a northeasterly orientation. US 264 enters Pantego from the southwest where it picks up the name Main Street. The highway crosses a tributary of the Pungo River before intersecting NC 99 at Pungo Road. US 264 and NC 99 begin a concurrency and travel east along Main Street, crossing a branch of the Carolina Coastal Railway at an at-grade crossing. The highways then leave the town and turn to the southeast toward Belhaven, roughly paralleling the railroad. US 264 and NC 99 enter Belhaven from the northwest and pick up the name Main Street. Northwest of downtown Belhaven, US 264 intersects NC 99 and US 264 Business, marking the end of the NC 99 concurrency. At the intersection, US 264 turns to the northeast, bypassing downtown Belhaven. The highway continues east, intersecting US 264 Business once more in a rural area northeast of Belhaven. US 264 continues east for until crossing another tributary of the Pungo River and entering into Hyde County. After entering Hyde County, US 264 travels for until intersecting NC 45. At the intersection, NC 45 turns to follow concurrently with US 264, and the highways begin a turn to the southeast. US 264 and NC 45 continue southeast for until turning to the south and crossing the Intracoastal Waterway along the Walter B. Jones Bridge. The highways continue south for approximately through rural Hyde County passing the community of Scranton to the east. Near Hodges Road, the highways turn to the east and continue for approximately before turning to the southeast. US 264 and NC 45 continue for another until NC 45 diverges from the highway northwest of Swanquarter, marking the end of the US 264 and NC 45 concurrency. The highway turns to the east, bypassing Swanquarter to the north. Northeast of Swanquarter, US 264 intersects NC 94 at Main Street. US 264 and NC 94 run concurrently to the northeast toward Lake Mattamuskeet. As it approaches the lake, the highway turns to follow alongside its southern shoreline. US 264 intersects NC 94 west of New Holland, marking the end of the US 264 and NC 94 concurrency. It then continues northeast through New Holland and Lake Landing toward Engelhard. As it approaches the community, US 264 turns to the east near an intersection with Lake Road. The highway then enters Engelhard from the west and turns to the northeast at an intersection with Golden