Interstate 87 (NC-VA)

[wdcrft63]

A section of US-64 East between Robersonville and Everetts will close on June 15 for a major bridge rehabilitation project over the Huskanaw Swamp. It's expected to reopen at the end of September.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-06-12-us-64-closure.aspx

Ouch. This section of US 64 opened in 1997, so the bridge is not really old. Closing the road in the summer, obstructing beach-bound traffic, is a large deal.

[The Ghostbuster]

It appears this segment of US 64 is already up to Interstate Standards, so this bridge rehabilitation project will not be part of the corridor's long-term upgrades.

[sprjus4]

A section of US-64 East between Robersonville and Everetts will close on June 15 for a major bridge rehabilitation project over the Huskanaw Swamp. It's expected to reopen at the end of September.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-06-12-us-64-closure.aspx

Ouch. This section of US 64 opened in 1997, so the bridge is not really old. Closing the road in the summer, obstructing beach-bound traffic, is a large deal.

You would think they do this during the winter, when there's less traffic. Traffic on US-64 is certainly seasonal, and is much higher during the summer.

[bob7374]

A section of US-64 East between Robersonville and Everetts will close on June 15 for a major bridge rehabilitation project over the Huskanaw Swamp. It's expected to reopen at the end of September.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-06-12-us-64-closure.aspx

Ouch. This section of US 64 opened in 1997, so the bridge is not really old. Closing the road in the summer, obstructing beach-bound traffic, is a large deal.

You would think they do this during the winter, when there's less traffic. Traffic on US-64 is certainly seasonal, and is much higher during the summer.

According to the NCDOT Real Time Traffic site, the roadway is now closed:
Incident 665954
Location
- US-64, Near NC-903
- East of Robersonville / Heading East
- Martin County
Construction: Road Closed with Detour
Bridge Rehabilitation/Preservation - Joint repair, deck repair, concrete wearing surface.
Expected impact to traffic is Medium.
Detour
From US HWY 64 East take Exit No. 502 to NC903, to US 64 Alt, to US HWY 64 East

[bob7374]

NCDOT has announced the awarding of a pavement rehabilitation contract for US 64 (Future I-87) in Nash County. While shoulder rehabilitation is part of the project, no mention is made about any interstate standard shoulder widening:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-08-09-us-64-repaving-nash.aspx

[nerdom]

Such a complete rehab like this just seems like a depressing setback if shoulder widening is excluded. So much needs to be done, any upgrades need to get rolling on this road. 42 def seems to be the priority. Be nice to at least get this out to 95.

[sprjus4]

Such a complete rehab like this just seems like a depressing setback if shoulder widening is excluded. So much needs to be done, any upgrades need to get rolling on this road. 42 def seems to be the priority. Be nice to at least get this out to 95.

It definitely is disappointing... all of the pavement rehabilitation projects that have taken place along fully controlled-access portions of US-70, US-64, US-264, and US-17 over the last 10 years should have included full paved shoulder widening to 10 ft. It would cost slightly more upfront, but it would bring significant portions up to interstate standards. If all of the recent US-64 pavement projects included proper widening, I-87 could be signed for a good portion east and west of I-95 once projects wrap up in the next few years.

US-64 in general, between Raleigh and Tarboro, would be relatively easy to bring up to the most basic interstate standards (minimum upgrades), and would allow nearly 90 miles of I-87 to exist (although upgrades near Nashville may require bridge replacements) between I-40 and US-17 in Williamston. The rest would be fully dependent on US-17 upgrades at that point, and may get the ball rolling. Mainly just connecting the freeway bypass segments with upgrades to the divided highway portions or new alignments.

[The Ghostbuster]

According to https://malmeroads.net/ncfutints/fut87.html, it will be at least 10 years before any upgrades come to segments 3-5 on the US 64 corridor. Thus, it is unlikely that the Interstate 87 designation will be extended eastward any time soon. As for the Nash County pavement rehabilitation project, I think it would be foolish not to widen the shoulders of the roadway to Interstate Standard widths, since the corridor will become part of Interstate 87 in the future.

[bob7374]

Can confirm, through Google Maps Street View images from June, that a portion of US 64 east of Rocky Mount has had its shoulders widened to interstate standards as part of the pavement rehab project going on east of I-95. The widened shoulders run from the Kingsboro Road exit to just after the Thomas Road bridge, not quite to the next exit, and vice versa. No other shoulder work is observed along US 64 further west.

