NCRoads.com: N.C. 344

N.C. 344
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Photo: NC 344 leaving US 17 (Adam Prince)

N.C. 344 20 miles

The Road:

Begins at US 17 near Elizabeth City and ends at Wade Point, where the Pasquotank River runs into Albermarle Sound, all within in Pasquotank County

Towns and Attractions:

Pasquotank Co: Elizabeth City, Elizabeth City Coast Guard Station, Weeksville

History:

NC 344 first appeared on the 2006 Official Map, running as it does now. From US 17 to Herrington Rd was an upgrade to SR 1152 and the rest was a renumbering of NC 34. This is the 2nd NC 344.
Mapmikey attempted to field verify this in Feb 2006 but found no NC 344. Adam Prince checked later and found NC 344 signs, all dated in April 2006.

NC 34 to Weeksville

NC 344 replacing NC 34

The original NC 344 was an original state highway, running from its parent NC 34 Sligo (the current NC 34-NC 168 jct) and ran east to Currituck, then south to Maple, Barco, Waterlily, Bertha, Grandy, Jarvisburg, and Powells Point before ending at Mamie.
In 1926, NC 344 was extended through Harbinger to end at Point Harbor.

1924 Official
NC 344 (1921-25) 1926 Official
NC 344 (1926-30)

About 1931, NC 344 was extended across the Currituck Sound on a new bridge to the Outer Banks, then down through Kitty Hawk and Nags Head, then west across the Roanoke Sound to end at NC 345 Manteo. Other than the Currituck Sound Bridge, this appears to be a renumbering of a short-lived NC 346.
NC 344 was renumbered as NC 34 in 1935. Today, it is part of NC 168 (except through Currituck CH it used SR 1242), US 158 from Barco to the Outer Banks, NC 12 along the oceanfront, and US 64 across the sound to NC 345.

1931 Official
NC 344 (1931-34) 1936 Official
NC 34 replaces NC 344

Comment:

NC 344 is mislabeled as NC 334 on the on-line NCDOT Pasquotank County Map
I'm not sure why NC 34 needed to be renumbered. NC 344 would've worked great as a designation for just Halstead Blvd.
NC 344's south end is literally on the water's edge...

Last Update: 20 June 2007

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