News:

The AARoads Wiki is live! Come check it out!

Main Menu

Interstate 87 (NC-VA)

Started by LM117, July 14, 2016, 12:29:05 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

LM117

According to this article, there's a chance that more projects could be added to NCDOT's STIP as a result of the recent Build NC Bond Act if the bond funds are made available by the end of the year.

https://m.thecoastlandtimes.com/2018/07/10/widened-us-64-edges-closer-to-reality/
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette


wdcrft63

North Carolina's plans to build I-87 have caused Virginians to give a lot of new consideration to the US 58 corridor, which could/should/might be upgraded. Fascinating stuff, really, but it ought to be in the Mid-Atlantic Forum.

Henry

Quote from: wdcrft63 on July 11, 2018, 05:58:04 PM
North Carolina's plans to build I-87 have caused Virginians to give a lot of new consideration to the US 58 corridor, which could/should/might be upgraded. Fascinating stuff, really, but it ought to be in the Mid-Atlantic Forum.
Since there's no even number in the 50s that is currently used, maybe they could number it I-58? After all, this was done for I-41 and I-74!
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

LM117

#753
Quote from: Henry on July 12, 2018, 10:25:39 AM
Quote from: wdcrft63 on July 11, 2018, 05:58:04 PM
North Carolina's plans to build I-87 have caused Virginians to give a lot of new consideration to the US 58 corridor, which could/should/might be upgraded. Fascinating stuff, really, but it ought to be in the Mid-Atlantic Forum.
Since there's no even number in the 50s that is currently used, maybe they could number it I-58? After all, this was done for I-41 and I-74!

Not gonna happen. Virginia is not interested in new interstates.

As for I-87, I suspect that NCDOT is aware of that fact and still plans to complete I-87 since the state line also acts as Chesapeake city limits, which would also mean that it would still technically give eastern NC an interstate link to Hampton Roads, even without VA finishing it's part. I'm not defending it, but that seems to be the rationale.
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette

sparker

Quote from: LM117 on July 12, 2018, 10:55:11 AM
Quote from: Henry on July 12, 2018, 10:25:39 AM
Quote from: wdcrft63 on July 11, 2018, 05:58:04 PM
North Carolina's plans to build I-87 have caused Virginians to give a lot of new consideration to the US 58 corridor, which could/should/might be upgraded. Fascinating stuff, really, but it ought to be in the Mid-Atlantic Forum.
Since there's no even number in the 50s that is currently used, maybe they could number it I-58? After all, this was done for I-41 and I-74!

Not gonna happen. Virginia is not interested in new interstates.

As for I-87, I suspect that NCDOT is aware of that fact and still plans to complete I-87 since the state line also acts as Chesapeake city limits, which would also mean that it would still technically give eastern NC an interstate link to Hampton Roads, even without VA finishing it's part. I'm not defending it, but that seems to be the rationale.

It's likely that NCDOT's "strategy" is to finish I-87 right to the line, which, if any increase in traffic -- particularly the commercial variety -- results in problems at the "chokepoints" (read at-grade intersections) along US 17 in Chesapeake, will prompt that city to take point on any measures to upgrade that route to a full freeway.  The saving grace is that for the most part the ROW is in place except for space required for interchange ramps -- and it's a relatively short distance.  Also -- that situation will occur several decades into the future -- so circumstances (revenue availability among them) might change.  As far as building out US 58 is concerned -- if it hasn't happened as of yet, the likelihood -- given all else -- of it occurring in the near term is miniscule. 

Beltway

#755
Other than the US-17 intersections at Dominion Commons and Grassfield High School, nothing else on Chesapeake US-17 will warrant building an interchange for at least 20 years and maybe 30.  It is already a 4-lane limited access highway south of there.


http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

Beltway

Quote from: LM117 on July 12, 2018, 10:55:11 AM
Not gonna happen. Virginia is not interested in new interstates.

They would have had one if not for the malfeasance of Governor MacA The Punk and his Regime, and the corrupt process used to kill the US-460 freeway project back in 2013.  Could have been I-62 or I-264 extension, along with a project to upgrade the highway Suffolk to Bowers Hill.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

sparker

Quote from: Beltway on July 12, 2018, 08:01:48 PM
Other than the US-17 intersections at Dominion Commons and Grassfield High School, nothing else on Chesapeake US-17 will warrant building an interchange for at least 20 years and maybe 30.  It is already a 4-lane limited access highway south of there.




