North Carolina

[hockeyjohn]

A segment of the Shelby Bypass (to NC 226) is to open on Tuesday, the next (to NC 150) in 2022:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-04-13-shelby-bypass-segment-opens.aspx

Does the Shelby By-pass have any interim designation (e.g.  NC 974) since the last segment is not scheduled for completion until 2024?

[Roadsguy]

A segment of the Shelby Bypass (to NC 226) is to open on Tuesday, the next (to NC 150) in 2022:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-04-13-shelby-bypass-segment-opens.aspx

Does the Shelby By-pass have any interim designation (e.g.  NC 974) since the last segment is not scheduled for completion until 2024?

According to the signage plans for the section to NC 150, no, at least not signed. There won't be any route markers at all, not even a "To US 74 WEST" at NC 150, for instance.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Congratulations, NCDOT. It took you nearly six years to build the first 5.6 miles of an 18.5 mile bypass. You must be proud.

[sprjus4]

Congratulations, NCDOT. It took you nearly six years to build the first 5.6 miles of an 18.5 mile bypass. You must be proud.

It took Tennessee over 13 years on a 6 mile segment of I-69  Mississippi built a 3 mile segment of a US-82 Greenville bypass 10 years ago, it's still not paved.

Given NCDOT's track record though, it certainly is unusual. Hopefully going forth, we don't see anymore more delays like this.

[ARMOURERERIC]

On Wednesday, I have to go to/from Forest City via Casar and Polksville, will endeavor to get a review of this segment.

[LM117]

Congratulations, NCDOT. It took you nearly six years to build the first 5.6 miles of an 18.5 mile bypass. You must be proud.

Given NCDOT's track record though, it certainly is unusual. Hopefully going forth, we don't see anymore more delays like this.

IIRC, NCDOT had taken funding that had been set aside for the bypass and shifted it towards completing I-485 when then-governor Beverly Perdue pushed for the urban loops across the state.

This was before the current scoring formula, so a lot of funding back then was heavily driven by politics. When construction on the US-70 Goldsboro Bypass began in 2008, Wayne County was suddenly told that the entire bypass wouldn't be finished until sometime in the 2030's. That did NOT go over well. Long story short, a few arms got twisted and everything was put back on track.

[ARMOURERERIC]

That's the problem, for years the wealthy business interests really did not want this bypass until one day, they woke up to a cluster truck on Dixon Bl.

[sprjus4]

I tweeted NCDOT yesterday in regards to the interim designation on the Shelby Bypass, in addition to the completion date of the US-64 Asheboro Bypass.

Per them, the interim designation will be SR-9000, and the bypass will be completed in the fall.

https://twitter.com/ncdot/status/1250056019625029642

[LM117]

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-04-14-i-40-east-closures-traffic-shift.aspx

RALEIGH — N.C. Department of Transportation contractors are planning several closures this weekend as part of the widening of Interstate 40 from Southeast Raleigh to Clayton.

Beginning Friday at 8 p.m., crews will close the ramps to and from I-40 East at Jones Sausage Road (Exit 303). Detours will direct drivers to U.S. 70 at White Oak Crossing to access I-40 East and Jones Sausage Road.

The flyover bridge from I-440 East to I-40 East will also be closed for the weekend. A detour will lead drivers onto I-40 West to Exit 298A to take U.S. 401 South and U.S. 70 East through Garner to access I-40 East.

I-40 East will be down to one open lane between mile markers 301 and 306 during the following times:

8 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday
6 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday
6 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday

​While two lanes of I-40 East will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, drivers should find alternate routes if possible.

The closures are needed as new pavement tie-ins are made at Jones Sausage Road and the flyover bridge, and as I-40 East traffic is shifted into a temporary pattern closer to the median barrier wall on new pavement between mile markers 301 and 306.

Work is scheduled to be completed by Monday at 5 a.m., weather permitting.

Drivers should allow extra time to navigate the detour and pay attention while driving through the work zone.

[wdcrft63]

Congratulations, NCDOT. It took you nearly six years to build the first 5.6 miles of an 18.5 mile bypass. You must be proud.

It took Tennessee over 13 years on a 6 mile segment of I-69  Missouri built a 3 mile segment of a US-82 Greenville bypass 10 years ago, it's still not paved.

