NCRoads.com Annex: U.S. 601

U.S. 601 130 miles

The Road:		Enters Union County from South Carolina below Monroe. Ends at US 52 Bypass in Mount Airy. Nationally, US 601 runs from US 321 near Robertsville, SC to Mount Airy.

Towns and Attractions:		Union Co.: Monroe (Roosevelt Blvd) Cabarrus Co.: Concord Rowan Co.: Salisbury (Jake Alexander Blvd) Davie Co.: Mocksville (Main Street, Wilksboro St) Yadkin Co.: Yadkinville; Booneville (Carolina Ave) Surry Co.: Dobson (Main Street); Mount Airy

History:		US 601 is an original 1927 US Route, but it did not come to North Carolina until 1932. In that fateful year, US 601 was placed on all but 9 miles of NC 80. So US 601 entered North Carolina in Anson County, at McFarlan and headed northwest through Morven on today's US 52 and up to Wadesboro (using today's "Old US 52 South") via South Wadesboro, on Morven Rd, then jogged over on Morgan St to today's NC 109-742, then north to today's US 74. US 601 then headed out of town on today's US 52 to Ansonville, Cedar Hill, and Norwood. What?? Am I speaking the truth here? Didn't I just say US 601 ran further west in Monroe? Listen to the story now... After passing through Porter, US 601 arrived at Albermarle, passing through on 1st St, and using US 52 north of town to continue to New London, Gold Hill, and Rockwell. US 601 veered north along today's US 52 through Granite Quarry to approach Salisbury. US 601 followed Innis St from South Salisbury all the way through central Salisbury and out north to meet up with today's US 601 on its way to Mocksville. US 601 pretty much followed today's 601 through Mocksville, Yadkinville, and Booneville. US 601 then entered Dobson on Main St, and continued to Mount Airy using the lengthy "Old US 601" through the hamlet of White Plains and then within Mount Airy used today's US 601, but continued all the way to Main St (US 52 Business today). The total US 601 alignment ran 149 miles. In late 1934 NC 80 was removed from US 601's route. In 1935, US 601 was punished for laughing too hard at NC 80's significant shortening, and it was truncated to run only from Salisbury to Mount Airy, a total of 76 miles. US 601 south of Salisbury became part of US 52, which was new to North Carolina altogether in 1935. Today, this is still largely US 52 except in Albermarle and Wadesboro, which US 52 has changed routes through. Through minor straightenings in undetermined locations, US 601 was down to just 68 miles when change came again. In 1951 or 1952, US 601 was extended south from Salisbury, as a multiplex with US 29 to China Grove and Kannapolis (not so urban then, maybe even totally rural), then along US 29-A to Concord, then Church St and S. Union St to get through Concord. US 601 then proceed south to Monroe as today and it appears used the same bypass to the north that is there now, then continued onto South Carolina as today's US 601 does. Concord to Monroe and South Carolina had been NC 151 up to this point. South Carolina rejoiced as it was once again able to get its US 601 on, like they did in the old days from 1927-35. Between 1964-68 US 601 was given its bypass of Concord. The old route through town became US 601 Business (which has since itself been rerouted). About 1970, US 601 was straightened out from south of Dobson all the way to nearly Mount Airy. This left behind a large "Old US 601." Some maps suggest a US 601 Business in Dobson, but I don't know if that is really there or not. Also, by 1979/b> US 601 was rerouted to the west of Salisbury, along with US 70. The old route through Downtown has been unnumbered since. In the late-80's, US 601 was moved onto I-85 from Exit 68 to Exit 74. The old route remained US 29. In the late-90's, US 601 was moved onto I-85 from Exit 56 to Exit 68, creating an 18 mile multiplex with I-85. Again the old route remained US 29. In 2001 or 2002, US 601 north was truncated to the US 52 Bypass in Mt. Airy, leaving behind unnumbered city street. US 601 does not have many multilane segments on its own. It is odd that it would be moved onto I-85 when US 601 is not particularly important on either side, even more so with the completion of I-485 east of Charlotte, which is only 10 miles further west than US 601... For me personallym US 601 in North Carolina is one of only 3 US Routes in NC that I have very little driving mileage of (other 2 are US 21 and US 264).

U.S. 601 Business 4 miles

The route:		US 601 Business for Dobson is implied on Official Maps back to at least 1979 and is explicitly shown on the 1993 DeLorme. If it exists it could be as old as about 1970, around the time US 601 was rerouted on new alignment from here to Mt. Airy. The route through town using Main St. was once original NC 80.

U.S. 601 Business disestablished

The route:		US 601 Business for Concord was created between 1964-68. It replaced mainline US 601 along Church St (multiplexed with NC 73) and S. Union streets through Concord. This route had once been the original NC 151. It appears that in 1992 or 1993, US 601 Business was rerouted to exit south from Downtown Concord via Cabarrus Ave and Old Charlotte Rd to meet back up with US 601 Bypass in West Concord. This shortened US 601 Business from 5 miles to 4 miles. Between 1994 and 2000, US 601 Business was removed from Concord. The Church St portion is still part of NC 73 while the remainder has been unnumbered since.