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U.S. Route 117 south - Goldsboro to Faison
Pulling away from the southern terminus of Interstate 795, U.S. Route 117 passes along the west side of Goldsboro, North Carolina, with three lanes in each direction for the time being. Overlapping US 117 here are U.S. Route 13, which has a separate bypass of Goldsboro to the north, and North Carolina Highway 581. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Shields for all three routes are posted here. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Further south, after US 117 receives the south end of Goldsboro's iteration of US 117 Business, the route approaches a traffic signal for the NC 581 split. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Signs with warning flashers sit on each side of the southbound carriageway approaching the signal. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The designated truck entrance for the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in the city is accessible through a left turn onto NC 581, then left on Westbrook and right on Slocumb. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
NC 581 is known as Arrington Bridge Road (after its crossing of the Neuse River) from here until it bears onto Bill Lane Boulevard, which takes it to an end at North Carolina Highway 111. Arrington Bridge Road then becomes SR 1915. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The remaining routes (117 and 13) begin to clear of trees as a pond dwells in the highway's median. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The highway's two carriageways proceed to merge back together. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
After it crosses the Neuse River, US 117 enters the outlying community of Mar-Mac. Less than half a mile to the south of this traffic signal, US 13 leaves the corridor bound for the Fayetteville area to the southwest by way of Newton Grove, leaving US 117 to continue solo. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Another alternate route of US 117, this one serving Mount Olive and Calypso, begins just ahead. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
In the distance, a green sign announces an upcoming interchange with O'Berry Road, leading east to Dudley. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The gore of the southbound O'Berry Road ramp. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The next interchange is with Country Club Road (SR 1135), leading to the Southern Wayne Country Club north of Mount Olive. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Country Club Road sits just ahead. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
There is then an interchange with North Carolina Highway 55, and is the exit directly serving Mount Olive. From the exit, NC 55 leads west to Newton Grove in Clinton County via NC 50, and east to Kinston in Lenoir County via NC 11. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Off this exit is the University of Mount Olive as well as the namesake pickle company. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The NC 55 exit is ahead at right. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Beyond NC 55, Warsaw and Wilmington are 16 and 73 miles away. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Then, at a flashing beacon, the route intersects Smith Chapel Road at left (leading back into downtown Mount Olive) and Old Smith Chapel Road at right. It is just beyond this intersection that US 117 crosses from Wayne into Duplin County. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Traffic needing to continue on mainline US 117 toward Faison is now to keep or move left. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
This pair of yellow signs then warn of traffic entering when the flashers are activated. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Mainline US 117 now goes off to the left to Calypso (where it receives the south end of US 117 Alternate) and Faison, while straight ahead, the US 117 Connector begins, providing a straight shot to I-40, NC 403 and, further south and west, the city of Clinton. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
This trio of route markers reiterates what the preceding BGS stated. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The connector proceeds southwestward, with trees and guardrails on either side and a flat, grassy median. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
At another flashing beacon, the highway intersects North Carolina Highway 50, which goes south (left) a short distance into Faison. NC 50 overall runs 164 miles southeast-northwest from Topsail Beach to Creedmoor in Granville County, passing straight through Raleigh in the process. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
After the NC 50 junction comes another set of 117/40/403 markers and a noted 60 MPH speed limit. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Clinton is 14 miles from the sign at right, mostly by way of NC 403. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The highway enters Sampson County, then intersects Eldon Thornton Road (SR 1779). Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The speed limit drops to 55 as the NC 403 junction nears. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Clinton remains straight ahead at the intersection, while Faison is to the left (north). Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The connector joins NC 403 for its last few feet. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The highway now climbs uphill toward its interchange with I-40. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Wilmington is straight ahead (east on I-40), while Newton Grove is westbound on I-40. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
Markers pointing to each direction of I-40 are placed here. Photo taken 10-02-2023.
The US 117 connector now reaches its end. NC 403 continues beyond the interchange to just east of Clinton, where it itself ends at U.S. Route 701 Business. Photo taken 10-02-2023.