Route:	Enters Wake County between Morrisville and RTP, near the NC 540 interchange. Ends at I-440 exit 3 in Raleigh. Parallels I-40 through most of the county.
Major Intersections:	NC 540 exit 69, just inside the Wake/Durham county line. I-40 exit 290 outside Cary. And the aforementioned interchange at I-440.
History:	In the beginning, 54 never entered Wake County.  The section from Morrisville to Raleigh was originally US 70, then US 70A.  70A was killed in the mid '50s, and 54 was routed over the old 70A.  The only significant change from then is that 54 doesn't go through the middle of Cary anymore--it bypasses it to the north on Maynard Rd.
Attractions:	Goes through northern Cary, then it becomes a country road again for about 5 miles.  Goes past the state fairgrounds and the NCSU Vet School before it ends at the Beltline.
Comments:	54 is my favorite road in Wake County to drive.  There are a lot of different characteristics--sometimes next to each other.  Farms and subdivisions co-exist along the road. Stay away from 54 during NC State football games and during the state fair in October.  It is way too small for all the traffic it carries.  Take a bus, if you have to. Matt Steffora noticed this, and he's right:  54 is the only route that is within the Raleigh city limits that has never been signed on the Beltline.  What an honor.

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