North Carolina Highway 43 (NC 43) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It connects many towns in the Coastal Plain region.

Quick Facts Route information, Length ...

North Carolina Highway 43
Route of NC 43 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length	119.6 mi[1] (192.5 km)
Existed	1928–present
Major junctions
South end	US 17 / US 70 near New Bern
Major intersections	US 17 near Vanceboro US 13 in Greenville US 264 in Greenville US 64 in Rocky Mount US 301 in Rocky Mount I-95 in Dortches
North end	NC 58 near Warrenton
Location
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Counties	Craven, Pitt, Edgecombe, Nash, Halifax, Warren
Highway system
North Carolina Highway System Interstate US State Scenic
← NC 42 → NC 45

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NC 43 was established around 1928 as a new primary routing between US 17-1/NC 40, in Rocky Mount, and NC 58, in Liberia.^[2] In 1931, NC 43 was extended southeast on new primary routing, through Pinetops, to Greenville; then replaced NC 301 to US 17/NC 30, in Vanceboro. Around 1936, NC 43 was rerouted onto new roadway at Essex, avoiding Hollister.^[3] In 1958, NC 43 was rerouted in the downtown Greenville area, leaving behind: Charles Avenue, 10th Street, Albemarle Street and 5th Street.^[4]

In 1987, NC 43 was extended south of Vanceboro along US 17 Business and US 17 to Weyerhaeuser Road. Traveling along Weyerhaeuser Road, it connects and overlap with NC 55 going into New Bern; then with US 70 Business and southward to US 70 and US 17. The resulting new routing made a western rural bypass of New Bern.^[5] In 1998, NC 43 was rerouted onto new connector in downtown Rocky Mount.^[6] In 2001, NC 43 was rerouted onto northern bypass route around Rocky Mount, leaving behind NC 43 Bus.^[7] In 2009, NC 43 was rerouted onto new road between NC 55 and US 17/US 70, eliminating its routing through New Bern.^[8]

North Carolina Highway 43 (NC 43) is used by people travelling to and from Mayberry on The Andy Griffith Show. Notable episodes that reference NC 43 are "Andy's English Valet", "Man In a Hurry" and "Gomer Saves the Day^[11]".