North Carolina

[Verlanka]

Nice but not likely. NCDOT rarely builds flyovers. North Carolina is the land of the Collector/Distributor Roadway. If this were Texas they there would be flyovers on all four quadrants but this is NC. They would add cloverleafs with C/D's and be done with it.

Wouldn't it be a tight fit for all these cloverleafs?

[wdcrft63]

Nice but not likely. NCDOT rarely builds flyovers. North Carolina is the land of the Collector/Distributor Roadway. If this were Texas they there would be flyovers on all four quadrants but this is NC. They would add cloverleafs with C/D's and be done with it.

Wouldn't it be a tight fit for all these cloverleafs?

Very tight: and that's precisely the problem here.

[ARMOURERERIC]

How about a volleyball interchange.

[sprjus4]

How about a volleyball interchange.

The only issue would be traffic flow. The freeway design would likely end just south of I-40, which a significant amount of the traffic heading to or from I-40. It would still require traffic to stop at lights, and at that point, you might as well just leave the existing interchange.

[sprjus4]

An 1,000+ page DEIS has been signed and released for the Cape Fear Crossing proposal in Wilmington last week.

This certainly is not a dead project.

https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/PDEA/Web/U-4738/draft-environmental-impact-statement.pdf

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/cape-fear-crossing/Pages/default.aspx

Generally proposed is a four or six lane freeway from I-140 to Wilmington, crossing the Cape Fear River with a high-rise fixed span bridge. Other, less expensive alternatives, involve widening / upgrading the existing routes into Wilmington.

The project would cost between $600 million and $1 billion, and include open road tolling.

The posted speed limit would likely be 65 MPH or 70 MPH, indicated in the environmental impact statement.

[Roadsguy]

An 1,000+ page DEIS has been signed and released for the Cape Fear Crossing proposal in Wilmington last week.

This certainly is not a dead project.

https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/PDEA/Web/U-4738/draft-environmental-impact-statement.pdf

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/cape-fear-crossing/Pages/default.aspx

Generally proposed is a four or six lane freeway from I-140 to Wilmington, crossing the Cape Fear River with a high-rise fixed span bridge. Other, less expensive alternatives, involve widening / upgrading the existing routes into Wilmington.

The project would cost between $600 million and $1 billion, and include open road tolling.

The posted speed limit would likely be 65 MPH or 70 MPH, indicated in the environmental impact statement.

Good to see that this is still active. Making the crossing an extension of US 117 seems like the most logical choice for all alternatives except (for what I hope are obvious reasons) V-AW, which makes most sense as a reroute of US 421.

Hopefully the final alternative is one of the ones with an actual freeway connection to I-140, since no alternative includes any freeway upgrades of US 17 between 140 and 74/76.

[LM117]

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Bonner Bridge Marc Basnight Bridge was held today.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-04-02-marc-basnight-bridge-ribbon-cutting.aspx

[LM117]

The 10th Street Connector in Greenville will open by the end of this month.

https://www.wnct.com/news/local-news/drivers-can-expect-to-be-on-tenth-street-connector-by-end-of-april/1894538381?fbclid=IwAR1KMPv4Fk-J7mo52F7a7C5GNafiHgfyHH9Cbq-_9cZy8qAIReCGto94eR0

[LM117]

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-04-03-wilmington-interstate-bridge-repaired.aspx

WILMINGTON — A stretch of Interstate 140 East in Brunswick County is back open to traffic after the N.C. Department of Transportation made bridge repairs and performed an inspection of the structure.

On Saturday night, an NCDOT employee noticed an unusual bump on the eastbound I-140 bridge at the Cedar Hill Road exit. It was closed immediately for the safety of motorists, resulting in the multi-day shutdown of a section of the interstate.

An inspection on Sunday revealed a shift in metal plates between two of four girders.

NCDOT and contractors spent most of Monday bringing in necessary equipment to fix the issue.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, contractors lifted the span and reinstalled plates on the bridge. After it was lowered back into place, crews inspected the bridge again and determined structural elements, including the cap, columns and foundation, were sound. Traffic was then allowed back on the highway.

[sprjus4]

https://twitter.com/NCDOT/status/1113885454326169603

In 10 years, there will be a new bypass and a new interchange. In fact, a full blown interstate, I-42.

[LM117]

Update on the C.F. Harvey Parkway (NC-148) extension project in Kinston.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-04-05-road-closures-lenoir-county-extension-project.aspx

[LM117]

A project in my old stomping grounds. NCDOT is holding a public meeting on April 23 in Goldsboro to discuss widening US-70 Business (East Ash Street) between Berkeley Boulevard and US-70.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-04-09-ncdot-hold-meeting-wayne-county-project.aspx

[wdcrft63]

News coverage on two major interstate projects in Raleigh area, the widening of I-40 between I-440 and NC 42 southeast of town and the widening of I-440 between Wade Avenue and I-40 on the southwest side of town.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article229013554.html

[LM117]

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-04-10-jones-county-ten-mile-fork-closure.aspx

POLLOCKSVILLE — A Jones County road will be closed in mid-April for construction as the N.C. Department of Transportation works toward completing a larger project, tying it into the existing U.S. 17 New Bern Bypass.

