North Carolina

[cowboy_wilhelm]

The statute states that a currently free highway facility can be tolled if approved by the the MPO or RPO, which I didn't realize. Even if that does happen and goes through several years of new study and - if warranted and feasible - new design, it would probably be a pretty divisive decision to move forward with tolling after already being promised "free" upgrades. It would be different if it had been proposed from the start that U.S. 1 could only be upgraded within the next decade if tolled.

§ 136-89.187.  Conversion of free highways prohibited.
    The Authority Board is prohibited from converting any segment of the nontolled State Highway System to a toll facility, except for a segment of N.C. 540 under construction as of July 1, 2006, located in Wake County and extending from the N.C. 54 exit on N.C. 540 to the N.C. 55 exit on N.C. 540. No segment may be converted to a toll route pursuant to this section unless first approved by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) or Rural Planning Organization (RPO) of the area in which that segment is located.

[architect77]

Won't this require modifying legislation? What is the free alternate route? 401? Didn't they try this with I-95 and everyone hated the idea? The money eventually arrived for construction, a decade later.

Look, let's use common sense here. Any tolling that would involve adding capacity which is the problem....

would almost certainly be a HOT lane addition to US1.

I just drove from Youngsville to DT Raleigh last night. It sucks even at off hours. The signals do change faster according to lighter traffic waiting at intersections, but a 3rd lane is desperately needed to Franklinton.

Any construction project would likely add one general purpose lane and maybe one HOT lane. All of this is outside the scope of any limited access conversion project which wouldn't extend to Franklin County.

I honestly believe the traffic woes are more of an issue North of I-540 into Franklin County than inside I-540. At least there you have 6 lanes and traffic moves at an expected pace.

It's those darn intersections up US1 that take forever to traverse with tons of traffic on all sides and people's contentment with slow-poking along.

Spoiler alert: We're going to start hearing about a lot more delayed projects due to the astronomical increases in construction and right-of-way costs. Total project cost estimates are starting to be counted in billions of dollars instead of millions.

None of this is about the state trying to take more of people's money.

US1 from Raleigh to Franklin County is a particular nightmare into and of itself. As the Triangle grows development just extends up US1 without regard for how awful the trek to and from Raleigh is. There are 14 intersections between Mini City and Youngsville and people drive painfully slow along this highway, many settling on 45mph though it's signed at 55mph.

At minimum, a 3rd lane in both directions is needed from Perry Creek Rd to Franklinton, and this is outside of any freeway conversion projects. Franklin County is the state's 5th fastest growing, with a population of 150,000 by 2040, just 16 years away.

The financial success and bottom lines for WF, Youngsville and Franklinton are all very much tied to how tolerable driving is on US1. I say tolls are fine if they can quickly make this thoroughfare less dreadful than it is today.

I think express toll lanes would be tolerable, otherwise I can't really imagine people being very happy about an US 1 (an existing road) being tolled. Franklin County residents would be worse off than Wake Forest residents, who can pretty easily default to both Falls of the Neuse Road and Ligon Mill/US 401 or Forestville. A bulk of Wake Forest has really easy access to those routes. Even Youngsville residents might opt to cut through wake forest downtown. I think they could toll US 1 but it's going to come at the expense of Falls and Ligon Mill.

[Thing 342]

The US-1 corridor between 540 and Wake Forest seems like it would be just barely wide enough to support a tolled freeway with free frontage roads.

[The Ghostbuster]

Are continuous frontage roads likely if US 1 were upgraded to freeway/tollway standards? And heaven help us all if North Carolina decides to slap an Interstate designation to that portion of US 1 (by the way, I'm not religious).

[sprjus4]

Are continuous frontage roads likely if US 1 were upgraded to freeway/tollway standards?

I don't believe they're fully necessary if the road is upgraded to a freeway without tolls... however, if the freeway is given tolls, they may be a compromise to allow drivers a toll free option by simply using the existing surface level road, with a new toll freeway slapped in the middle - similar to how Texas has upgraded virtually all of their roads.

[wdcrft63]

Are continuous frontage roads likely if US 1 were upgraded to freeway/tollway standards?

