North Carolina Highway 11
Route of NC 11 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length	193.2 mi (310.9 km)
Existed	1921–present
Major junctions
South end	US 74 / US 76 in Freeman
Major intersections	US 421 in Wards Corner US 117 near Willard I-40 near Wallace US 70 / US 258 in Kinston US 13 / US 264 in Greenville US 64 near Conetoe
North end	US 258 / US 158 Bus.in Murfreesboro
Location
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Counties	Columbus, Bladen, Pender, Duplin, Lenoir, Pitt, Edgecombe, Martin, Bertie, Hertford
Highway system
North Carolina Highway System Interstate US State Scenic
← NC 10 → NC 12

North Carolina Highway 11 (NC 11) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling 193.2 miles (310.9 km) in a north–south alignment through Eastern North Carolina, it connects the towns and cities of Wallace, Kenansville, Kinston, Greenville and Murfreesboro.

Route description

NC 11 begins at US 74/ US 76 in the unincorporated community of Freeman. It travels north to NC 87 at Sandyfield before exiting Columbus County. ^[1] Soon entering Bladen County, it crosses the Cape Fear River, then travels nearly seven miles (11 km) to Long View, where it joins with NC 53 before crossing the Black River and into Pender County. ^[2] Traveling in a northeasterly direction, NC 11/NC 53 turns east at Atkinson; at Wards Corner it changes its concurrency from NC 53, which continues to Burgaw, to US 421 towards Clinton. After over seven miles (11 km), NC 11 splits from US 421 and continues northeast through Penderlea and Willard, where it then joins US 117 near exit 390 off Interstate 40 (I-40). Traveling northeast, it crosses over Rock Fish Creek into Duplin County. ^[3]

NC 11 splits towards the Tin City area of Wallace, while US 117 continues towards the downtown area. Northeast of Wallace, NC 11 connects with I-40 (exit 385) and continues through Murphey, Greenevers and Register before reaching the NC 24/ NC 903 Kenansville Bypass (which can be used as a bypass for through traffic along NC 11). Continuing through Kenansville, it joins briefly with NC 50; north of town, it joins with NC 903 and continues northeast to Kornegay, where it switches concurrency with NC 111 for 0.3 miles (0.48 km) before continuing east into Lenoir County. ^[4] At Pink Hill, NC 11 continues northeasterly and widens to a four-lane divided highway as it travels through Deep Run and Albrittons and Jacksons Crossroads, where it is joined by NC 55. At an area known as Skinner's By-Pass, NC 11/NC 55 enter Kinston's city limits and connects with US 70/ US 258. Crossing east over the Neuse River and into downtown Kinston, NC 11/NC 55 connect with US 70 Bus./ US 258 Bus. along Queen Street. At a roundabout, NC 11/NC 55 returns to a northeasterly direction and through the Harverytown area of Kinston. Upon leaving Kinston's city limits, NC 55 splits and continues towards New Bern. Parallel to the CSX rail line, since Graingers, NC 11 connects with NC 118, which connects to nearby Grifton, before crossing the Contentnea Creek and into Pitt County. ^[5] Shortly after entering into Pitt County, NC 11 divides onto with its newer bypass route which is a rural controlled access highway bypassing the center of Greenville, and its mainline route, which on the other hand, is a rural partial controlled access highway that bypasses its suburbs Ayden, Winterville, before going through the center of Greenville. The newer bypass also winds north to connect to I-587 and US 264.

With the exception of the stretch between Kinston and Greenville, most of NC 11 is largely a disused rural route. All other major sections are cosigned with more major U.S. Highways, including a stretch of US 421 near the southern terminus and US 13 north of Greenville. As a through route, U 258 or US 13 travel along the same general directions, but appear to be better maintained and closer to major population centers. The central segment is mostly four lanes and divided, although not controlled access.

