Interstate 73/74

[The Ghostbuster]

Is the portion of US 220 between Interstates 73/85 and Interstate 40 up to Interstate Standards? If not, it would need to be upgraded to receive an Interstate designation. This being North Carolina, an Interstate designation might be proposed for this freeway segment, although it seems unlikely to me.

[WashuOtaku]

(Apologize if below has been asked in previous pages, I am new to Search capability)

Q1: Was the US220 Freeway between I85 and I40 ever considered as an x73  (Example: Interstate 273)

No.

Q2: Does NC DOT have an plans to update horrible Signs at I73 North and I85 Interchange.

What is funny is that it was recently updated. I do not see NCDOT changing it.

[Strider]

Is the portion of US 220 between Interstates 73/85 and Interstate 40 up to Interstate Standards? If not, it would need to be upgraded to receive an Interstate designation. This being North Carolina, an Interstate designation might be proposed for this freeway segment, although it seems unlikely to me.

Yes, US 220 between I-73/I-85 and I-40 is up to interstate standards with the exception of US 29 (former Business I-85) interchange area.

The only reason it is not a I-x73 is because I-73 was supposed to follow that route to I-40 and then follow I-40 to NC 68 (it was the original I-73 plan). When I-73 was put on the Urban Loop along with US 421 and with I-40 moving back to its original route through Greensboro, they decided to leave it just US 220 with no plans to add I-xxx to it.

IMO, the one road that should have been an I-x73 is Bryan Blvd from I-73/I-840 to Greensboro downtown. That road is interstate standard with a 65mph speed limit.

[PColumbus73]

They've been doing a lot to de-clump US 29/70 and removing Business 85, so I can see why there wouldn't be an interest in adding a new route to the mix. It's simple enough to keep it as US 220 since it leads people through downtown and back out to I-73, acting as an unofficial business route.