North Carolina Highway 98

North Carolina Highway 98 is a primary state highway running east–west across central North Carolina. The route connects suburban and rural communities between the Research Triangle Park region and the Piney Woods near Greenville, linking multiple U.S. routes and interstates. It serves commuter, agricultural, and regional freight traffic, traversing county seats, university towns, and industrial corridors.

Route description

The highway begins near Durham adjacent to I-85 and I-95 corridors, moving southeast toward Raleigh suburbs and passing near Research Triangle Park and Raleigh–Durham International Airport. Along its alignment it intersects major routes including US 70, US 401, and US 64, providing connections to U.S. Route 64 Business (Raleigh) and regional arterials. The corridor traverses Wake County residential developments, crosses agricultural tracts in Johnston County near Selma and Smithfield, and proceeds through Wilson County toward Greenville and the Tar River. The route's roadway type varies from multilane urban sections near Raleigh Union Station and NC State University influences to two-lane rural segments serving Bentonville Battlefield and heritage sites.

History

The alignment was designated during statewide renumbering in the 1930s, coincident with projects by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and federal programs under the Works Progress Administration and Federal Highway Administration. Early routing reflected connections between Raleigh and eastern market towns such as Laurel Hill and Pink Hill before later adjustments to serve growth in Wake County suburbs and industrial parks. Postwar expansions paralleled investments tied to I-40 and I-87 corridors, while corridor upgrades were influenced by planning from regional bodies like the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and Pitt-Greenville Metropolitan Planning Organization. Historic realignments addressed flood-prone crossings of the Neuse River and the Tar River after events such as Hurricane Fran and Hurricane Matthew prompted state resilience projects. The highway's evolution also paralleled economic shifts associated with institutions including Duke University, North Carolina State University, East Carolina University, and manufacturing investments by companies like Volvo Trucks and GlaxoSmithKline in the region.

Major intersections

The corridor provides junctions with interstate and U.S. highways that support regional mobility, including interchanges and at-grade intersections with: - I-95 and I-85 approaches near Durham. - US 70 near commuter corridors serving Raleigh and Hillsborough. - US 401 providing connections to Louisburg and Fayetteville. - US 64 and US 264 near the Greenville metropolitan area. - State route intersections with North Carolina Highway 50, North Carolina Highway 39, and North Carolina Highway 42 facilitating access to Smithfield, Wilson, and ancillary communities.

Future plans and improvements

Planned investments reflect priorities from the North Carolina Department of Transportation and regional planning agencies, including widening projects funded through state transportation bonds and allocations from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Proposals include multilane upgrades near growing suburbs influenced by expansions in Research Triangle Park and development around Raleigh–Durham International Airport, interchange improvements at US 70 and US 264 to relieve congestion tied to freight movements serving ports like the Port of Wilmington and inland logistics hubs. Resilience measures target flood mitigation near the Neuse River Basin and stormwater upgrades motivated by lessons from Hurricane Florence and Tropical Storm Alberto. Corridor studies by MPOs consider transit-supportive designs connecting to GoTriangle and potential park-and-ride facilities linked to commuter rail concepts like Amtrak Carolinian improvements.

Special routes and former alignments

The highway has spawned business loops, bypasses, and realignments created to serve downtowns and industrial districts, with former alignments preserved as secondary roads or designated as business routes near Smithfield and Selma. Historic segments intersect heritage attractions such as Bentonville Battlefield and preserved rail corridors associated with Norfolk Southern Railway and the legacy Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. Decommissioned alignments have become local streets managed by county administrations including Johnston County and Wilson County, and some right-of-way has been repurposed for bicycle and pedestrian projects in partnership with organizations like Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

Category:State highways in North Carolina