffdd"|US 401 ends; north end of US 1 overlap
|-

North Carolina business loops

Currently, there are three U.S. Route 401 Business loops in North Carolina:

Laurinburg business loop

The entire route is in Laurinburg

Laurinburg, North Carolina

, Scotland County

Scotland County, North Carolina

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Mile
!Exit

Exit number

An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....

McColl, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...

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|style="background:#ddffdd"|1.5
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|South end of US 501 Business overlap
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|2
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|style="background:#ddffdd"|3
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|North end of US 15 Business and US 501 Business overlap
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|4.4
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|US 401 Business ends
|-

Raeford business loop

The entire route is in Raeford

Raeford, North Carolina

, Hoke County

Hoke County, North Carolina

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Mile
!Exit

Exit number

An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....

!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|0
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|US 401 Business begins
|-
|style="background:#ddffdd"|0.8
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|East end of NC 211 overlap
|-
|style="background:#ddffdd"|0.9
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|West end of NC 20 and 211 overlap
|-
|style="background:#ddffdd"|1.2
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|East end of NC 20 overlap
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|3
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|Rockfish Road
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|4.7
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|US 401 Business ends
|-

Fayetteville business loop

Established in late 1960s from a renumbering of US 401, this business loop goes through Fayetteville via Raeford Road, Robeson Street, Martin Luther King Jr Freeway, and Ramsey Street.

The entire route is in Fayetteville

Fayetteville, North Carolina

, Cumberland County

Cumberland County, North Carolina

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Mile
!Exit

Exit number

An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....

!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|0
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|US 401 Business begins
|-
|1
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|-
|2
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|All American Expressway – Fort Bragg, Pope Army Airfield
|
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|style="background:#ddffdd"|5
|style="background:#ddffdd"|104
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|South end of NC 87 overlap
|-
|6
|104B
|Hay Street
|
|-
|style="background:#ddffdd"|6.3
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|North end of NC 87 overlap
|-
|7
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|Ramsey Street
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|8
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|Rosehill Road
|
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|9.6
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|US 401 Business ends
|-

External links

End of US Route 401

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Route description

History

Future

South Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina business loops

Laurinburg business loop

Raeford business loop

Fayetteville business loop

See also

External links