History

NC 11 was established in 1921 as an original state highway, traveling northeasterly from NC 40, in Kenansville, to NC 10, in Kinston; then continuing north, through Greenville, to NC 90, in Bethel. ^[6] Around 1930, NC 11 was extended north on new primary routing to NC 125, in Oak City, via Hassell. ^[7] In 1940, NC 11 was extended south from Kenansville to Tin City, replacing part of US 117; then with a short concurrency with US 117, it travels 1 mile (1.6 km) to the North Carolina Coastal Experimental Station (agriculture testing facility), replacing NC 401. ^[8] In 1942, NC 11 was rerouted to a more direct route between Bethel and Oak City; its old alignment through Hassell was downgraded to secondary roads (today NC 42 and Hassell Road). ^[9]

By 1942, the first rerouting of NC 11 through Kinston took place; the original alignment was crossing over the Neuse River via Caswell Street, north on Queen Street, east on Vernon Avenue and northeast on Minerva Street. The realignment begins in Jacksons Store with concurrency with NC 55 going east along Tyree Road to US 258, from there continuing north into Kinston along Queen Street; the old alignment along Caswell Street is downgraded to secondary road. By 1948, NC 11/NC 55 was rerouted east onto King Street, north on East Street, east on Washington Avenue and then northeast on Minerva Street; the old alignment through central Kinston became NC 11A. In 1952, NC 11/NC 55 was rerouted onto its current routing from Jacksons Store north into Kinston, crossing the Neuse River on King Street; Tyree Road (SR 1341) was downgraded to secondary road while US 258 remained.

By 1958, NC 11 was rerouted to its current alignment in Greenville along Memorial Drive; its old alignment along Dickinson Avenue to Greene Street was downgraded to secondary roads. By 1963, the spur to the North Carolina Coastal Experimental Station was downgraded to secondary road and NC 11 was truncated at US 117 near Wallace. In 1966, NC 11 was extended north on new primary routing, across the Roanoke River, to NC 308, in Lewiston. ^[10] In 1967, its northern terminus was extended again to NC 305, in Connaritsa. ^[11] In 1969, NC 11/NC 55 was rerouted to its current alignment along Tiffany Street (today Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard), with its old alignment along East Street and Washington Avenue downgraded to secondary roads. Near Grifton, NC 11 was placed on new western bypass, leaving behind Highland Boulevard/Avenue. ^[12]

North Carolina Highway 401

North Carolina Highway 401
Location	Coastal Plains Experiment Station
Length	.8 mi [13] (1,300 m)
Existed	1930–1940

North Carolina Highway 401 (NC 401) was established as a new primary spur of NC 40 to the North Carolina Coastal Plains Experiment Station (agriculture testing facility), south of Wallace. ^[7] In 1940, NC 401 was replaced by an extension of NC 11, which was eventually downgraded to secondary road by 1963 (today Jonestown Road). ^[8]

