North Carolina Highway 20

North Carolina Highway 20 (NC 20) is a 27-mile (43 km) North Carolina state highway that runs through Hoke, Robeson and Bladen counties. It serves as a major road in each of the three incorporated communities through which it passes. The route is co-designated as St. Pauls Road in Raeford, Main Street in Lumber Bridge, and Broad Street in St. Pauls.

North Carolina Highway 20 marker
North Carolina Highway 20
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length28.6 mi[1] (46.0 km)
Existed1934[2]–present
Major junctions
West end
US 401 Bus. / NC 211 in Raeford
Major intersections I-95 in St. Pauls
US 301 in St. Pauls
East end NC 87 near Tar Heel
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountiesHoke, Robeson, Bladen
Highway system
US 19W US 21

Route description

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NC 20 begins at its western terminus at NC 211 and runs concurrent with US 401 Bus. along Central Avenue for about 0.3 miles (0.48 km) in Raeford. The route then heads southeast as St. Pauls Drive, crossing over Peddlers Branch before exiting town. The route then passes through Dundarrach before exiting Hoke County. In Lumber Bridge, NC 20 continues as Main Street and intersects NC 71 and then continues southeast, passing by Rex.

The highway then interchanges I-95 and then intersects US 301 as it passes through St. Pauls as Broad Street. The route then enters Bladen County and reaches its eastern terminus at NC 87 north of Tar Heel.[3]

History

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The original NC 20 was at one time the longest numbered route in North Carolina, running from the Tennessee border to the port city of Wilmington, a distance of 401 miles (645 km). After the introduction of U.S. highways in North Carolina in 1934, the route was carved up between routes US 19, US 70, US 74, US 76, and US 17.[2]

The modern NC 20 was originally NC 220. Despite a few minor reroutings, the state highway has remained largely unchanged since the 1930s. The NC 220 designation was dropped permanently from the state highway system around 1935 after the introduction of US 220 into North Carolina.[4] With the possible extension of I-20 into North Carolina, this route may be renumbered again.[citation needed]

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
HokeRaeford0.00.0 
 
 
  US 401 Bus. south / NC 211 (Main Street) – Wagram, Red Springs, Aberdeen
West end of US 401 Bus. overlap
0.30.48 
 
 
US 401 Bus. north (Central Avenue) – Fayetteville
East end of US 401 Bus. overlap
RobesonLumber Bridge11.318.2  NC 71 – Red Springs, Parkton
St. Pauls18.6–
18.7
29.9–
30.1
  I-95 – Lumberton, FayettevilleI-95 exit 31; diamond interchange
19.331.1  US 301 (5th Street) – Lumberton, Hope Mills
BladenTar Heel28.646.0  NC 87 – Dublin, Fayetteville
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ a b "North Carolina Highway 20" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  2. ^ a b NCRoads - NC 20[self-published source] Archived September 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ State Ends - NC 20[self-published source] Archived July 12, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ NCRoads - NC 220[self-published source] Archived September 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
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