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| North Carolina Highway 68 | |
|---|---|
| State | NC |
| Type | NC |
| Route | 68 |
| Length mi | 19.0 |
| Established | 1930 |
| Direction a | South |
| Terminus a | High Point |
| Junction | I-40 |
| Direction b | North |
| Terminus b | Summerfield |
| Counties | Guilford County |
North Carolina Highway 68 is a primary state highway in North Carolina connecting High Point with Summerfield and providing a regional link to Greensboro and Winston-Salem. The route forms part of a corridor used by commuters, freight operators serving the port complex and visitors to cultural sites such as the North Carolina Transportation Museum and Greensboro Coliseum. Established in the early 20th century, the highway has undergone multiple realignments and upgrades coordinated with Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 70 improvements.
NC 68 begins near downtown High Point at an intersection with U.S. 29 and U.S. 70, running north as a four-lane arterial that passes industrial districts and textile plants linked historically to Cone Mills and retail centers associated with Haywood Mall and Oak Hollow Mall. The highway intersects with I-74/US 311 and crosses commercial corridors serving Piedmont Triad International Airport and distribution facilities used by Food Lion and Kohler Co. Moving north, NC 68 skirts the eastern edge of Greensboro and connects with Interstate 40 at a full interchange near suburban neighborhoods developed during the expansion of Wake Forest University faculty residences and planned communities inspired by developers like Ralph Lauren's regional projects. The alignment continues toward Summerfield, traversing farmland historically associated with tobacco farming families and passing near parks and recreational areas managed by Guilford County. The route terminates at an intersection with U.S. 220/Interstate 73 corridor, facilitating travel to Greensboro–High Point employment centers and connections to Winston-Salem via US 421.
The original designation of NC 68 dates to the statewide highway numbering efforts of the North Carolina State Highway Commission in the 1930s, contemporaneous with projects like the construction of Blue Ridge Parkway segments and the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps camps in the region. Initial routing linked small towns and agricultural markets, mirroring the growth patterns seen with Richmond, Virginia to Charlotte, North Carolina corridors. During the postwar era, federal investments such as the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 and the rise of the Interstate Highway System prompted realignments to tie NC 68 into I-40 and I-85 feeder networks. Economic shifts, including the decline of traditional textile firms like Burlington Industries and the expansion of logistics firms like FedEx and UPS, influenced successive widening projects and bypass constructions along NC 68. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, municipal planning in High Point, Greensboro, and Guilford County led to corridor improvements to support university expansions at University of North Carolina at Greensboro and industrial parks hosting companies such as Volvo Group and Boeing suppliers.
- Southern terminus: intersection with U.S. 29/U.S. 70 in High Point - Interchange with I-74/US 311 near industrial districts associated with High Point Market vendors - Interchange with Interstate 40 providing access to Greensboro and Raleigh via US 70 connections - Junction with U.S. 220/Interstate 73 near Summerfield, north terminus facilitating links toward Burlington and Roanoke
Planned improvements along the NC 68 corridor have been included in regional transportation studies by the Guilford County Department of Transportation and the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation, with proposals to add managed lanes, enhance interchanges with Interstate 40 and US 220, and implement bicycle and pedestrian facilities coordinated with Amtrak station access and Greensboro Transit Authority routes. Funding considerations reference state capital programs administered by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and federal discretionary grants analogous to awards made to projects in Charlotte and Durham. Environmental reviews will consider impacts similar to those evaluated for U.S. Route 70 improvements and the Cape Fear River Basin mitigation studies.
NC 68 has historically had short connector and business routings that served downtown High Point and industrial parks established during the expansion of the High Point Market trade events. These include former business loops and spurs created to tie the mainline to U.S. Route 70 Business alignments and to provide truck access comparable to truck routes on US 421 and US 29. Localities such as Summerfield and Greensboro have coordinated signage changes with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials standards and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to reflect these special designations.
Category:Transportation in Guilford County, North Carolina