US 701 heads north and intersects NC 210 before crossing the South River into Sampson County. The highway's name becomes Garland Highway with local variation through the town of Garland, where it follows Ingold Street and intersects NC 411 (2nd Street). US 701 crosses Great Coharie Creek, passes along the edge of the unincorporated community of Ingold, and through the hamlet of Butlers Crossroads. On the southern edge of Clinton, US 701 meets US 421 at a partial cloverleaf interchange; US 701 Business heads straight on Southeast Boulevard while the U.S. Highways head northwest together on the four-lane Faircloth Freeway. The freeway has a three-ramp diamond interchange with Tram Road—the missing ramp is from Tram Road to northbound US 701—just east of a partial interchange with NC 24 where the state highway joins the freeway. Access from northbound US 701 and US 421 to eastbound NC 24 and from westbound NC 24 to southbound US 701 and US 421 is provided via Tram Road. NC 24 splits from the U.S. Highways at the diamond interchange with Sunset Avenue, which the state highway follows west out of the city. US 421 splits from US 701 from a partial interchange where US 421 exits onto Northwest Boulevard to head toward Dunn. Access from southbound US 701 to northbound US 421 and from southbound US 421 to northbound US 701 via North Boulevard, which US 701 meets at the next diamond interchange. The freeway ends where US 701 meets the northern end of US 701 Business and takes over two-lane Hobbton Highway.