Image of NC Interstate 74 shield (from Shields Up!)  Segment 13

Map image of US 74 Rockingham Bypass

Where: US 74, Rockingham-Hamlet Bypass, from Future I-73/NC 38 interchange to Eastern End at US 74

Length: Around 2.5 Miles

Status: COMPLETE (with added Interstate 74 signs in January 2025)

Signed as:  Image of US 74 shield (from Shields Up1) Image of US 74 shield (from Shields Up1)

Segment Information

I-74 continues to the end of the US 74 Rockingham Bypass after where I-73 would leave at a proposed exit near the current NC 38 interchange. This would be around the last 2.5 miles of the Bypass which runs a total of 13 miles from north of Cordova to east of Hamlet and was opened in November 2000, costing $110 million.1

Despite the recent signing of I-74, and no longer on the future I-73 alignment, the freeway still uses exit numbers matching US 74's mileage which run from 319 at the NC 38 interchange to 321 at Business 74 (the map above incorrectly lists the last exit as 322) to be consistent with the rest of the Bypass, for more information on the possible future exit numbers, go to the I-74 Exit List.

As with the rest of the US 74 Bypass, the route was also signed as Future Interstate 74/US 74 when it opened. However, NCDOT removed the Future I-74 signs in the fall of 2016. Perhaps due to the route being erroneously signed as I-74 in the NCDOT 2017-2018 State Transportation Map (see I-73 Segment 12) and in the 2018-2020 Rand McNally Road Atlases.

I-74 Signed along Rockingham Bypass prior the completion of I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass in January 2025

New I-74/US 74 reassurance markers were put up on the Bypass in November 2024 prior to the the completion of the I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass in January 2025 (see I-73 Segment 11). These match the sign plans released on August 20, 2019 east of the NC 38 exit. Including the pull through sign at the beginning of the Bypass westbound (compare to photo below):

NCDOT sign plan image of overhead signs at start of 
	I-74/US 74 Rockingham Bypass after completion of I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass in 2023

The new NC 381 sign removes the reference to Hamlet, keeping the US 74 exit number (also photo below):

Image of 1 mile advance sign plan for NC 381 exit on current US 74 Rockingham Bypass for after completion of I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass in 2023, by NCDOT

"Drive" This Segment Using Google Maps Street View

Future I-74/US 74 East at NC 38: From on-ramp on NC 38 North (September 2018)

Future I-74/US 74 West at Business US 74: From off-ramp to Business 70 West (September 2018)

Photos from this Segment

Taken of new signage by Mark David Moore on April 5, 2025

Image of overhead signs at the Business 74 exit at the beginning of the 
	  I-74/US 74 West Rockingham Bypass in Hamlet, Mark David Moore, April 2025

The first appearance of I-74/US 74 signage at the Business 74 West exit in Hamlet.


Image of 1 mile advance sign for NC 381 exit on I-74/US 74 West in Hamlet,
	  by Mark David Moore, April 2025

The new 1 Mile advance sign for the NC 381 exit in Hamlet seen beyond the Business 74 ramp.


Image of new 1 mile advance sign for NC 381 exit on I-74/US 74 East in Hamlet,
	  by Mark David Moore, April 2025

The new 1 Mile advance sign for the NC 381 exit headed east.


Image of new Easr I-74/US 74 East reassurance marker sign in Hamlet,
	  by Mark David Moore, April 2025

The I-74/US 74 reassurance marker sign headed east.


Image of new ground mounted ramp sign for NC 381 exit on I-74/US 74 East in Hamlet,
	  by Mark David Moore, April 2025

The NC 381 exit sign headed east, patially obscured by truck.


Image of new End I-74 East sign just before end of Rockingham Bypass in Hamlet,
	  by Mark David Moore, April 2025

The End I-74 sign headed east.


Images taken prior to the signing of I-74 (Hover over for larger image)

Google Maps Street View image of 1/2 mile advance sign for NC 381 exit on US 74/Future 
        I-74 East in Hamlet taken in May 2019

The 1/2 mile advance sign for NC 381 on US 74/Future I-74 East, image from Google Maps Street View in May 2019.


Google Maps Street View image of overhead exits signs at ramp to Business 74 West
        on US 74/Future I-74 West in Hamlet, taken in September 2018

The overhead signs at the ramp to Business 74 West, the start of the US 74 Rockingham Bypass, Google Maps Street View image from September 2018.


Photo of exit signage for the NC 381 Exit along the US 74 Rockingham
       Bypass in 2009, Courtesy of James Mast

A photo from May 2009 of the NC 381 exit from the US 74 Rockingham Bypass freeway courtesy of James Mast.


Photo of exit signage at the NC 381/Future I-74 interchange, Nov. 2002

Signage at the NC381-Future I-74/US 74 interchange taken in November 2002. The East Future I-74 sign was removed in the fall of 2016.


Photo of exit signage at the NC 381/Future I-74 interchange, Nov. 2002,
      Courtesy of Adam Prince

Another photo at the NC 381-Future I-74/US 74 interchange. Again the reference to Future East I-74 was removed by NCDOT in the fall of 2016. Photo courtesy of Adam Prince


Photo of Junction Future I-74 sign at the NC 381 interchage with the US 74 
      Rockingham Bypass, Courtesy of Adam Prince

Photo of Junction Future I-74/US 74 sign at the Future interchange with NC 381, taken in November 2002. Only the US 74 side remains as of the fall of 2016. Photo courtesy of Adam Prince