Interstate 42

[Life in Paradise]

I still cringe every time I see I 40 take the south turn to Wilmington and think that NC has received approval for I-87 from Norfolk/Virginia Beach to Raleigh. An east/west interstate runs south for over 100 miles just to get to the Atlantic, where as another interstate comes from the Atlantic and travels over 100 miles mostly east/west and is numbered north/south.   
 

Methinks you wouldn't like the routings of I-26 or I-85, either. But they've been so well-established for decades that there'd be no use in changing them now.

I'm not crazy about I-26 either after they extended it to the Virginia line.  I-85, I'm not as bad with as a diagonal main trunk line, except I would have continued it down to Mobile and terminated I-65 in Montgomery (initial intereste plan) and then with all the population gains, run it down near Dothan and Tallahasee down the Florida Gulf Coast to Tampa.

[wdcrft63]

I still cringe every time I see I 40 take the south turn to Wilmington and think that NC has received approval for I-87 from Norfolk/Virginia Beach to Raleigh. An east/west interstate runs south for over 100 miles just to get to the Atlantic, where as another interstate comes from the Atlantic and travels over 100 miles mostly east/west and is numbered north/south.   
 

Methinks you wouldn't like the routings of I-26 or I-85, either. But they've been so well-established for decades that there'd be no use in changing them now.

I'm not crazy about I-26 either after they extended it to the Virginia line.  I-85, I'm not as bad with as a diagonal main trunk line, except I would have continued it down to Mobile and terminated I-65 in Montgomery (initial intereste plan) and then with all the population gains, run it down near Dothan and Tallahasee down the Florida Gulf Coast to Tampa.

I agree, but outside of Highway Nerdistan no one cares. People in Asheville certainly have strong opinions about NCDOT's plans for I-26 but they don't include any complaints about the number.

BTW I agree that the lack of an interstate leading SE from Montgomery into Florida is one of the most glaring gaps in the system. Unfortunately Alabama doesn't seem to have any interest in building it.

[epzik8]

I still cringe every time I see I 40 take the south turn to Wilmington

I do looking at a map, but when I drive it between there and Faison (117 split to Goldsboro and 795) it never crosses my mind.

[froggie]

BTW I agree that the lack of an interstate leading SE from Montgomery into Florida is one of the most glaring gaps in the system. Unfortunately Alabama doesn't seem to have any interest in building it.

Alabama doesn't have a good track record at finding funding (or paying for it themselves) for the Interstate proposals it already has (i.e. "I-85 Extension", West Alabama, Birmingham Northern Loop), let alone new Interstate proposals...

[jcil4ever]

Noticed these signs went up within the last few weeks, trying to warn people of the increased construction in James City and to detour through Maysville.

This one is heading East just before Tuscarora Rhems Rd:


And this is immediately before the US-17 South exit:

[Dirt Roads]

Noticed these signs went up within the last few weeks, trying to warn people of the increased construction in James City and to detour through Maysville.

Unless you are heading to Fort Macon or the eastern section of Atlantic Beach, the fastest route from Raleigh to the Bogue Banks (ergo, Crystal Coast) already is to use US-70 -to- US-17 -to- NC-58 via Maysville (as posted above).  I-42 construction along US-70 between Pine Level and Goldsboro is still relatively harmless during the Spring and Summer months.

On the other hand, it only takes 5 minutes or so longer to take I-40 -to- NC-24 -to- NC-58 via Jacksonville and Swansboro.  This route has lots of extra places open at night on the east end of the trip than driving across Jones County.

[bob7374]

This article I just found from early April indicates NCDOT is planning to sign I-42, at least along the Clayton Bypass, after restoring US 70 through Clayton and renumbering NC 42 to NC 36 in Johnston County, in the fall:
https://restorationnewsmedia.com/articles/local-news-johnstonian/roads-will-get-new-numbers-names-too/