Given NCDOT's track record though, it certainly is unusual. Hopefully going forth, we don't see anymore more delays like this.

That was Mississippi that built a 3 mile segment of a US-82 Greenville bypass 10 years ago and it's still not paved. US 82 does not pass through Missouri.

[sprjus4]

Congratulations, NCDOT. It took you nearly six years to build the first 5.6 miles of an 18.5 mile bypass. You must be proud.

It took Tennessee over 13 years on a 6 mile segment of I-69  Missouri built a 3 mile segment of a US-82 Greenville bypass 10 years ago, it's still not paved.

Given NCDOT's track record though, it certainly is unusual. Hopefully going forth, we don't see anymore more delays like this.

That was Mississippi that built a 3 mile segment of a US-82 Greenville bypass 10 years ago and it's still not paved. US 82 does not pass through Missouri.

That's correct, Mississippi, not Missouri.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Congratulations, NCDOT. It took you nearly six years to build the first 5.6 miles of an 18.5 mile bypass. You must be proud.

Given NCDOT's track record though, it certainly is unusual. Hopefully going forth, we don't see anymore more delays like this.

IIRC, NCDOT had taken funding that had been set aside for the bypass and shifted it towards completing I-485 when then-governor Beverly Perdue pushed for the urban loops across the state.

This was before the current scoring formula, so a lot of funding back then was heavily driven by politics. When construction on the US-70 Goldsboro Bypass began in 2008, Wayne County was suddenly told that the entire bypass wouldn't be finished until sometime in the 2030's. That did NOT go over well. Long story short, a few arms got twisted and everything was put back on track.

Politics? What politics?

During some of my inquiring about the lengthy timeline of this project, I was told that the now shelved Garden Parkway also caused delays for the Shelby Bypass. Even though it was a turnpike project, it still pulled from the overall pot of money allocated for Division 12 and funding had to be set aside for the parkway for planning and fiscal purposes. Due to the equity formula, the division ended up only having enough funding for one big project and not two, and the Garden Parkway was prioritized by Pittenger and Co. who were set to profit off their real estate purchases around the proposed exits.

[jcarte29]

Congratulations, NCDOT. It took you nearly six years to build the first 5.6 miles of an 18.5 mile bypass. You must be proud.

That's about the same track they have going on W-S First section of I-74, and frankly half the distance! (Dec '14 started I think??)

[sprjus4]

Congratulations, NCDOT. It took you nearly six years to build the first 5.6 miles of an 18.5 mile bypass. You must be proud.

That's about the same track they have going on W-S First section of I-74, and frankly half the distance! (Dec '14 started I think??)

Construction of the first leg of the beltway from I-40 Business to US 158, Project U-2579B commenced in October 2014 with an anticipated completion date of November 2018. Since then funding has been allocated to complete the remaining sections to be signed Interstate 74 between current Interstate 74 cosigned with US 311 and US 52. Starting with the segment between US 158 and US 311 known as Project U-2579C in October 2017. Next the sections between Interstate 74 and I-40 Business known as Projects U-2579AA and U-2579AB are scheduled to begin in November 2020. The final sections from US 311 to SR 2211 (Baux Mountain Road), Project U-2579D; SR 2211 to NC 8 (Germanton Road), Project U-2579E; NC 8 to East of US 52, Project U-2579F and the Interchange at US 52, Project R-2247EB will commence in October 2021.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston-Salem_Beltway

Was supposed to be completed in November 2018, though as of now, is still not complete. Hopefully it will be completed by the end of the year, and other sections won't see other delays. Hell, maybe they'll wait long enough they can open the first -and- second segments at once.

By the end of 2020, all segments of the I-74 portion (Eastern Loop) should be under construction, and to be complete by 2024 IIRC.

To be completed in different segments, the I-274 portion (Western Loop) should be under construction starting in 2023, with Segment A not beginning until 2029, presumably to be fully completed (I-274 and I-74) before 2035.

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/wsnb/Pages/project-highlights.aspx

[cowboy_wilhelm]

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/04/14/a-rough-storm-to-weather-construction-companies.html

"At a meeting last week, officials with NCDOT announced that revenue shortfalls, due in large part to the ongoing pandemic, have required the department to cut the number of currently budgeted construction projects from 131 to 38 for the next fiscal year, representing a drop in future spending from around $2.7 billion to about $670 million."

