Wade Avenue | |
|---|---|
Freeway portion of Wade Avenue in purple, surface road in red | |
| Route information | |
| Length | 6.1 mi (9.8 km) |
| Major junctions | |
| West end | 
I-40 near
Raleigh |
| East end |   
US 401 /
US 70 /
NC 50 in Raleigh |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Wake |
| Highway system | |
Wade Avenue (western segment also known as Raleigh-Chapel Hill Expressway or Wade Avenue Extension) is a route in The Triangle region of North Carolina that links Interstate 40 (I-40), I-440, and downtown Raleigh. The western segment of this road is a four-lane freeway and the eastern segment is an urban boulevard with a mix of at-grade intersections and grade-separated interchanges; I-440 (known locally as the Beltline) splits the segments. Wade Avenue provides a shortcut to North Raleigh for I-40 traffic (to and from Durham) via I-440; thus, along the west segment the eastbound direction is signed as TO I-440 and the westbound direction is signed as TO I-40. Wade Avenue's eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 401 (US 401; Capital Boulevard), shortly after an interchange with US 70 (Glenwood Avenue) and North Carolina Highway 50 (NC 50; Creedmoor Road).
The Wade Avenue/I-440/ US 1 interchange is subject to frequent traffic jams, as is the Wade Avenue/I-40 interchange. The first exit off Wade Avenue traveling east (Edwards Mill Road) is commonly used as a way to get to the PNC Arena and Carter–Finley Stadium, which are easily visible from the freeway. The Blue Ridge Road exit is commonly used as a route to get to the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, and the North Carolina Museum of Art.
Wade Avenue is designated Secondary Road 1728 (SR 1728) from I-40 to Glenwood Avenue. The short piece east of Glenwood Avenue carries US 70 and NC 50. [1] Prior to the completion of I-40 to South Raleigh (and on to Wilmington), and the southern portion of the Beltline (I-440), I-40 was temporarily signed along Wade Avenue's western segment, where it terminated at the Raleigh Beltline, which was then just U.S. Highway 1/ 64.
The road was named after Senator Benjamin Wade, a prominent anti-slavery figure, at a time when it passed through a Black neighborhood built in the 1870s. [2]
Nearby landmarks
- PNC Arena
- Carter–Finley Stadium
- North Carolina State Fairgrounds
- Meredith College
- North Carolina Museum of Art
- William Peace University
- North Carolina State University
Major intersections
The entire route is in Raleigh, Wake County.
All exits are unnumbered.
| mi | km | Destinations | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0.0 |
I-40 –
Wilmington,
Durham | Western terminus of Wade Avenue. Western terminus of freeway segment. | ||
| 1.2 | 1.9 | Edwards Mill Road | Interchange, PNC Arena, Carter-Finley Stadium | ||
| 2.2 | 3.5 | Blue Ridge Road | Interchange, State Fairgrounds, NC Museum of Art | ||
| 3.0 | 4.8 |  
I-440 /
US 1 –
Sanford,
Wake Forest,
Rocky Mount,
Wilson | Eastern terminus of freeway, road continues as a boulevard | ||
| 3.5 | 5.6 | Faircloth Street | Meredith College | ||
| 4.0 | 6.4 | Dixie Trail | |||
| 4.9 | 7.9 | Oberlin Road | Interchange, Village District | ||
| 5.4 | 8.7 | St. Mary's Street | Broughton High School, Saint Mary's School | ||
| 5.8 | 9.3 |  
US 70 west /
NC 50 north (
Glenwood Avenue) | Interchange | ||
| 6.1 | 9.8 |  
US 401 /
US 70 east /
NC 50 south (
Capital Boulevard) | interchange, eastern terminus | ||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
See also
- Hillsborough Street, which runs parallel to Wade Avenue to the south.
References
- ^ NCDOT GIS - County Map TIFs
- ^ Jones, Greg. "Disciple: Historic Foundations: Uncovering History". The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. Retrieved 2024-01-06.