The Highways of North Carolina
U.S. 70-A 
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Photo: US 70-A west of Pine Level (Mapmikey)
US 70a
U.S. 70-A  1 active segment
The Roads:

The only active US 70-A was born about 1954 and is the 15th US 70-A. It originally began at US 70 (now US 70 bus) Smithfield and followed US 301 to nearly Selma, then headed east through Pine Level to end at the newly relocated US 70 at Princeton. This was a replacement for mainline US 70.
In 1972, US 70-A was rerouted at Selma to extend west as new construction 2 miles, then replacing SR 1900 out to US 70 at Wilson Mills. US 70-A from Selma to Smithfield remained part of US 301.
About 1991, US 70-A west was truncated to its current routing, as US 70 was rerouted to use the Wilson Mills-Selma routing.
US 70-A was set to become part of NC 39 but this was met with local opposition and dropped. However, there was still a NC 39 JCT shield at the west end of US 70-A on March 5, 2011.

1953 Official
US 70 through Selma
1953 Official
1954 Official
US 70 leaves US 301
1954 Official
1972 Official
US 70-A extended to Wilson Mills
1972 Official
1992-93 Official
US 70-A truncated to current end
1992-93 Official

Now a chronological look at decommissioned US 70-A routes:

The 1st US 70-A appeared in late 1934 as a renumbering of NC 10-A, running from US 70 in downtown Durham (Chapel Hill St at Main) east out today's US 70 Business, then down today's 70 before ending at then-US 70 in Bethesda (Miami Blvd jct with Angier Ave).
In 1937, US 70-A was extended southeast to Raleigh: following today's US 70 to Raleigh. US 70-A used Glenwood to Peace St east to Person St south to Edenton St east to East St south to end at US 70 Lenoir St. Bethesda to today's NC 50 was a replacement for NC 9; into central Raleigh was a duplex with US 15-A. A piece of Miami Blvd between Angier (then US 70) and rerouted 70-A remained in the primary system for a number of years but no county map shows what it was numbered (US 70A-1?) although the 1944 Durham County map shows a shield with both 70 and 70A in it on this 0.2 mile connector.
In 1948, US 70-A and US 70 swapped alignments.

1937 Rand McNally
NC 9 Raleigh to Durham
1937 Rand McN
1939 Official
US 70-A Raleigh to Durham
1939 Official
1948-49 Official
US 70 swaps with US 70-A
1948-49 Official
The 2nd US 70-A appeared in late 1934 as a renumbering of NC 10-A, running around the north side of High Point using today's NC 68 Westchester, then east on Lexington Rd and Greensboro Rd back to mainline US 29-70 which came in on Montlieu. This was renumbered as mainline US 29-70 in a route swap between 1945-49.
See scans under US 70-A #8.

The 3rd (presumed) US 70-A appeared between 1937-38 running along Meeting St in Morganton. Shown but not labeled on Burke County maps from 1938-49
Between 1950-53, US 70-A was decommissioned and today is part of US 70 Bus EB.
1938 Burke County
a presumed US 70-A through Morganton
1938 Burke County

The 4th US 70-A was born in 1937 or 1938 as new primary routing, running from US 70-601 north of Salisbury along Mahaley Ave which becomes Confederate Ave. US 70-A then turned south on Club House Dr over to 11th St down to US 29-70. It is shown but not labeled on the 1938 Rowan County map.
Between 1954-57, US 70-A was renumbered as part of mainline US 70. Today all of this is secondary routing.

1944 Rowan County
US 70-A through Eastern Salisbury
1944 Rowan County
1957 Rowan County
US 70 replaces US 70-A
1957 Rowan County

The 5th US 70-A was born in 1938 as new primary routing, running on Fairground Ave from US 29-70 Spring Garden St up to Market, then east with US 421 on Market to Aycock where US 29-70 came in.
Between 1945-49, US 70-A was extended south replacing a bit of US 29-70 to Lee St which is where US 29-70 began running.
Between 1950-53, US 70-A was truncated back to Spring Garden, replaced by the SB routing of US 29.
US 70-A was decommissioned in 1957 when US 29-70 was moved to its current freeway routings.

