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)*

Segment Information

I-74 is to continue to the end of the US 74 Rockingham Bypass after I-73 leaves 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

The freeway has 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), for more information 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 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 after 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). (Hopefully photos coming soon.) These match the sign plans released on August 20, 2019 east of the NC 38 exit. An end I-74 sign is supposed to also be put up prior to the merge with Business 74 near Hamlet. Here is the location plan for that sign:

NCDOT plan image of location of Future End I-74 sign on US 74 East justp prior to Business 74 ramp after completion of I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass in 2023

Here is the plan for the future start of the I-74/US 74 West Rockingham Bypass, notice the continued use of US 74 exit numbers:

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

Here's the plan for the reassurance marker signs, eastbound that will be placed after the NC 38 and NC 381 exits, and westbound after the NC 381 exit:

NCDOT plan image of future East I-74/US 74 reassurance marker sign to be put up along US 74 Rockingham Bypass after completion of I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass in 2023
NCDOT plan image for future West I-74/US 74 reassurance marker sign to be put up on the US 74 Rockingham Bypass after completion of the I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass in 2023

Speaking of NC 381, the new sign will remove the reference to Hamlet, keeping the US 74 exit number:

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)

Some Photos from this Segment (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 2019The 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 2018The 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 MastA 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. 2002Signage 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 PrinceAnother 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 PrincePhoto 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