Interstate 73/74

[bob7374]

Wilmington officials want US 74/76 upgraded to Interstate Standards from Whiteville to Wilmington for I-74 and want the interstate route pushed further east along I-140 to end at US 17 in Scotts Hill:
http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20171030/officials-want-to-see-i-140-get-second-interstate-shield

[sparker]

Wilmington officials want US 74/76 upgraded to Interstate Standards from Whiteville to Wilmington for I-74 and want the interstate route pushed further east along I-140 to end at US 17 in Scotts Hill:
http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20171030/officials-want-to-see-i-140-get-second-interstate-shield

Well, if the local folks can manage to pry I-74 loose from the "Swamp Thing" alignment down NC 211, more power to them!  Co-signage with I-140 is pointless; replacing the portion of I-140 from present US 74 around the north side of Wilmington all the way to US 17 would be more reasonable; the portion of I-140 south of US 74 could become a 3di "child" of I-74 (I-174, anyone?).  That would provide a direct I-74 connection with I-40; doing that may make navigation of the local network a bit more straightforward.   Overall, if this concept flies, a step in the right direction!

[Henry]

Wilmington officials want US 74/76 upgraded to Interstate Standards from Whiteville to Wilmington for I-74 and want the interstate route pushed further east along I-140 to end at US 17 in Scotts Hill:
http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20171030/officials-want-to-see-i-140-get-second-interstate-shield

Well, if the local folks can manage to pry I-74 loose from the "Swamp Thing" alignment down NC 211, more power to them!  Co-signage with I-140 is pointless; replacing the portion of I-140 from present US 74 around the north side of Wilmington all the way to US 17 would be more reasonable; the portion of I-140 south of US 74 could become a 3di "child" of I-74 (I-174, anyone?).  That would provide a direct I-74 connection with I-40; doing that may make navigation of the local network a bit more straightforward.   Overall, if this concept flies, a step in the right direction!

This would be a nice consolation prize for not getting the I-20 extension they originally sought. And Wilmington makes a lot more sense for an I-74 terminus than Myrtle Beach. Let I-73 end in Myrtle Beach, but bring I-74 to Wilmington.

[Strider]

I agree with this. Let I-74 go to Wilmington. Even though we will have I-74 meeting I-40 twice if that happens, but it is much better routing than having it go to Myrtle Beach.. especially with I-73 going down there.

[sparker]

I agree with this. Let I-74 go to Wilmington. Even though we will have I-74 meeting I-40 twice if that happens, but it is much better routing than having it go to Myrtle Beach.. especially with I-73 going down there.

This idea may be verging on Fictional -- but instead of a 3di 74 "child" extending down the former I-140 path to southward US 17, a 2di (a southern 97?) could (eventually) connect with SC 31 and extend past Myrtle Beach -- giving them the pair of trunk Interstates they've always wanted (and functionally everyone in that neck of the woods "wins"). 

[bob7374]

NCDOT has awarded the contract to replace the US 74 intersection at Broadridge Rd with an interchange. The NCDOT press release says this is part of the process to bring the road up to Interstate Standards in Robeson County and that they will be modifying the next intersection to the east (at least temporarily) at Creek Rd so that traffic can only turn right:
https://apps.ncdot.gov/newsreleases/details.aspx?r=14557

[slorydn1]

The taxiway bridge looks impressive!

It is even impressive driving through it.

What's the point of having a taxiway bridge in that location? It doesn't quite make sense to me for them to put it there.

Nevertheless -- it would be neat to see a picture of the I-73 taxiway underpass featuring a plane passing over the bridge -- preferably something at least as large as a 737! 

Thats one of the things I miss about living in the Chicago area-planes taxiing over I-190 at O'hare. Heck I've even seen 747's and DC-10's on that one.

[LM117]

NCDOT has let a contract for construction of another section of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway.

https://apps.ncdot.gov/newsreleases/details.aspx?r=14641

The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded a contract for a portion of work along the Eastern Section of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway project.

The $43 million project will include widening, grading, drainage work, signing and new bridges along a 1.9 mile section of the beltway (Future I-74) from U.S. 311 to U.S. 158.

"Once complete this work will help accommodate future growth by alleviating congestion and improving safety along heavily traveled routes in Forsyth County, including U.S. 421/Business 40 and U.S. 52,"  said Division Nine Engineer Pat Ivey.

E.S. Wagner Company LLC. of Piedmont, South Carolina is the contractor for the project.