Major intersections

County	Location	mi[ citation needed]	km	Destinations	Notes
Columbus	Freeman	0.0	0.0	US 74 / US 76 (Andrew Jackson Highway) – Whiteville, Wilmington
	Sandyfield	4.2	6.8	NC 87 (Old Stage Highway) – Southport, Elizabethtown
Bladen	​	10.3	16.6	NC 210 – Hampstead, Fayetteville
	Long View	12.4	20.0	NC 53 west – White Lake	West end of NC 53 overlap
Pender	Wards Corner	22.6	36.4	US 421 south / NC 53 east – Wilmington, Burgaw	South end of US 421 and east end of NC 53 overlap
	​	30.3	48.8	US 421 north – Clinton	North end of US 421 overlap
	​	40.6	65.3	US 117 south to I-40 – Wilmington	South end of US 117 overlap
Duplin	Wallace	43.1	69.4	US 117 north (Norwood Street)	North end of US 117 overlap
		44.7	71.9	NC 41 (Southerland Street) – Beulaville
		46.9	75.5	I-40 – Wilmington, Benson	I-40 exit 384
	Kenansville	59.2	95.3	NC 24 / NC 903 (Kenansville Bypass) – Magnolia, Beulaville
		61.0	98.2	NC 24 Bus. west / NC 50 north (Mallard Street) – Warsaw, Clinton	West end of NC 24 Bus. and north end of NC 50 overlap
		61.6	99.1	NC 50 south (Limestone Road) – Chinquapin	South end of NC 50 overlap
		61.7	99.3	NC 24 Bus. east (Routledge Road) – Jacksonville	North end of NC 24 Bus. overlap
		63.5	102.2	NC 903 south (Kenansville Bypass) – Magnolia, Beulaville	South end of NC 903 overlap
	Kornegay	72.6	116.8	NC 111 north / NC 903 north – Goldsboro	North end of NC 111 and NC 903 overlap
		73.0	117.5	NC 111 south – Beulaville	North end of NC 111 overlap
Lenoir	Pink Hill	77.3	124.4	NC 241 south (Front Street) – Beulaville	Northern terminus of NC 241
	Jacksons Store	90.4	145.5	NC 55 west – Mount Olive	West end of NC 55 overlap
	Kinston	93.7	150.8	US 70 / US 258 (New Bern Road) – New Bern, Goldsboro
		94.9	152.7	US 70 Bus. / US 258 Bus. / NC 58 (Queen Street) – Jacksonville, Snow Hill
	​	98.8	159.0	NC 55 east – New Bern	East end of NC 55 overlap
	​	102.3	164.6	NC 148 west (C.F. Harvey Parkway)
​	106.0	170.6	NC 118 east (Grifton-Hugo Road) – Grifton	Western terminus of NC 118
Pitt	​	112.5	181.1	NC 11 Byp. north to US 264 – Greenville	Interchange; northbound exit, southbound entrance only; NC 11 northbound signed as Exit 112 from NC 11 Bypass
		113.6	182.8	NC 102 (3rd Street) – Ayden, Maury
	Winterville	117.6	189.3	NC 903 south – Snow Hill	South end of NC 903 overlap
	Greenville	120.7	194.2	US 264 Alt. / NC 43 south (Greenville Boulevard) – Washington, Wilson	South end of NC 43 overlap
		122.7	197.5	US 13 south (Dickinson Avenue) – Farmville	South end of US 13 overlap
		123.7	199.1	NC 43 north (5th Street) – Rocky Mount	North end of NC 43 overlap
		126.5	203.6	NC 33 east (Greene Street) – Grimesland	East end of NC 33 overlap
		126.9	204.2	NC 33 west (Belvoir Highway) – Tarboro	West end of NC 33 overlap
		127.3	204.9	US 264 / NC 11 Byp. south (Martin Luther King Jr. Highway) – Washington, Wilson	US 264 exit 80
		128.0	206.0	NC 903 north – Robersonville, Hamilton	North end of NC 903 overlap
	​	136.3	219.4	NC 30 east – Washington	Western terminus of NC 30
	​	136.6	219.8	US 13 Bus. / NC 11 Bus. (Main Street) – Bethel
	Bethel	137.9	221.9	US 64 Alt. (Washington Street) – Parmele, Bethel
Edgecombe	​	139.6	224.7	US 13 Bus. / NC 11 Bus. – Bethel
	​	139.8	225.0	US 13 north / US 64 – Williamston, Tarboro	North end of US 13 overlap; U 64 exit 496
Martin	Hassell	146.0	235.0	NC 42 west / NC 142 – Hassell, Wilson	West end of NC 42 overlap
	Oak City	150.1	241.6	NC 111 south – Tarboro	Northern terminus of NC 111
		150.7	242.5	NC 125 (Cherry Street) – Hamilton, Hobgood
	​	154.6	248.8	NC 903 north – Scotland Neck	South end of NC 903 overlap
	​			NC 903 south – Hamilton	North end of NC 903 overlap
Bertie	Lewiston	165.0	265.5	NC 308 (Church Street) – Windsor, Kelford	To Hope Plantation
	​	169.8	273.3	NC 11 Bus. – Aulander
	Aulander	172.6	277.8	NC 305 (Commerce Street) – Windsor, Aulander
Hertford	​	175.4	282.3	NC 11 Bus. (Millennium Road) – Aulander
	Poor Town	178.0	286.5	NC 42 east – Ahoskie	North end of NC 42 overlap
	​	180.6	290.6	NC 561 – Ahoskie, Rich Square
	​	184.2	296.4	NC 461 – Winton, Rich Square	To Roanoke Chowan Community College
	Murfreesboro	191.7	308.5	US 158 / US 258 south (Walter Reid Memorial Highway) – Winton, Conway	South end of US 258 overlap
		193.2	310.9	US 158 Bus. (Main Street) / US 258 north (Virginia Boulevard) – Elizabeth City, Franklin	North end of US 258 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi        Concurrency terminus        Incomplete access