The "low field" of that assessment (20 yrs.) is probably as long as it'll take NCDOT to get their segment of I-87 completed.  It's only the remaining grade intersections along Dominion that should pose any issue; the rural ones just north of the state line probably won't command much in the way of attention for the foreseeable future.

LM117

NCDOT has awarded a contract to rehab the US-17 bridges over the Dismal Swamp Canal near South Mills. Completion set for June 2019.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2018/2018-07-11-us-17-bridges-to-get-rehabilitation-work.aspx
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette

roadman65

Even if VDOT never builds the road, if NCDOT completes all of I-87 from Raleigh to the state line, it will still connect the city to the Hampton Roads Metro.  Though not to its core, but still up to its outer reaches and accessible by expressway type grade US 17.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

Beltway

"I-87" is part of the Interstate-insanity south of the border...  :pan:
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

wdcrft63

Quote from: Beltway on July 14, 2018, 02:12:34 PM
"I-87" is part of the Interstate-insanity south of the border...  :pan:
I-87 is the latest step in a decades-long effort to extend freeway connections to every part of North Carolina. It only looks like insanity north of the border.

Beltway

Quote from: wdcrft63 on July 15, 2018, 01:50:56 PM
Quote from: Beltway on July 14, 2018, 02:12:34 PM
"I-87" is part of the Interstate-insanity south of the border...  :pan:
I-87 is the latest step in a decades-long effort to extend freeway connections to every part of North Carolina. It only looks like insanity north of the border.

It looks like insanity in at least 45 other states.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

sparker

Quote from: Beltway on July 15, 2018, 02:34:55 PM
Quote from: wdcrft63 on July 15, 2018, 01:50:56 PM
Quote from: Beltway on July 14, 2018, 02:12:34 PM
"I-87" is part of the Interstate-insanity south of the border...  :pan:
I-87 is the latest step in a decades-long effort to extend freeway connections to every part of North Carolina. It only looks like insanity north of the border.

It looks like insanity in at least 45 other states.

Huh?  Let's see; there are 50 states, and currently active Interstate expansion/extension efforts in more than 5 states:

Construction in NC, TX, LA, AR, MS, TN, KY, IN, NV, with planning efforts in AZ, MO (although stifled by funding issues); add to that recently (last 5 years or so) completed projects in AL, WI, and even NY.  That's about 9 states where DOT personnel should be on the lookout for folks bearing straitjackets!  :) 

But seriously -- every state has its set of priorities; NC's just happens to be quite different from VA's; the ability to fund those priorities also varies greatly, with VA's being somewhat more constrained.  I think the argument here is arrayed along the lines of "where you stand depends upon where you sit!"  If NC has a standing freeway network program, and they elect to deploy certain corridors to Interstate standards and seek designation as such -- and they aren't doing so at the expense of maintaining what they've got (although I do think that full 6-laning of I-95 should be among their priorities), then that's their prerogative.  VA (or the NoVa MPO) has elected to restrict traffic on I-66; that's their prerogative as well.  We'll just have to see how well the various approaches fare in the longer term.  Absent a cohesive national transportation policy or plan (likely impossible with the current political climate), that's what everyone has to work with -- to reiterate a modern cliche':  it is what it is!   


LM117

Quote from: sparker on July 15, 2018, 04:05:04 PMIf NC has a standing freeway network program, and they elect to deploy certain corridors to Interstate standards and seek designation as such -- and they aren't doing so at the expense of maintaining what they've got (although I do think that full 6-laning of I-95 should be among their priorities), then that's their prerogative.

NCDOT is already planning on widening a stretch of I-95 to 8 lanes. They recently got a federal grant last month to help fund it. Part of that grant will also go towards upgrading US-70/Future I-42 to interstate standards.

https://governor.nc.gov/news/north-carolina-win-federal-grant-improve-i-95-us-70-eastern-north-carolina
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette

sparker

Quote from: LM117 on July 15, 2018, 07:18:08 PM
Quote from: sparker on July 15, 2018, 04:05:04 PMIf NC has a standing freeway network program, and they elect to deploy certain corridors to Interstate standards and seek designation as such -- and they aren't doing so at the expense of maintaining what they've got (although I do think that full 6-laning of I-95 should be among their priorities), then that's their prerogative.