I don't believe they're fully necessary if the road is upgraded to a freeway without tolls... however, if the freeway is given tolls, they may be a compromise to allow drivers a toll free option by simply using the existing surface level road, with a new toll freeway slapped in the middle - similar to how Texas has upgraded virtually all of their roads.

Here are maps for the southern section of the route scheduled currently to start construction in 2025.
https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/capital-boulevard-upgrade/Pages/november-2021-meeting-maps.aspx
They call for a freeway with frontage roads to serve existing development.

[wdcrft63]

In Fayetteville the eastbound bridge of Russell Street over Blounts Creek was damaged on Christmas Day by a fire caused by a ruptured natural gas pipeline. NCDOT closed the bridge and doesn't know if the bridge can be repaired or must be replaced. The westbound bridge was not damaged.
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-01-03-ncdot-closes-fayetteville-bridge.aspx

[CanesFan27]

Feature on the Bunker Hill Covered Bridge near Hickory.

https://www.carolinaxroads.com/2024/01/bunker-hill-covered-bridge.html

It is one of only two original covered bridges still standing in the state and also the last known wooden example of a Haupt Truss.

[LM117]

Preservation work on the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington will begin in mid-January.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-12-20-cape-fear-memorial-bridge-preservation-update.aspx

Overnight lane closures on the bridge will begin this week.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-01-09-cape-fear-memorial-bridge-overnight-lanes.aspx

[ARMOURERERIC]

Just seeing a post that I-40 is closed between Statesville and Claremont due to tornado touchdown.

[wdcrft63]

The storm also caused a slide closing US 64 in the Cullasaja Gorge near Franklin, Macon County. The road will be closed at least two weeks, but probably longer.
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-01-10-us-64-cullasaja-gorge-repairs.aspx

[architect77]

This is a video of I-85 North of Charlotte.

I think it's one of the nicest stretches of interstate in the entire country. 8 lanes, much of it concrete, and it's at least 70 miles in length.

It looks like you're in a large metropolitan area, but alas, it's just the continuous string of small towns and small to medium cities that is central NC.

IMG_0442 by Stephen Edwards, on Flickr

[sprjus4]

This is a video of I-85 North of Charlotte.

I think it's one of the nicest stretches of interstate in the entire country. 8 lanes, much of it concrete, and it's at least 70 miles in length.

It looks like you're in a large metropolitan area, but alas, it's just the continuous string of small towns and small to medium cities that is central NC.

North Carolina has done a great job with I-85 and it's a pleasant highway to drive. Charlotte to Lexington was expanded to 8 lanes within the last 15 years, and the remainder up to Greensboro was built with 6 lanes with a wide, forested median back in the 1970s and 1980s. Greensboro was bypassed with a 6 to 8 lane rural freeway in the early 2000s, and you have 8 lanes all the way to Durham (well, the I-40 split).

You have a minimum of 6 lanes of interstate highway between Raleigh, Greensboro, and Charlotte (once the I-40 widening is complete outside Chapel Hill), with a majority being 8 lanes.

Then there's I-77 north of Charlotte, which is useless HO/T lanes while still only 2 general purpose lanes in each direction within the metropolitan area. I-77 should be a minimum of 8 general purpose lanes between Charlotte and Mooresville, and 6 general purpose lanes (if not 8) all the way to north of Statesville.

[ARMOURERERIC]

40 should be 6 lanes from exit 96 to Statesville

[architect77]

This is a video of I-85 North of Charlotte.

I think it's one of the nicest stretches of interstate in the entire country. 8 lanes, much of it concrete, and it's at least 70 miles in length.

It looks like you're in a large metropolitan area, but alas, it's just the continuous string of small towns and small to medium cities that is central NC.

North Carolina has done a great job with I-85 and it's a pleasant highway to drive. Charlotte to Lexington was expanded to 8 lanes within the last 15 years, and the remainder up to Greensboro was built with 6 lanes with a wide, forested median back in the 1970s and 1980s. Greensboro was bypassed with a 6 to 8 lane rural freeway in the early 2000s, and you have 8 lanes all the way to Durham (well, the I-40 split).

