North Carolina Highway 42 (NC 42) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina and a semi-urban traffic artery connecting Asheboro, Sanford, Clayton, Wilson and Ahoskie as well as many small to medium-sized towns throughout Central and Eastern North Carolina. The highway is primarily rural, avoiding larger cities such as Raleigh. NC 42 begins at I-73/I-74/US 220 on the western side of Asheboro. From there the highway runs southeast toward Sanford. Running through the heart of Sanford, NC 42 intersects several major highways such as US 1 and US 421. Leaving Sanford the highway runs along the southern side of the Triangle Area, while servicing the smaller towns of Fuquay-Varina and Clayton. Further east the highway intersects both I-95 and US 264, shortly before entering in