[architect77]

I emailed NCDOT about removing an incorrect shoulder shield sign on New Bern Ave at I-440 that reads I-495 however that and faded overheads and trash strewn all around the overpass haven't been addressed.

Garner's Northbound US401 approaching I-40 has derelict overheads also. Come on NCDOT.

[The Ghostbuster]

That would be this sign, right?: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7916965,-78.5858589,3a,75y,35.32h,90.77t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sqcEbwpfhT-uJrnYQMWSh4w!2e0!5s20220701T000000!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu.

[bob7374]

That would be this sign, right?: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7916965,-78.5858589,3a,75y,35.32h,90.77t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sqcEbwpfhT-uJrnYQMWSh4w!2e0!5s20220701T000000!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu.

Guess they would rather put up To US 64 West signs at the interchange than sign West Business 64 along I-440 back to US 64 at the Knightdale Bypass.

[architect77]

That would be this sign, right?: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7916965,-78.5858589,3a,75y,35.32h,90.77t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sqcEbwpfhT-uJrnYQMWSh4w!2e0!5s20220701T000000!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu.

Yes that's the one.

Because of all the breakneck freeway construction in Southern Wake Co. Raleigh's central and Northern freeways are looking pretty bad. Dozens of sun-faded overhead signs need replacing. Kinda dumpy looking.

[bob7374]

NCDOT announcing lane closures along US 64 (Future I-87) at Old Carriage Road in Nash County as part of a bridge widening project that is replacing the 2-lane 1960 bridge with a presumably 4-lane interstate standard one:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-05-01-us-64-exit-detour.aspx

[epzik8]

NCDOT announcing lane closures along US 64 (Future I-87) at Old Carriage Road in Nash County as part of a bridge widening project that is replacing the 2-lane 1960 bridge with a presumably 4-lane interstate standard one:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-05-01-us-64-exit-detour.aspx

Finally North Carolina is bringing their highway bridges into the modern age.

[NJRoadfan]

They have been working on Exit 463 for awhile now. Yes, it will be a wider overpass with plenty of room for shoulders on US-64.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

[bob7374]

It appears the US 64 pavement rehab project going on between Kingsboro Road and NC 33 in Edgecombe County does include some shoulder widening, presumably to interstate standards. Here is a traffic camera image from the McNair Road exit:

[sprjus4]

It appears the US 64 pavement rehab project going on between Kingsboro Road and NC 33 in Edgecombe County does include some shoulder widening, presumably to interstate standards. Here is a traffic camera image from the McNair Road exit:

I drove along US-64 today, they have indeed added 10 ft paved shoulders in both directions along the entire stretch between Kingsboro Rd and the Tar River. This ties into a few mile stretch they did last year between the Thomas Rd overpass and Kingsboro Rd. Between both projects, approximately 12 miles have been upgraded to interstate standards now. East of the Tar River, the freeway is interstate standards all the way to US-64.

The only gap remaining that would connect it to I-95 and allow I-87 to be designated is through Rocky Mount... no shoulder widening happening there as of now.

Here's a few pictures from the widening they did do:

[bob7374]

Traffic cameras at the US 258 exit along US 64 show work on shoulder widening has started there. The traffic incident report for the area has the right lane of US 64 East closed daily for the next week from NC 122 to NC 33.

[jcil4ever]

Traffic cameras at the US 258 exit along US 64 show work on shoulder widening has started there. The traffic incident report for the area has the right lane of US 64 East closed daily for the next week from NC 122 to NC 33.

Yes, just drove through this weekend and can confirm shoulders widened all the way into Tarboro. This is at the US-258 (etc.) Exit 485:

And a little further west at the bridge for Old County Home Rd.:

The resurfacing will also be nice!

As mentioned, the shoulder widening work ends as you go into Rocky Mount, precisely at the bridge for Thomas Rd., just before NC-43:

[NJRoadfan]

Finally repaving that section of US-64.... and not a moment too late. Driving that section, you'd think you were in SC. *ducks*

[sprjus4]

Finally repaving that section of US-64.... and not a moment too late. Driving that section, you'd think you were in SC. *ducks*

Based on what I remember from a couple of weeks ago... you're not wrong!