NCDOT is already planning on widening a stretch of I-95 to 8 lanes. They recently got a federal grant last month to help fund it. Part of that grant will also go towards upgrading US-70/Future I-42 to interstate standards.

https://governor.nc.gov/news/north-carolina-win-federal-grant-improve-i-95-us-70-eastern-north-carolina

It'd sure be a shame if I-95 were 8 lanes in some spots only to shrink back to 4 (2+2) elsewhere.  Still think 6 lane overall would do the trick -- let's hope the remaining mileage outside the portion covered by the Fed grant is planned for upgrade in the foreseeable future. 

froggie

6 lanes overall is not necessary, both from empirical experience and my analysis from last year on I-95 traffic volumes.  In particular, volumes from Kenley to Wilson do not warrant widening.

The grant funding and the projects therein roughly correspond to the "yellow" areas on my analysis...areas with an overall LOS of D, though it's really THROUGH Lumbarton that needs the improvements more than the selected project which is between Lumbarton and Fayetteville.

Beltway

Quote from: froggie on July 15, 2018, 10:59:24 PM
6 lanes overall is not necessary, both from empirical experience and my analysis from last year on I-95 traffic volumes.  In particular, volumes from Kenley to Wilson do not warrant widening.
The grant funding and the projects therein roughly correspond to the "yellow" areas on my analysis...areas with an overall LOS of D, though it's really THROUGH Lumbarton that needs the improvements more than the selected project which is between Lumbarton and Fayetteville.

This is like I-81, if AADTs are averaged over all 7 days of the week, then some parts may not reach 6-lane warrants.

But using weekends is a different matter.  My quote from an I-81 discussion that applies equally to NC I-95:

As I mentioned, at least 20 weekends per year, using Fri-Sun definition, no section is adequate at only 4 lanes, so that meets standards (far beyond the 30th highest hourly volume) for widening the entire route.  Tennessee I-81 has exactly the same traffic issues as VA I-81, ditto for WV and MD, and PA to Harrisburg.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

branched-out

Look what I found on S. Smithfield Rd.


sparker

Now that's a unique (read weird) way of doing trailblazer signage!  One would think that with the shield array to the right, NCDOT would simply install I-87 shields at the top.  Wonder if this will be a trend or simply a "one-off"! :hmmm:

branched-out

They also added a lane here.  The lane with the shield used to be the thru-lane to stay on S. Smithfield Rd. Here's the old Google Maps view.  The triangle indicates where the shield was placed. 


I guess they figured they needed marking in the roadway to indicate what used to be a thru-lane is now a turn-only lane.

Takumi

Quote from: sparker on August 05, 2018, 02:23:25 PM
Now that's a unique (read weird) way of doing trailblazer signage!  One would think that with the shield array to the right, NCDOT would simply install I-87 shields at the top.  Wonder if this will be a trend or simply a "one-off"! :hmmm:
It definitely isn't a one-off. I've seen it with I-85 in NC and I-95 in VA.
Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.

LM117

Quote from: branched-out on August 05, 2018, 02:12:27 PM
Look what I found on S. Smithfield Rd.



Nice find! :thumbsup:

I see there aren't any I-87 North signs in those pics. I take it NCDOT still hasn't finished signing the Knightdale Bypass?
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette

bob7374

Quote from: LM117 on August 05, 2018, 05:01:00 PM
Quote from: branched-out on August 05, 2018, 02:12:27 PM
Look what I found on S. Smithfield Rd.



Nice find! :thumbsup:

I see there aren't any I-87 North signs in those pics. I take it NCDOT still hasn't finished signing the Knightdale Bypass?
No, only ground mounted I-87 signs, such as this, have been put up:


The existing I-495 signs, such as that shown, are still up and the BGSs have not been changed yet:

jcarte29

Two small trail blazers on I-40 at I-440 interchange on SE end.
Interstates I've driven on (Complete and/or partial, no particular order)
------------------
40, 85, 95, 77, 277(NC), 485(NC), 440(NC), 540(NC), 795(NC), 140(NC), 73, 74, 840(NC), 26, 20, 75, 285(GA), 81, 64, 71, 275(OH), 465(IN), 65, 264(VA), 240(NC), 295(VA), 526(SC), 985(GA), 395(FL), 195(FL)



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.