Work can begin as early as January 2018, with final completion, including landscaping, anticipated for November 2021.

This was one of nine road and bridge projects recently awarded by the department. They were worth about $275.3 million, about $12.7 million under engineer estimates.

[bob7374]

After a posting on a Facebook group about the disappearance of Future I-74 signs from the US 74 Rockingham Bypass, I investigated and found Google StreetView images from November 2016 along US 74 east of US 1 that confirmed signs had been removed sometime earlier in 2016. Perhaps NCDOT felt these signs were leading to the erroneous marking of the Bypass as I-74 on Google Maps, Rand McNally atlases, and, if so, somewhat ironically, on the 2017-18 NCDOT State Transportation Map.

I have a link to the 2016 StreetView images on my I-73 Segment 12 page:
http://www.malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i73seg12.html

[bob7374]

Strider forwarded me some new US 220 construction photos and the news that the I-73 South lanes are open from NC 68 southward. Still no I-73 signs along the roadway, but progress in putting up exit signage, such as this overhead at the ramp to US 158 on US 220 North:


Full set of photos on the I-73 Segment 2 page: http://www.malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i73seg2.html#photos

[Strider]

Strider forwarded me some new US 220 construction photos and the news that the I-73 South lanes are open from NC 68 southward. Still no I-73 signs along the roadway, but progress in putting up exit signage, such as this overhead at the ramp to US 158 on US 220 North:


Full set of photos on the I-73 Segment 2 page: http://www.malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i73seg2.html#photos

Does anyone know the progress of I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass?

[Tom958]

Why didn't they post the exit numbers?

[bob7374]

Strider forwarded me some new US 220 construction photos and the news that the I-73 South lanes are open from NC 68 southward. Still no I-73 signs along the roadway, but progress in putting up exit signage, such as this overhead at the ramp to US 158 on US 220 North:


Full set of photos on the I-73 Segment 2 page: http://www.malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i73seg2.html#photos

Does anyone know the progress of I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass?

The under construction part of that project is still on schedule to be completed in March 2018. There has been no change with the listing of the rest of the Bypass as an unfunded (After 2027) project in the State TIP.

[bob7374]

Why didn't they post the exit numbers?

Good question. Apparently the exit number tabs are being stored in one location along US 220. It may be that NCDOT has not heard back from the FHWA on certifying that the rebuilt section of US 220 is Interstate Standard, necessary for it to be signed as I-73. If so, they may be waiting for that to happen before placing I-73 exit number tabs on top of the signs.

[Strider]

Why didn't they post the exit numbers?

Good question. Apparently the exit number tabs are being stored in one location along US 220. It may be that NCDOT has not heard back from the FHWA on certifying that the rebuilt section of US 220 is Interstate Standard, necessary for it to be signed as I-73. If so, they may be waiting for that to happen before placing I-73 exit number tabs on top of the signs.

They already got permission from FHWA. The reason they can't sign it as I-73 yet is because between NC 65 and I-73/US 220 interchange, there are still some work to be done (putting up exit signs, putting I-73 signs, etc). They also have not put rumble strips and extra lane markings on that section (which is the last thing they need to do before slapping I-73 signs next to US 220), as they already put rumble strips between the temp ending at NC 68 and NC 65 interchange. They probably will get it done next week.

On the other news, all 4 lanes of US 220/Future I-73 is now open all the way to NC 68. US 220 just south of I-73 going to Greensboro is also is 4 lanes all the way.

[bob7374]

I've added photos contributed by Strider to my I-73 Segment 1 and 2 pages showing the completion of the upgraded US 220 roadway between the Haw River and NC 68 still awaiting more exit signs and I-73 shields for the project to be officially finished:


Full Segment 2 set can be found at http://www.malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i73seg2.html#photos

[bob7374]

I've posted, and revised last night due to news that the project first funded in 2016 to upgrade US 74 between the Rockingham and Laurinburg Bypasses that was unfunded in the 2018-2027 STIP has now been funded again in the December revision, my annual I-73/I-74 in NC Year in Review here:
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/12/i-73i-74-year-in-review-2017.html

Information about the restored project to start in 2022 can be found here:
http://www.malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg14.html

[Strider]

I've posted, and revised last night due to news that the project first funded in 2016 to upgrade US 74 between the Rockingham and Laurinburg Bypasses that was unfunded in the 2018-2027 STIP has now been funded again in the December revision, my annual I-73/I-74 in NC Year in Review here:
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/12/i-73i-74-year-in-review-2017.html

Information about the restored project to start in 2022 can be found here:
http://www.malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg14.html

I am kinda surprised they didn't fund the rest of Rockingham bypass (I-73/I-74 first). The bypass should be funded first, IMO. Maybe they will find a way to fund the section of I-73/74 from US 220 to US 74...