Ten Mile Fork Road will be closed from 7 a.m., April 12, through 6 p.m., April 16. During that time, NCDOT will set girders over the Pollocksville road.  These two bridges are the last of a total of 26 structures to have girders installed.

While the closure is taking place, traffic will be detoured onto Scott Road, Oak Grove Road, Killis Murphy Road/ Loop Road and U.S. 17.

This work is part of a much larger project which will be more than 16 miles long between south of Belgrade and the existing U.S. 17 New Bern Bypass. Construction for this project started in October 2015, with a contract costing $143.4 million. NCDOT expects drivers on the new road by this November.

[LM117]

After being closed for 6 months, the NC-133 Oak Island Bridge will re-open today.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-04-12-oak-island-bridge-opens-early.aspx

[LM117]

Another rock slide has closed I-40 near the TN border for a week:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-02-23-i-40-rock-slide.aspx

I-40 has reopened, though it's currently only one lane each way.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-02-28-i-40-reopen-slide.aspx

Update on the ongoing repairs.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-04-12-additional-i-40-slide-repairs.aspx

[LM117]

Zion Church Road in Wayne County has finally re-opened today. It was the last road in the state that was still closed due to damage from Hurricane Florence.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-04-12-last-road-closed-hurricane-florence-reopens.aspx

[ARMOURERERIC]

It appears that the US321 freeway in Hickory NC has had a speed limit reduction north of the NC 127 interchange.  The speed is dropped to 55 in both directions.

[sprjus4]

http://www.dailyadvance.com/News/2019/04/10/Chowan-trucker-dies-after-collision-on-US-17.html

Happened last week, but still...

A women stopped in the middle of US-17 (a four-lane divided 55 MPH highway) north of Edenton to let a turtle cross, and a trucker, who didn't have enough time to stop, crashed into the back of the women's vehicle, resulting in him veering into the ditch, totaling the truck, and causing him to eventually pass away at the hospital later on.

Who's in the wrong? The women stopped in the middle of a high-speed highway, or the trucker, who didn't have enough time to fully stop after realizing she's not moving at all?

IMHO, the women should be charged with involuntary manslaughter. You don't stop in the middle of a highway. It's common sense. The turtle was apparently more important than the person she killed. And interestingly enough, the turtle didn't even survive. Shameful.

[WashuOtaku]

It appears that the US321 freeway in Hickory NC has had a speed limit reduction north of the NC 127 interchange.  The speed is dropped to 55 in both directions.

Or maybe you finally noticed the sign, it has always been 55mph at NC 127 interchange continuing north into Hickory. 

[sprjus4]

It appears that the US321 freeway in Hickory NC has had a speed limit reduction north of the NC 127 interchange.  The speed is dropped to 55 in both directions.

Or maybe you finally noticed the sign, it has always been 55mph at NC 127 interchange continuing north into Hickory. 

April 2008 even shows that. https://www.google.com/maps/@35.6880426,-81.3478152,3a,75y,304.39h,86.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXv8ZhtKH4nM1wofhmFLCfA!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

It has never been 65 MPH beyond that interchange.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Dang, and here I am for the last 3 years flying down the SB entrance ramp from 70, doing 70 before hitting 40 WB.  I could swear thought that the 55 signs on 321 SB right under the 40 bridges are new.

[sprjus4]

Dang, and here I am for the last 3 years flying down the SB entrance ramp from 70, doing 70 before hitting 40 WB.  I could swear thought that the 55 signs on 321 SB right under the 40 bridges are new.

To be honest, everybody else is also flying 70. So not too much to worry about 

[OracleUsr]

Dang, and here I am for the last 3 years flying down the SB entrance ramp from 70, doing 70 before hitting 40 WB.  I could swear thought that the 55 signs on 321 SB right under the 40 bridges are new.

No, just the exit signage

[LM117]

http://www.dailyadvance.com/News/2019/04/10/Chowan-trucker-dies-after-collision-on-US-17.html

Happened last week, but still...

A women stopped in the middle of US-17 (a four-lane divided 55 MPH highway) north of Edenton to let a turtle cross, and a trucker, who didn't have enough time to stop, crashed into the back of the women's vehicle, resulting in him veering into the ditch, totaling the truck, and causing him to eventually pass away at the hospital later on.

Who's in the wrong? The women stopped in the middle of a high-speed highway, or the trucker, who didn't have enough time to fully stop after realizing she's not moving at all?

IMHO, the women should be charged with involuntary manslaughter. You don't stop in the middle of a highway. It's common sense. The turtle was apparently more important than the person she killed. And interestingly enough, the turtle didn't even survive. Shameful.

Pure stupidity on her part. No turtle is worth risking people's lives.

As for who's legally at fault...unless things have changed since I last lived in NC, it would be the truck driver. According to state law, hitting somebody in the ass automatically puts you at fault, no matter the circumstances. That's probably why the cops are "re-examining the charges."  If that truck driver had survived, he would be the one getting charged for her stupidity. Either way, dead or alive, he was screwed.