You have a minimum of 6 lanes of interstate highway between Raleigh, Greensboro, and Charlotte (once the I-40 widening is complete outside Chapel Hill), with a majority being 8 lanes.

Then there's I-77 north of Charlotte, which is useless HO/T lanes while still only 2 general purpose lanes in each direction within the metropolitan area. I-77 should be a minimum of 8 general purpose lanes between Charlotte and Mooresville, and 6 general purpose lanes (if not 8) all the way to north of Statesville.

Yes, well Charlotte did get the biggest I-85 with lighting, a huge I-485 with plenty of concrete pavement, etc. by far the biggest interstates in NC. I-77 to the SC line is the next biggest need, but in a state with a very dispersed population, funding must first be spread thinly statewide meaning the next billion dollar chunks of funding for Charlotte are 20 years away.

Raleigh's I-540 is not built as a huge outerloop like I-485, and 60% of the completed loop is tolled. US1 in Raleigh is a nightmare, and its funding has been delayed again until the next STIP.

Charlotte should be very content. I-77 South to SC will cost billions to rebuild. Remember with HOT lanes their purpose is only to offer a free-flowing 45MPH+ option. I agree though that a 3rd general purpose lane should have been part of the I-77 North project.

[CanesFan27]

For over a decade, gribblenation was home to All Things NC! Our look at the stories of the roads and places in the Tar Heel State.

After over 15 years since I last updated the index site - I've brought back the All Things NC! Index at Gribblenation.

All Things NC!  is Gribblenation's detailed look at the stories and histories behind North Carolina's nearly 78,000 miles of highways and byways.  Here, you can take a virtual drive of the Blue Ridge Parkway, learn how Interstate 40 made it to Wilmington, discover an old general store, or find out how that funny-named town you just drove past got its name.
https://www.gribblenation.org/p/north-carolina.html

[LM117]

Preservation work on the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington will begin in mid-January.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-12-20-cape-fear-memorial-bridge-preservation-update.aspx

The eastbound lanes of the bridge will be closed this Saturday night at 7pm (weather permitting). The closure is expected to last through March 31.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-01-25-new-hanover-brunswick-cape-fear-memorial-bridge-eastbound.aspx

[LM117]

Preservation work on the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington will begin in mid-January.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-12-20-cape-fear-memorial-bridge-preservation-update.aspx

The eastbound lanes of the bridge will be closed this Saturday night at 7pm (weather permitting). The closure is expected to last through March 31.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-01-25-new-hanover-brunswick-cape-fear-memorial-bridge-eastbound.aspx

At the City of Wilmington's request, on Jan. 27 at 8 a.m., the N.C. Department of Transportation will place barricades on 3rd Street at the intersections with Queen, Church, Nun and Orange streets. These barricades will prohibit left turns for drivers on 3rd Street, and will redirect the side-street traffic into turning right onto 3rd Street. Drivers needing to make a left turn at one of these streets will need to go to the next traffic signal on 3rd Street.

This traffic change is anticipated to help minimize the congestion on 3rd Street. The intersections will remain in this pattern until the preservation project is complete.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-01-25-new-hanover-3rd-street-closures.aspx

[Mapmikey]

In the AASHTO 2020 Autumn Meeting, they approved North Carolina's request to eliminate US 70 Business and US 258 Business through Kinston (link).

Wait so it's just gonna be Vernon Ave. now with only NC 58 showing up when you turn on Queen St.?

July 2023 GMSV shows that US 70-258 Business are now deposted...