[ARMOURERERIC]

I did drive the Shelby bypass portion this morning, will get you all a report tonight.

[RoadPelican]

Wow, Asheboro bypass not to be open until the fall!!!  that seems kinda long, considering the YouTube video showed everything was set to open the road in June. (original NCDOT completion date)  Just needs pavement markings, some signs, and the bridge pavement leveled out, I guess the project has some people not working because of COVID-19.

[sprjus4]

Then they'll say it will actually open in June and be "ahead of schedule" .

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Completed or opened? It can open to traffic upon substantial completion and there still be punch list items remaining in the contract before it's considered 100% complete.

The Construction Progress Report shows 9/20/2020 for completion. Interesting that the completion date of 8/27/2019 in the Construction Progress Report differs from the 11/15/2019 completion in the contract.

[sprjus4]

I tweeted back asking for clarification when it will actually be open for traffic use.

[sprjus4]

New segment of bypass open for business

A segment of the new 74 bypass was opened to drivers Tuesday, with the fresh stretch of asphalt beginning at Peachtree Road on the edge of Lattimore and running to NC 226.

The gently winding road takes drivers under several bridges and past homes and businesses that were previously bordering fields and woods. For years, locals have been witnessing the changing landscape as the new highway was carved out of the red dirt and existing roads were altered.

The 5.6 miles takes drivers from an exit off of US 74 west just outside of Lattimore and connects them to Polkville Road within minutes.

According to a press release from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, work on the $19 million contract, which included paving, grading and the installation of overhead signs, began in April of 2018. Prior work, such as the initial grading and other structures had been completed under an earlier contract.

The next section of the Shelby bypass, from NC 226 to NC 150, is already under construction and expected to be completed in 2022.

Pictures from the new road were included in the article. The speed limit is posted at 65 mph (is North Carolina shy of 70 mph? They posted 70 mph on the US-17 Pollocksville Bypass, and have gone back and upped other sections of US-74 to 70 mph), and the bypass is currently signed as "To NC-226". Exit numbers are in line with what they will be when US-74 is designated on the road. At the US-74 / Bypass split, continuity is still given to the existing road through Shelby where you have to "exit" to use the bypass. In the future, when the bypass is complete fully, continuity will be switched for the bypass and a large APL sign will be assembled (see below).




Interim and future / ultimate signage plans - https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/dsplan/2018%20Highway%20Letting/01-16-18/Plans%20and%20Proposals/CLEVELAND,%20R2707F,%20C203845/Standard%20PDF%20Plans/250%20Signing%20Plans.pdf

[ARMOURERERIC]

The other exit is 199, NC226, Polksville Rd.

[sprjus4]

The other exit is 199, NC226, Polksville Rd.

Interestingly enough, per the signage plans, the only signage for the bypass is "To NC-226" at the US-74 interchange. At the Washburn Switch Rd and NC-226 junctions, the only indication is for westbound and is merely an "Asheville" control city, no "To US-74" or anything. Eastbound at the Washburn Switch Rd junction has no "To NC-226" signage.

[Roadsguy]

The other exit is 199, NC226, Polksville Rd.

Interestingly enough, per the signage plans, the only signage for the bypass is "To NC-226" at the US-74 interchange. At the Washburn Switch Rd and NC-226 junctions, the only indication is for westbound and is merely an "Asheville" control city, no "To US-74" or anything. Eastbound at the Washburn Switch Rd junction has no "To NC-226" signage.

Even when completed to NC 150, there won't be any "To US 74" indicators. I don't know if they'll change the sign from "To NC 226" to "To NC 150," though.

[Roadsguy]

Something I just found buried in the signage plans for R-2707F (the contract for paving and opening the first real segment of the Shelby Bypass that just opened) is reference to a planned interchange at Mooresboro for US 74 Business. Such a project seemingly would complete the last non-freeway segment of US 74 between I-26 and I-85 unaccounted for by the Shelby Bypass project. Does anyone know of the timeframe for the project or even what STIP number it has? I tried to find more infrormation about it, but searches for "US 74 Mooresboro interchange NC" or similar get drowned out by references to Mooresboro as the western end of the Shelby Bypass.