1944 Guilford County
US 29-A in Greensboro
1944 Guilford County
1949 Guilford County
US 29-A extended south
1949 Guilford County
1953 Guilford County
US 29-A truncated to Spring Garden
1953 Guilford County

The 6th US 70-A was created in 1942 as a new bypass around the north of Hillsborough.
In 1948, US 70-A was renumbered as mainline US 70. See scans under US 70 #10.

The 7th US 70-A was created about 1946 as a new bypass of Hickory and Conover.
US 70-A was renumbered as US 64-70-321 in 1948. Today it is US 70 and US 321 Business. See scans under US 70-A #11.

The 8th US 70-A was born about 1948 as a replacement for mainline US 29-70 in High Point. It began at US 29-70 (now NC 68) and used English Rd, then used Main St and Montlieu out to Greensboro Rd which was US 29-70.
About 1957, US 70-A was dropped from the route through central High Point. The route remained US 29-A for many years but is now unnumbered.

1936 Guilford county
US 70-A #2 around High Point
1936 Guilford county
1949 Guilford county
US 70-A #8 through High Point
1949 Guilford county
1957 Guilford County
US 70-A removed from central High Point
1957 Guilford County

The 9th US 70-A was born about 1948 as a swap with US 70 from Durham to Raleigh. See scans under US 70-A #1
US 70-A began at Roxboro Rd (then-US 70/NC 55) and headed east along Main St, then south on Alston, and southeast on Angier Ave. At Bethesda, US 70-A cut south on Miami Blvd to today's NC 54. US 70-A then followed Chapel Hill Rd to Cary, then used Durham Rd, Chatham Rd and Hillsborough Rd which picks back up today's NC 54 in the Westover Area. US 70-A picked up Western Blvd from the Cary area east into southern Raleigh, then Boylan Ave northeast to South St. then north on Fayetteville St to Lenoir St east to East St where it ended at US 70.
Between 1950-53, US 70-A then split into one-way alignments in Raleigh at Saunders St: EB used South St east to East St. WB used Lenoir St to Saunders St south to W South St.

1949 Wake County
US 70 swaps with US 70-A
1949 Wake County
1953 Wake County
US 70-A on one-way splits
1953 Wake County

About 1952, US 70-A west was rerouted at Bethesda to use Miami Blvd to US 70, then duplex with US 70, then replace US 70 along Holloway west into Durham, south on Roxboro, west on Pettigrew, west on Chapel Hill St, north on Duke St, then northwest on Main, north on 9th, then west on Hillsborough Rd. US 70-A also continued on Bennett Memorial Drive before finally terminating at US 70. Angier St into Durham became unnumbered.

1949 Durham County
US 70 rerouted in downtown Durham, 1948-52
1949 Durham County
1953 Durham County
US 70 bypasses Durham
1953 Durham County

1957 Durham County
US 70-A on Bennett Memorial Dr
1957 Durham County

Around 1956, US 70-A east was truncated to the east end of the new Durham Bypass freeway (current US 70 Bus east end). This left behind US 70 to Bethesda; secondary route to Nelson; NC 54 to Cary; US 64 to Raleigh (now mostly unnumbered).

1953 Official
US 70-A Durham to Raleigh
1953 Official
1963 Official
NC 54 Nelson to Raleigh
1963 Official

In 1960, US 70-A became US 70 Business except Bennett Memorial Drive became SR 1313.

1958 Official
US 70-A in Durham only
1958 Official
1960 Official
US 70-A becomes US 70 Business
1960 Official

The 10th US 70-A was born about 1948 in a swap with US 70 to go through Hillsborough.
In 1960, US 70-A became US 70 Business.

1944 Orange COunty
US 70-A #6 around Hillsborough
1944 Orange County
1949 Orange COunty
US 70-A #10 through Hillsborough
1949 Orange County
1962 Orange COunty
US 70 Business through Hillsborough
1962 Orange County

The 11th US 70-A was born about 1948 in a swap with US 70 to go through Hickory.
In 1956 or 1957, US 70-A was decommissioned to secondary status.

