North Carolina

[carbaugh2]

When the US 64 Asheboro Bypass opens, can someone drive along it and get pictures of the new bypass? I don't want to have to wait for Google Maps and its Street View to be updated to see what this new roadway looks like.

Just use the search phrase "Tom Allen Asheboro 64bypass" on YouTube. He has been providing drone updates (over 300 now) throughout construction.

[The Ghostbuster]

I just watched the YouTube video. It was better than any photography of the road would have been! Thanks carbaugh2. Also, I'm glad that they numbered the exits on the bypass, although I suppose that is standard procedure for North Carolina's Department of Transportation.

[LM117]

The Asheboro Bypass is very close to completion.

Per NCDOT, as of today, opening is currently slated for mid-December.
https://twitter.com/NCDOT/status/1334533710478270467

It opens this Friday afternoon.

https://greensboro.com/news/local/us-64-bypass-expected-to-ease-dixie-drive-traffic-in-asheboro-starting-friday/article_99a0536e-3eec-11eb-a81f-274962d0c27f.html

[bob7374]

The Asheboro Bypass is very close to completion.

Per NCDOT, as of today, opening is currently slated for mid-December.
https://twitter.com/NCDOT/status/1334533710478270467

It opens this Friday afternoon.

https://greensboro.com/news/local/us-64-bypass-expected-to-ease-dixie-drive-traffic-in-asheboro-starting-friday/article_99a0536e-3eec-11eb-a81f-274962d0c27f.html

The Bypass is open, here's the official NCDOT press release:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-12-18-asheboro-bypass-opens.aspx

[LM117]

The Asheboro Bypass is very close to completion.

Per NCDOT, as of today, opening is currently slated for mid-December.
https://twitter.com/NCDOT/status/1334533710478270467

It opens this Friday afternoon.

https://greensboro.com/news/local/us-64-bypass-expected-to-ease-dixie-drive-traffic-in-asheboro-starting-friday/article_99a0536e-3eec-11eb-a81f-274962d0c27f.html

The Bypass is open, here's the official NCDOT press release:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-12-18-asheboro-bypass-opens.aspx

Someone took a cruise on the bypass and posted it on YouTube.

[CanesFan27]

Drove the new Asheboro bypass today on the way back from Hillsborough.  Photo set westbound.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/adamontheroad/albums/72157717481245257

[LM117]

Annual toll rate increase for the Triangle Expressway and Monroe Expressway goes into effect this Friday.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-12-29-annual-toll-rate-increase.aspx

[ARMOURERERIC]

The I74 extension on the WS Beltline still is not showing on Google maps, must not be much traffic

[LM117]

The I74 extension on the WS Beltline still is not showing on Google maps, must not be much traffic

They usually take their sweet time updating Maps. I'm actually surprised they updated as quick as they did to show the US-64 Asheboro Bypass and the newest section of I-840 in Greensboro.

[The Ghostbuster]

Here in Wisconsin, there has been no terrain update for the Baraboo bypass on US 12, and that project has been completed since October 2017. No wonder everyone says Google Maps Sucks! I still use it because I love the Street View mode.

[Stephane Dumas]

No wonder everyone says Google Maps Sucks! I still use it because I love the Street View mode.

Same for me, if only Apple Maps was more widely available for Windows users (you could still use it via DuckDuckGo.com or Satellites.pro but without all Apple Maps features) and Bing Maps decide to cover Canada with Streetside. Maybe that'll shake things at Google maps, I know I should stop dreaming in color.

[CanesFan27]

Just completed a nice sized update to how North Carolina eventually built I-40 from the Triangle to Wilmington.  A lot of the information in this update deals with how the extension of I-40 to I-95 gradually moved south from Smithfield to Four Oaks and ultimately near Benson.

A few things of note:

1. A Benson Lawyer named Joe Levinson was instrumental in moving 40 from Smithfield to Benson and eventually Wilmington.
2. NCDOT had a number of different corridors in the early 70s and attempted a number of compromises by attempting to split 40 into two spurs (the split pretty much would occur near Clayton)
3. It really wasn't until 1977 that the Benson route was decided upon - the decision to extend to Wilmington would happen one year later.
4. Finally, part of NC's current interstate blitz can be traced to 1) the 1968 request for various extensions but also to the final decision to route 40 to Wilmington.  If routed to Morehead City - we would still have had a strong push to built an Interstate to Wilmington and it may have come earlier than the relatively recent designation of I-42 to Morehead City.

The updated information begins in the Saga of the last 120 Miles section.

https://www.gribblenation.org/2016/08/to-shore-north-carolinas-struggle-to.html

[RoadPelican]

I drove past the site of the NW Rockingham bypass yesterday.  NCDOT has made considerable progress since I last passed thru in August.  When heading south on US 220 as the freeway transitions into an at-grade highway and around the BIG curve you can now see the actual pavement beds heading SW under the Harrington Road overpass.