Special routes

Kenansville alternate spur

North Carolina Highway 11A
Location	Kenansville, North Carolina
Length	0.18 mi [14] (290 m)
Existed	1940–1960

North Carolina Highway 11 Alternate (NC 11A) was a renumbering of part of US 117. It existed as a cutoff between NC 11 and NC 24. It was decommissioned by 1960, downgraded to Tyndall Street (SR 1383).

Kinston alternate route

North Carolina Highway 11A
Location	Kinston, North Carolina
Existed	1949–1960

North Carolina Highway 11 Alternate (NC 11A) was a renumbering of NC 11 through downtown Kinston, via Queen Street and Vernon Avenue. In 1960, it was renumbered to NC 11 Business.

Kinston business loop

North Carolina Highway 11 Business
Location	Kinston, North Carolina
Existed	1960–1969

North Carolina Highway 11 Business (NC 11 Bus) was a renumbering of NC 11A through downtown Kinston, via Queen Street and Vernon Avenue. In 1969, the route was downgraded to secondary roads. ^[15]

Greenville bypass

North Carolina Highway 11 Bypass
Location	Greenville, North Carolina
Length	17.9 mi [16] (28.8 km)
Existed	2019–present

North Carolina Highway 11 Bypass (NC 11 Byp.), was established in 2019 as a bypass route of NC 11. The bypass is a 17.9-mile (28.8 km), four-lane freeway. Unlike the previous bypass projects where NC 11 would be rerouted onto a newly constructed bypass with the section going through the towns being designated as a business route, NC 11 actually bypasses Ayden and Winterville, but goes through Greenville. While the bypass route also bypasses Greenville. The bypass connects its parent route south of Ayden to the routes US 264, US 13, U.S. 264 Alt, and Interstate 587 in Greenville. The northern 5.3 section of the bypass overlaps with US 264 and was originally constructed for said route to also bypass Greenville. The southern 12.6 miles (20.3 km) section of the route is known as the Greenville Southwest Bypass which was completed the same year the route was established.

Bethel business loop

North Carolina Highway 11 Business
Location	Bethel, North Carolina
Length	3.0 mi [17] (4.8 km)
Existed	2003–present

North Carolina Highway 11 Business (NC 11 Bus) was established in 2003 as a renumbering of mainline NC 11 through downtown Bethel, via Main Street. It shares a complete concurrency with US 13 Bus. ^[18]

County	Location	mi [17]	km	Destinations	Notes
Pitt	​	0.0	0.0	US 13 / US 13 Bus. begins / NC 11 – Greenville, Williamston	South end of US 13 Business overlap
	Bethel	1.2	1.9	US 64 Alt. (Washington Street) – Parmele, Williamston, Tarboro
Edgecombe	​	3.0	4.8	US 13 / US 13 Bus. ends / NC 11 – Greenville, Williamston	North end of US 13 Business overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi        Concurrency terminus

Aulander business loop

North Carolina Highway 11 Business
Location	Aulander, North Carolina
Length	6.3 mi [19] (10.1 km)
Existed	1978–present

North Carolina Highway 11 Business (NC 11 Bus) was established in 1978 as a renumbering of mainline NC 11 through downtown Aulander, via Main Street. ^[20]

County	Location	mi [19]	km	Destinations	Notes
Bertie	​	0.0	0.0	NC 11 / NC 42 – Lewiston-Woodville, Ahoskie
	Aulander	3.8	6.1	NC 305 (Commerce Street) – Windsor, Rich Square
Hertford	​	6.3	10.1	NC 11 / NC 42 – Lewiston-Woodville, Ahoskie
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

• North Carolina Bicycle Route 5 – NC 11 concurrent in Long View

References

External links

• Media related to North Carolina Highway 11 at Wikimedia Commons
• NCRoads.com: N.C. 11
• NCRoads.com: N.C. 11-A
• NCRoads.com: N.C. 11 Business