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Interstate 73/74

Started by Voyager, January 18, 2009, 08:09:48 AM

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Strider

#150
saw the pictures.. they look really good. about time NCDOT did the upgrading to interstate standards the right way. I hope I will make the trip down there myself sometime this year. (I am not in NC at this moment)

However, I wonder why they didn't bother to make I-73/I-74 routes north of Greensboro and northwest of Winston Salem... and the Rockingham Bypass road with jersey medians instead of green medians.. shouldn't that save money down the road?


bob7374

NCDOT has released the plans for the upgrading of signing along what will be I-73 and (south of Randleman) I-74 along the total length of US 220 from Greensboro to Ellerbe (except around Asheboro). The contract will be let later this month. To get a preview of the signs, follow the link (warning: large PDF file):
https://connect.ncdot.gov/letting/Division%208%20Letting/12-11-2012/I-5329_I73-74%20Signing_Final%20
connect.ncdot.gov

Check out the switch NCDOT is pulling with US 220, putting it back on its old route from Candor to Ellerbe (what will AASHTO think of that?)

NE2

Quote from: bob7374 on December 03, 2012, 10:28:50 PM
Check out the switch NCDOT is pulling with US 220, putting it back on its old route from Candor to Ellerbe (what will AASHTO think of that?)
If US 117 is any indication, AASHTO won't notice or won't care. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

Strider

Another update on I-73:

I drove on US 220 north of Greensboro. Right now, the road is ongoing a widening project. There are a lot of orange barrels on both sides of the highway. As soon as I drove past Winfree Road, the construction is very noticable. It appears that the new roadway is being built right next to US 220 (on the left of the road, actually). The ramp from I-73 South to US 220 South (the flyover one) is coming nicely. (of course there's no bridge built yet, but if you drive south on US 220 you can clearly see the grading of the highway AND the ramp). From what I assume, the current US 220 will probably become a part of the local road in the future (side road). Seems like there are a lot of roadwork before the US 158 interchange. But after I drive through the US 158 interchange, it seems like the proposed roadway shifts from left side to right side. When I drive through the area again during the daylight, I will take pictures of them. Any ideas who or where I can send the pictures to the I-73/74 website so it can be updated?

OracleUsr

Quote from: bob7374 on December 03, 2012, 10:28:50 PM
NCDOT has released the plans for the upgrading of signing along what will be I-73 and (south of Randleman) I-74 along the total length of US 220 from Greensboro to Ellerbe (except around Asheboro). The contract will be let later this month. To get a preview of the signs, follow the link (warning: large PDF file):
https://connect.ncdot.gov/letting/Division%208%20Letting/12-11-2012/I-5329_I73-74%20Signing_Final%20
connect.ncdot.gov

Check out the switch NCDOT is pulling with US 220, putting it back on its old route from Candor to Ellerbe (what will AASHTO think of that?)

Link doesn't work.
Anti-center-tabbing, anti-sequential-numbering, anti-Clearview BGS FAN

rickmastfan67

Quote from: Strider on December 03, 2012, 11:53:07 PM
Any ideas who or where I can send the pictures to the I-73/74 website so it can be updated?

Talk to bob7374 here.  He's the one that created the I-73/74 NC website. ;)

bob7374

#156

Quote from: Strider on December 03, 2012, 11:53:07 PM
Any ideas who or where I can send the pictures to the I-73/74 website so it can be updated?

Sorry about that, you can try to link through the main page for the December 12 letting here:
https://connect.ncdot.gov/letting/Pages/Letting-Details.aspx?let_type=8&let_date=2012-12-11%2000:00:00
Scroll down the page to TIP No: I-5329 "Upgrade signs to interstate standards along I-73/74 from I-85 in Guilford County to south of Ellerbe in Richmond County." Click on the fifth link down 'signing_final_plans_optm.pdf.' This is working as of this morning.

Mapmikey

Was it also previously known that US 311 would not be paired with I-74 down to I-73/US 220?

News to me, anyway...


Mapmikey

Strider

No. US 311 will leave I-74 before the interchange with I-73/US 220. I have no idea why.. since US 311 will end a mile away at I-73/US 220 as well... unless they plan on extending US 311 to end at Business 220 just east of the interchange.


I am not aware that NCDOT plans to move US 220 back on the old route between Candor and Elliebe. (sp?). It is understandable because these towns of Candor, Norman and Elliebe needs a US route to go through their town...

CanesFan27

Mike,

The signing plans for the currently under construction I-74 project and the I-73/74 interchange led to some speculation (I think it was between Bob and myself) that NCDOT was going to route US 311 off of the freeway prior to I-73.  This confirms that speculation. As for why or if anything else will be done is anyone's guess.