[Strider]

This YouTube video a YouTuber driving through Greensboro on I-85, US 29 and I-40 East. US 70 and Business I-85 shields were almost completely removed. There is only two Business I-85 and US 70 signs remain on the overhead in the first a few minutes of the video, but as he drove onto US 29, there is no Business I-85 and US 70 shields on the road.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykVJAfyw0bA&t=1223s

[bob7374]

This YouTube video a YouTuber driving through Greensboro on I-85, US 29 and I-40 East. US 70 and Business I-85 shields were almost completely removed. There is only two Business I-85 and US 70 signs remain on the overhead in the first a few minutes of the video, but as he drove onto US 29, there is no Business I-85 and US 70 shields on the road.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykVJAfyw0bA&t=1223s

Thanks for the link. Like how they removed the Bus. 85 and US 70 reassurance markers from US 29 North but left the detour US 29/70 temporary detour signs in place. A quick look around various traffic cameras shows a mix of progress in route signing south of Greensboro. For example at the Baker Rd interchange it shows the backs of what I assume are just US 29 trailblazers at the ramps, but at the Kivett Dr exit just to the north, the Business 85 and US 70 shields are still in place. I could not find any evidence of US 70 shields along its new route.

[CanesFan27]

For nearly half a century - the former junction of Interstate 40 and 85 in Greensboro was one of North Carolina's most notorious stretches of highway.  Whether it was from serious - at times deadly - accidents or sloggish traffic jams, Greensboro's 'Death Valley' was one of the most notorious stretches of highways within the Carolinas.

The nearly 2.5 mile stretch of highway dates to before the formal Interstate system and until the mid-1960s included substandard interchanges and even at-grade crossings.

An approximately $6 million overhaul from 1966-68 would bring the highway up (or closer to standards). However, it wasn't that long until the highway was over-capacity. 

The 1990s saw Interstates 40 and 85 widened to handle the increased traffic load and finally Death Valley would be bypassed when the Southern portion of the Greensboro Urban Loop opened in February 2004.

The Chaotic History of Greensboro's Death Valley @ Gribblenation.

https://www.gribblenation.org/2024/02/the-chaotic-history-of-greensboros.html

[Strider]

This YouTube video a YouTuber driving through Greensboro on I-85, US 29 and I-40 East. US 70 and Business I-85 shields were almost completely removed. There is only two Business I-85 and US 70 signs remain on the overhead in the first a few minutes of the video, but as he drove onto US 29, there is no Business I-85 and US 70 shields on the road.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykVJAfyw0bA&t=1223s

Thanks for the link. Like how they removed the Bus. 85 and US 70 reassurance markers from US 29 North but left the detour US 29/70 temporary detour signs in place. A quick look around various traffic cameras shows a mix of progress in route signing south of Greensboro. For example at the Baker Rd interchange it shows the backs of what I assume are just US 29 trailblazers at the ramps, but at the Kivett Dr exit just to the north, the Business 85 and US 70 shields are still in place. I could not find any evidence of US 70 shields along its new route.

The signing project is going really slow. Hopefully I will see US-70 shields showing up on NC-68/Wendover Ave soon.

[architect77]

Speaking of signing, boy the quality of the fabrication of overhead signage in the Raleigh area is going way downhill.

I-40 Westbound at DT Raleigh has a South Saunders St. overhead where they reduced the size of the sign so much that the words barely fit on the sign. I've seen this trend of reducing the overall size of overheads across the state.

Also on I-40 Westbound at the newly reconstructed RDU airport exits, none of the new overheads consists of the former high-quality typesetting standards. I'm really disappointed in the watering down of the historical impeccable standards followed for overheads.

Why is "Raleigh" 2 sizes smaller than the rest of the letters on the other signs on I-40 at the I-540 North Exit?

On I-540 Eastbound at the US401 Louisburg exit, the "1" in the 401 is almost outside of the shield outline.

On New Bern Ave Westbound at I-440 the spacing of the words "New Bern Ave" and "DOWNTOWN" is horribly positioned.

And why isn't the faded overhead signage on I-440 and on the I-540 exit ramps being replaced?

That plus the excessive trash along EVERY highway is a huge black-eye for North Carolina.

[roadman65]

I was noticing while posting pictures on my Flickr page, that Ward Blvd in Wilson is a circular route around the central business district of that particular city.  I'm guessing it was originally built as an arterial beltway that when the city could no longer contain itself inside the Ward Blvd loop, it eventually expanded so much that Ward Blvd developed the same situation as I-610 in Houston and is now just an inner loop.