U.S. Route 76 in North Carolina

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U.S. Route 76 in North Carolina: a short, easy guide

Overview
U.S. Route 76 runs 80.4 miles across the southeastern part of North Carolina, from the South Carolina line near Fair Bluff to Wrightsville Beach. It passes through Columbus, Brunswick, and New Hanover counties.

Route through North Carolina
- It enters the state from South Carolina just south of Fair Bluff in Columbus County and heads east.
- In Chadbourn, US 76 meets US 74 and runs together with it for about 50.4 miles to Wilmington.
- In Wilmington, US 76 follows US 17 for much of its route before reconvening with US 74.
- US 76 and US 74 stay together for about 1.4 miles into Wrightsville Beach.
- The eastern end is on Water Street in Wrightsville Beach.

Major towns and junctions along the way include Chadbourn, Whiteville, Leland, Wilmington, Bolton, Lake Waccamaw, Delco, Maco, and Wrightsville Beach.

History in brief
- Early 20th century: Segments were part of NC 202 (SC line to Chadbourn) and NC 20 (Chadboun to Wrightsville Beach).
- 1935–1934: US 76 was extended and renumbered to match its current eastern end at Wrightsville Beach, replacing much of US 17 in that area; NC 20 and NC 202 were decommissioned.
- 1930s–1960s: The Wilmington area saw routing changes, including a shift onto the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in 1969.
- Bypasses and freeway upgrades: Whiteville bypass (completed around 1976); Leland/Belville bypass (mid-1970s); Bolton bypass (1993); Lake Waccamaw and Hallsboro areas bypassed in the 1980s–1990s. The Chadbourn–Wilmington stretch became a freeway in many sections.
- 2003: US 76 in Wilmington was rerouted to use Military Cutoff/Eastwood corridors to Wrightsville Beach, aligning with the modern path through downtown Wilmington and onto Wrightsville Beach.
- Ongoing projects: Plans to extend I-74 along parts of US 74/76 between Chadbourn and Bolton; several freeway/interchange upgrades around Wilmington (and nearby towns) to improve safety and traffic flow. Studies also consider replacing the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and the Wrightsville Beach bridge, with various design options.

Future and improvements
- A freeway extension along the US 74/76 corridor between Chadbourn and Bolton is part of plans to support I-74 in the region.
- Bypass and interchange projects are underway or planned in several areas, including around Lake Waccamaw, Hallsboro, Bolton, and Wilmington, to improve traffic movement and reduce congestion.
- Bridge replacement and modernization studies are evaluating options for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington and the C. Heide Trask Memorial Bridge in Wrightsville Beach, aiming to extend the bridges’ useful life and improve connections.
- In Wilmington, several projects (such as U-5710, U-5704, and others) focus on upgrading major intersections and interchanges to handle higher traffic volumes.

US 76 remains a vital coastal corridor in North Carolina, linking small towns to Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach while evolving with ongoing infrastructure projects aimed at safer, faster travel.