Strider,

None of us were aware of the US 220 proposed re-route until Bob gave us the link to the signing plans.  Also, you can contact him in regards to photos.



Strider

I don't know about the proposed re-route of US 220 as well. I guess it's one of NCDOT's secrets.. haha.

Grzrd

Arguments continue over the legitimacy of various studies regarding I-73 in South Carolina, but this TV video report is interesting because it includes a state representative stating that tolls would "likely" be part of a private component of overall funding for I-73.

Strider

These people needs to stop complaining about studies and all that.. Toll or no toll, I-73 needs to be built so Myrtle Beach will finally be served by an interstate. Have they even thought about it I-73 is built.. it can lead the traffic away so SCDOT may can plan to fix 501 and make the road looks better in the future (of course, money wise).

Why they didn't extend I-20 to Myrtle Beach still puzzles me.

SP Cook

Quote from: Strider on December 07, 2012, 10:05:01 PM

Why they didn't extend I-20 to Myrtle Beach still puzzles me.

Population of Horry County, 1960:  68K.


jcarte29

Quote from: Strider on December 07, 2012, 10:05:01 PM
These people needs to stop complaining about studies and all that.. Toll or no toll, I-73 needs to be built so Myrtle Beach will finally be served by an interstate. Have they even thought about it I-73 is built.. it can lead the traffic away so SCDOT may can plan to fix 501 and make the road looks better in the future (of course, money wise).

Why they didn't extend I-20 to Myrtle Beach still puzzles me.

Here Here!
Interstates I've driven on (Complete and/or partial, no particular order)
------------------
40, 85, 95, 77, 277(NC), 485(NC), 440(NC), 540(NC), 795(NC), 140(NC), 73, 74, 840(NC), 26, 20, 75, 285(GA), 81, 64, 71, 275(OH), 465(IN), 65, 264(VA), 240(NC), 295(VA), 526(SC), 985(GA), 395(FL), 195(FL)

Strider

either way, it is NICE to have I-73 connect Myrtle Beach with the Triad area.. giving it a straight shot to the popular beach in SC.. hopefully people in SC finally cooperate and let the construction to proceed. If it have to be paid by tolls, so be it.

Mapmikey

Quote from: SP Cook on December 08, 2012, 07:50:51 AM
Quote from: Strider on December 07, 2012, 10:05:01 PM

Why they didn't extend I-20 to Myrtle Beach still puzzles me.

Population of Horry County, 1960:  68K.



According to the Book, "The South Carolina Highway Department: 1917-1987" by John Hammond Moore:

Traffic trying to reach Myrtle Beach was thought to be problematic in the late 1950s (notably Marion) where cops had to supplement traffic signals.  It was considered a crisis by 1966.   This was the impetus for the construction of SC 576.

US 501 had already bypassed Conway and multilaned over to the beach in 1959.

My guess is that there was no push for I-20's original plan to go to Myrtle Beach because the state was already addressing it.  Also there were louder voices in SC arguing about I-95 being too far from Charleston and I-26 not going to Greenville among other gripes.

In 1972 a toll road bill existed and two of the projects suggested were a Myrtle Beach connector to I-95 and a Myrtle Beach connector to Rock Hill/Charlotte area.  After several years of study the SCDOT concluded that toll roads in SC would not be workable financially and fee increases to finance projects were shot down by the General Assembly.

The book also notes that then-Senator Hollings tried very hard in 1986 to win federal money for a 69-mile highway from I-95 to Myrtle Beach.  I vaguely remember newspaper articles about extending I-20 from that time or earlier but obviously he was not successful.

South Carolina has tried to relieve traffic by promoting on I-95 more than one way to get over there (US 521 from Manning to Georgetown and US 378 from Turbeville to Conway) and doing spot improvements on those roads.  Then they built the SC 22 freeway.

They made a mistake with the SC 317-becomes US 17 bypass of Myrtle Beach because they didn't make it a full freeway.  That road became unusable as a real bypass pretty quickly necessitating the need for the SC 31 freeway.

Mapmikey

Strider

sounded like SCDOT's mistake for not forecasting the growth of Myrtle Beach at that time.

And the previous toll road proposals should have been gone through the General Assembly. Fee increases shouldn't be necessary because SO many traffic heads to Myrtle Beach. It was interesting that the General Assembly shot it down.

I have a bad feeling that tolling the entire I-73 is going to be the only problem-solver in SC.

StogieGuy7

OK, there's I-73 and there's the NC part of I-74.  And I am still having trouble understanding why both are needed when they appear to be concurrent for the vast majority of the routing.   