Back in August, there was no pavement bed just grass!

The weather was rainy so I could not stop and get a picture or video.

[bob7374]

I drove past the site of the NW Rockingham bypass yesterday.  NCDOT has made considerable progress since I last passed thru in August.  When heading south on US 220 as the freeway transitions into an at-grade highway and around the BIG curve you can now see the actual pavement beds heading SW under the Harrington Road overpass.

Back in August, there was no pavement bed just grass!

The weather was rainy so I could not stop and get a picture or video.

Here's a photo of the future interchange with US 74, courtesy of Tracy Hamm:

[LM117]

NCDOT awarded a contract for improvements to all 6 miles of US-29 in Caswell County between Rockingham County and the VA state line.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2021/2021-01-04-us-29-caswell-county-resurfacing.aspx

[74/171FAN]

NCDOT awarded a contract for improvements to all 6 miles of US-29 in Caswell County between Rockingham County and the VA state line.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2021/2021-01-04-us-29-caswell-county-resurfacing.aspx

I wonder if this is I-785 related.

[sprjus4]

NCDOT awarded a contract for improvements to all 6 miles of US-29 in Caswell County between Rockingham County and the VA state line.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2021/2021-01-04-us-29-caswell-county-resurfacing.aspx

I wonder if this is I-785 related.

Just seems like a routine maintenance / resurfacing project, the segment already meets interstate standards. The portion of the US-29 freeway through Reidsville was resurfaced a couple years back.

[WashuOtaku]

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

[Mr. ENC]

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.?

[RoadPelican]

The newest section of the Winston-Salem Beltway (Us 158 to US 311) has now been placed on Google Maps.  The only issue is they left half of the interchange at US 158 off.  There was a similar problem with the Lawndale Drive interchange in Greensboro, but that was recently fixed.

[sprjus4]

Speed Limit Increasing on Two Roads in Onslow County

JACKSONVILLE — The N.C. Department of Transportation is increasing the speed limits of two sections of roadways in Onslow County.

Based on the results of a recent study by the department with the City of Jacksonville's support, Jacksonville Bypass (U.S. 17/N.C. 24) between U.S. 258 and Marine Boulevard (U.S. 17 Business) will increase from 55 mph to 60 mph. Jacksonville Parkway from Marine Boulevard to Western Boulevard (N.C. 53) will increase from 45 mph to 50 mph.

Drivers should remain alert over several days next week as crews will need to change out multiple signs to reflect the new speed limits. The changes are expected to happen beginning Jan. 19 and between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day. The work is weather dependent.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

After being delayed nearly two years, the project to rehabilitate North Carolina's tallest bridge(s) will be let in March. The project, located on I-26 in Henderson County, will replace the deck and superstructure of the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge and tie the two structures into one. Both structures are currently rated as structurally deficient.

15BPR.20 Plans

[sparker]

After being delayed nearly two years, the project to rehabilitate North Carolina's tallest bridge(s) will be let in March. The project, located on I-26 in Henderson County, will replace the deck and superstructure of the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge and tie the two structures into one. Both structures are currently rated as structurally deficient.

15BPR.20 Plans

That's similar to what Caltrans did with the CA 99 bridge over the San Joaquin River north of Fresno; took the two existing 2-lane bridges (one built in the 1930's when the alignment was selected, the other built in the '50's when it was twinned as an expressway), both of which were, like the I-26 bridges, structurally questionable when the reconstruction was planned -- and placed a crossing span beween them, cantilevered from each of the original bridges' support structure.   Caltrans D6 elected to only stripe the bridge for 4 lanes, leaving the inner two unused for the time being, likely because the portion of the freeway in Madera County north of the bridge was only itself 4 lanes, while the Fresno County portion to the south had been widened to 6 lanes earlier.

[fillup420]

After being delayed nearly two years, the project to rehabilitate North Carolina's tallest bridge(s) will be let in March. The project, located on I-26 in Henderson County, will replace the deck and superstructure of the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge and tie the two structures into one. Both structures are currently rated as structurally deficient.

15BPR.20 Plans

drove over that bridge a few months ago. Its hard to tell its the tallest bridge in the state by the view off either side, but i think i will wait to drive over it again until after the work is done.....

[cowboy_wilhelm]

It's unfortunate that NCDOT didn't expand the project limits of project I-4400 (the I-26 widening) beyond U.S. 25 to include the stretch across Green River. That section desperately needs truck climbing lanes, particularly westbound. While the widened structure could theoretically accommodate three lanes with a design exception, I don't believe the approaches on either side will be able to receive a design exception due to the geometry of the alignment. There is a 50 mph advisory sign on the eastbound approach, and the profile in the roadway plans notes that the design speed is 50 mph for the curves on both sides of the bridge, which does not meet the posted speed limit of 55 mph. This is an $18 million band-aid to keep the existing structures from falling apart since NCDOT can't seem to start planning for anything until it's 30 years overdue.