Though NC 51 begins at the state line, SC 51 is a short 1-mile-long (1.6 km) road that connects with US 21, near Fort Mill, South Carolina. Crossing the state line, NC 51 quickly becomes a four-lane road as it goes through the town of Pineville. After its first intersection with I-485, it enters the Charlotte city limits. In Charlotte, NC 51 crosses the busy intersections of Johnston Road and Providence Road, known for rush-hour traffic during the weekdays. In Matthews, NC 51 bypasses the main downtown area, followed by a semi-controlled interchanged with US 74 (Independence Boulevard). As the NC 51 enters Mint Hill, the road narrows to two-lane. NC 51 crosses intersects I-485 again, before ending at NC 24/NC 27 (Albemarle Road).[2][1]
History
The first NC 51 was an original state highway that traveled from NC 20, in Rockingham, to NC 74, in Wadeville.[3] In 1928, Rockingham to Ellerbe became an extension of NC 75.[4] In 1934, NC 51 was decommissioned in favor of NC 73, between Ellerbe and Mount Gilead, and NC 109, between Mount Gilead and Wadeville.[5]
The second and current NC 51 was established in 1934 as a renumbering of NC 276, between US 21/US 521, in Pineville, to NC 27, near Allen.[5] In 1968, NC 51 was extended to the South Carolina state line, replacing a segment of US 21.[6] In 1981, NC 51 was placed on new alignment in Pineville, abandoning an old routing along Lee Street and eliminating a short concurrency with US 521.[7] In 1995, NC 51 was placed on new bypass north of downtown Matthews, marked as Matthews Township Parkway. The old alignment along Matthews-Mint Hill Road was downgraded to secondary road.[8]
North Carolina Highway 276 (NC 276) appeared in 1930 as new primary routing from NC 26, in Pineville, to NC 27, near Allen.[4] In 1934, it was renumbered as the second NC 51.[5]
^ abcNorth Carolina Primary Highway System(PDF) (Map). Cartography by NCSHC. North Carolina State Highway and Public Works Commission. 1940. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
^"Route Change (1968-10-25)"(PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. October 25, 1968. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
^"Route Change (1981-04-01)"(PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. April 1, 1981. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
^"Route Change (1995-02-20)"(PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. February 20, 1995. Retrieved February 28, 2016.