North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 136. Transportation § 136-63. Change or abandonment of roads

(a) The board of county commissioners of any county may, on its own motion or on petition of a group of citizens, request the Board of Transportation to change or abandon any road in the secondary system when the best interest of the people of the county will be served thereby. The Board of Transportation shall thereupon make inquiry into the proposed change or abandonment, and if in its opinion the public interest demands it, shall make such change or abandonment. If the change or abandonment shall affect a road connecting with any street of a city or town, the change or abandonment shall not be made until the street-governing body of the city or town shall have been duly notified and given opportunity to be heard on the question. Any request by a board of county commissioners or street-governing body of a city refused by the Board of Transportation may be presented again upon the expiration of 12 months.

(b) In keeping with its overall zoning scheme and long-range plans regarding the extraterritorial jurisdiction area, a municipality may keep open and assume responsibility for maintenance of a road within one mile of its corporate limits once it is abandoned from the State highway system.