1947 Gen Draft
US 70-A bypasses Hickory
1947 Gen Draft
1952 Shell
US 70-A through Hickory
1952 Shell
1958 Official
US 70-A decommissioned
1958 Official

The 12th US 70-A was born as new primary routing between 1945-49, running on 2nd and Hancock Sts in Smithfield.
By 1953, US 70-A returned to secondary status.

1944 Johnston County
Smithfield in 1944
1944 Johnston County
1949 Johnston County
Smithfield in 1949
1949 Johnston County
1953 Johnston County
Smithfield in 1953
1953 Johnston County

The 13th US 70-A was born about 1952 as a renumbering of mainline US 70 through Lexington.
In 1960, US 70-A became US 70 Business. Today some of this is part of NC 8.

1947 Gen Draft
US 70 through Lexington/Thomasville
1947 Gen Draft
1952 Shell
US 70-A through both
1952 Shell
1962 Davidson County
US 70 Business through Lexington
1962 Davidson County

The 14th US 70-A was born about 1952 as a renumbering of mainline US 70 through Thomasville.
About 1957, US 70-A east was extended to replace US 70 through the north of High Point, Jamestown, Greensboro, and Burlington before ending at US 70's new routing just west of Efland. In Greensboro, the route used high Point Rd, then split: EB used Lee St to Aycock while WB used Aycock, Spring Garden and Fairground to high Point Rd. US 70-A followed Aycock to Market east out of town.
In 1960, US 70-A west was truncated to the east end of the Thomasville Bypass, replaced by US 70 Business (now unnumbered).
In 1962, US 70-A's split routing south of Market St was removed, with 70-A now following the previous EB routing through that part of town.
About 1963, US 70-A east was truncated to US 70 O. Henry Blvd in Greensboro. Greensboro to Efland returned to being part of US 70.
In 1966, US 70-A was placed on new splits north of Lee St: EB used Spring Garden to Aycock to Market. WB used Friendly to a ramp to Market to Chapman south to Spring Garden.

1960 Official
US 70-A (1957-61)
1960 Official
1964 Official
US 70-A (1962-65)
1964 Official
1966 Official
US 70-A (1966-68)
1966 Official

In 1967 or 1968, US 70-A was placed on two-way routing using Lee then Aycock to the split routes at Market St.
In 1970, US 70-A was rerouted to use Lee St (NC 6) all the way over to Murrow Blvd north to Summit Av. Friendly Av/Market St remained part of US 421 and the rest became unnumbered.

1968 Official
US 70-A removed from Chapman
1968 Official
1971 Official
US 70-A moved to Lee St
1971 Official

Between 1991-93, US 70-A was decommissioned to unnumbered routes except some of English St in High point is NC 68 and Lee St in Greensboro remained NC 6 (now also decommissioned).

The 16th US 70-A was born in 1956 or 1957 as a renumbering of mainline US 70 through Goldsboro.
In 1960, US 70-A became US 70 Business.

1955 Official
US 70 through Goldsboro
1955 Official
1957 Wayne County
US 70-A through Goldsboro
1957 Wayne County
1962 Wayne County
US 70 Business through Goldsboro
1962 Wayne County

The 17th US 70-A was born in 1956 or 1957 as a renumbering of mainline US 70 through Kinston.
In 1960, US 70-A became US 70 Business.
1955 Official
US 70 through Kinston
1955 Official
1957 Lenoir County
US 70-A through Kinston
1957 Lenoir County
1962 Lenoir County
US 70 Business through Kinston
1962 Lenoir County

The 18th US 70-A was born about 1963 as a renumbering of mainline US 70 between I-85 and Efland.
Between 1969-72, US 70-A became "CONNECTOR" (US 70 Connector or I-85 Connector?). Today the I-85 interchange has been reconfigured and the connecting road is now assigned as SR 1239.

1962 Orange County
US 70 using connector between I-85 and Efland
1962 Orange County
1968 Orange County
US 70-A using connector between I-85 and Efland
1968 Orange County

1972 Orange County
just CONNECTOR
1972 Orange County

Last Update: 1 March 2011

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