Several major routes are getting new names and highway designation numbers in Clayton and Garner

Drivers in the Clayton and Garner areas should prepare for some significant changes on the roads. Several major routes are getting new names and highway designation numbers, a process already underway and expected to take about three months. U.S. 70 between I-40 and the U.S. 70 Business interchange will become Interstate 42, while nearly 11 miles of N.C. 42 will be renumbered as N.C. 36 to avoid confusion during emergencies. Additionally, 12 miles of U.S. 70 Business will revert to its original U.S. 70 designation. These updates are part of a broader plan by the N.C. Department of Transportation, in coordination with local officials, to upgrade U.S. 70 to interstate standards from I-40 to Morehead City. Similar changes were made on the Goldsboro Bypass last fall. Stay alert for updated signage and adjusted mile markers in the coming months.