[Finrod]

It looks like this would connect up I-74 from Rockingham to I-95.  Maybe they think that's more important than connecting up around Rockingham.  Besides, then they'd have to explain where I-73 goes.

[sparker]

It looks like this would connect up I-74 from Rockingham to I-95.  Maybe they think that's more important than connecting up around Rockingham.  Besides, then they'd have to explain where I-73 goes.

I don't think NCDOT would bother to do any "field" explanation of I-73 routing; until such time as that route's extension into SC was constructed, they'd just put a "END I-73" shield assembly EB at the NC 38 interchange, and begin I-73 signage there in the WB direction.   

[Strider]

It looks like this would connect up I-74 from Rockingham to I-95.  Maybe they think that's more important than connecting up around Rockingham.  Besides, then they'd have to explain where I-73 goes.

Yeah you are correct, it will still leave a gap because the main part of Rockingham Bypass (I-73/I-74 from US 220 to US 74 west of town) isn't going to be constructed until 2026. The section that is being funded is the section of US 74 between Rockingham and Laurinburg.

[sparker]

It looks like this would connect up I-74 from Rockingham to I-95.  Maybe they think that's more important than connecting up around Rockingham.  Besides, then they'd have to explain where I-73 goes.

Yeah you are correct, it will still leave a gap because the main part of Rockingham Bypass (I-73/I-74 from US 220 to US 74 west of town) isn't going to be constructed until 2026. The section that is being funded is the section of US 74 between Rockingham and Laurinburg.

It might be possible that with the progress of the Shelby bypass and the tolled Monroe bypass, as well as the notion of continuing an Interstate-grade freeway into Wilmington itself,  NCDOT may be re-examining the idea of a full US 74-based cross-state corridor, even if it would carry multiple Interstate designations.  If this is indeed the case, the Rockingham-Laurinburg section would be subject to prioritization over the N-S section of the Rockingham bypass simply because it's an intrinsic part of that corridor concept apart from the I-73/74 ongoing project.  Besides, the Rockingham bypass project is twofold -- the "missing link" parallel to US 220, and the rebuilding of the original US 74 freeway facility; if a high-speed interchange to a westerly US 74 upgrade is added to the mix for the sake of the aforementioned E-W corridor, that might push the project back until additional funds are available.  It's NC, so anything's possible!     

[Roadsguy]

It looks like this would connect up I-74 from Rockingham to I-95.  Maybe they think that's more important than connecting up around Rockingham.  Besides, then they'd have to explain where I-73 goes.

Yeah you are correct, it will still leave a gap because the main part of Rockingham Bypass (I-73/I-74 from US 220 to US 74 west of town) isn't going to be constructed until 2026. The section that is being funded is the section of US 74 between Rockingham and Laurinburg.

They're currently constructing the interchange at the south end of the bypass too, right, or just the north?

[Strider]

It looks like this would connect up I-74 from Rockingham to I-95.  Maybe they think that's more important than connecting up around Rockingham.  Besides, then they'd have to explain where I-73 goes.

Yeah you are correct, it will still leave a gap because the main part of Rockingham Bypass (I-73/I-74 from US 220 to US 74 west of town) isn't going to be constructed until 2026. The section that is being funded is the section of US 74 between Rockingham and Laurinburg.

They're currently constructing the interchange at the south end of the bypass too, right, or just the north?

The northern end of the bypass is currently under construction.

[Roadsguy]

It looks like this would connect up I-74 from Rockingham to I-95.  Maybe they think that's more important than connecting up around Rockingham.  Besides, then they'd have to explain where I-73 goes.

Yeah you are correct, it will still leave a gap because the main part of Rockingham Bypass (I-73/I-74 from US 220 to US 74 west of town) isn't going to be constructed until 2026. The section that is being funded is the section of US 74 between Rockingham and Laurinburg.

They're currently constructing the interchange at the south end of the bypass too, right, or just the north?

The northern end of the bypass is currently under construction.

Only the north? Is the south end scheduled soon after or will that be done with the main bulk in 2026?