They seem redundant, yet 73 should generally run north-south while 74 should be aligned east-west (roughly).   :hmmm:

It just seems like a waste.

bob7374

Thanks to fellow AA Forum poster, Strider, I have added 7 new photos related to constructing I-73 along current US 220 north of Greensboro. You can access them directly through my I-73 Segment 2 page:
http://web.simmons.edu/~malme/i73seg2.html
I am currently in the process of upgrading my 2002 era web pages by recoding them using HTML 5 and CSS3 style sheets, so I apologize for any glitches or formatting problems that crop while the site is an active construction zone. Besides revising the look of the I-73 segments 6-11 along US 220, I have added new information from plans for the upcoming sign replacement contract. Hopefully, I'll have news on the I-74 freeway soon. Paving is reportedly complete, just lane striping and signs are apparently left, hopefully it will open before April.

rickmastfan67

Hey Bob, was looking at the I-73 Seg 2 page and noticed some errors.

If you look at the bottom of that page, the left and right arrows are enlarged big time (including the I-73 shield) compared to all of your other pages.

bob7374

While awaiting news on the opening date of the I-74 freeway to Randleman, here's my second annual I-73/I-74 Year in Review article I posted on New Year's Eve:
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2012/12/i-73i-74-in-nc-year-in-review-and-2013.html
Enjoy.

bob7374

#172
Some unexpected news regarding I-74. I was checking through the NCDOT Route Changes site when I noticed the I-74 application letter had moved to the approved section. From checking the newly posted material in the most recent I-74 folder, it appears the FHWA has given NCDOT permission to sign the US 311 freeway from I-40 east to High Point (also signed as Future I-74) as a true interstate and that the route has been added to the interstate system.

NCDOT's original application from early in 2012 asked simply that this part of US 311 be confirmed as a future interstate route. In the meanwhile, it appears, NCDOT engineers sent documentation to the FHWA that convinced them that both the older and newer US 311 freeway (from High Point to Cedar Square Rd in Randolph County) were interstate standard. The Oct. 4 letter from the FHWA administrator thus has approved all 22.1 miles of the combined freeway sections as I-74. Do not know when NCDOT plans to upgrade the signage. Maybe something for someone to check out once the other end of the I-74 freeway at US 220 opens (still probably not until spring).

There are other new route change applications of note on the NCDOT page. In particular, they have put in links to applications for I-285 and the East End Connector in Durham (currently, they are not linked to any documentation however).  There are also unlinked new US and state route listings. The route changes page can be reached at:
https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Pages/Route-Changes.aspx
The I-74 documentation is at: https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/2012_10_04.pdf
I have also updated my I-74 Segment 5 page: http://web.simmons.edu/~malme/i74seg5.html

roadman65

#173
I do not know if this is true as googlemaps are often wrong about designations, but I saw that the Rockingham- Hamlet Bypass of US 74 is officially I-74 and not future I-74 as it has been signed due to lack of connection to other interstates. It was done that way I thought until at least one of the other two freeway segments are completed either north of Rockingham or between Hamlet and Laurinburg.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Rockingham,+NC&hl=en&ll=34.932386,-79.766579&spn=0.142422,0.299034&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=9.834914,19.138184&oq=roc&t=m&hnear=Rockingham,+Richmond,+North+Carolina&z=12
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

jcarte29

Quote from: roadman65 on January 19, 2013, 12:03:23 PM
I do not know if this is true as googlemaps are often wrong about designations, but I saw that the Rockingham- Hamlet Bypass of US 74 is officially I-74 and not future I-74 as it has been signed due to lack of connection to other interstates. It was done that way I thought until at least one of the other two freeway segments are completed either north of Rockingham or between Hamlet and Laurinburg.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Rockingham,+NC&hl=en&ll=34.932386,-79.766579&spn=0.142422,0.299034&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=9.834914,19.138184&oq=roc&t=m&hnear=Rockingham,+Richmond,+North+Carolina&z=12

Roadman, it is signed on the road as "Future I-74." I drove the route a week ago yesterday from Monroe to Wilmington. I took pictures of the completed interchanges with NC 211 and Future I-140 in ENC where I reside. :)
Interstates I've driven on (Complete and/or partial, no particular order)
------------------
40, 85, 95, 77, 277(NC), 485(NC), 440(NC), 540(NC), 795(NC), 140(NC), 73, 74, 840(NC), 26, 20, 75, 285(GA), 81, 64, 71, 275(OH), 465(IN), 65, 264(VA), 240(NC), 295(VA), 526(SC), 985(GA), 395(FL), 195(FL)



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