North Carolina

[wdcrft63]

Upgrading US 1 to a freeway is not a new idea; it's been in the works at least since 2006. It was selected over options that involved improvements to the existing road to help relieve congestion. I'm not hearing any significant opposition, so count on it happening.

[froggie]

^ I wouldn't fully count on it happening.  There may be minimal opposition, but it won't be cheap and NCDOT has taken a number of financial hits over the past decade.  The Legislature doesn't seem too keen on remedying that.

[Strider]

Upgrading US 1 to a freeway is not a new idea; it's been in the works at least since 2006. It was selected over options that involved improvements to the existing road to help relieve congestion. I'm not hearing any significant opposition, so count on it happening.

US 1 between I-540 and I-85 doesn't need to be a freeway. The road is fine as it is.. there are other projects that are needed in NC....SMH.

[sprjus4]

US 1 between I-540 and I-85 doesn't need to be a freeway. The road is fine as it is.. there are other projects that are needed in NC....SMH.

The portion currently planned to be upgraded certainly needs to be upgraded... north of there is debatable.

[tjcreasy]

A US 1 Freeway providing a direct connection from Raleigh to points northeast makes sense. This route if converted to a freeway would shave at least 30 minutes to Richmond. Think about the conjestion relief I-95 would receive.

[wdcrft63]

A US 1 Freeway providing a direct connection from Raleigh to points northeast makes sense. This route if converted to a freeway would shave at least 30 minutes to Richmond. Think about the conjestion relief I-95 would receive.

I-885, if we can finally finish it, will provide a direct link to Richmond via I-85 for the west half of the Triangle area.

[LM117]

A US 1 Freeway providing a direct connection from Raleigh to points northeast makes sense. This route if converted to a freeway would shave at least 30 minutes to Richmond. Think about the conjestion relief I-95 would receive.

I-885, if we can finally finish it, will provide a direct link to Richmond via I-85 for the west half of the Triangle area.

I think he's referring to reaching I-85 from northern Raleigh.

[wdcrft63]

A US 1 Freeway providing a direct connection from Raleigh to points northeast makes sense. This route if converted to a freeway would shave at least 30 minutes to Richmond. Think about the conjestion relief I-95 would receive.

I-885, if we can finally finish it, will provide a direct link to Richmond via I-85 for the west half of the Triangle area.

I think he's referring to reaching I-85 from northern Raleigh.

For the west side of Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Morrisville, with I-885 complete I-85 will be as easy to reach as US 1 and much easier to reach than I-95.

[tjcreasy]

A US 1 Freeway providing a direct connection from Raleigh to points northeast makes sense. This route if converted to a freeway would shave at least 30 minutes to Richmond. Think about the conjestion relief I-95 would receive.

I-885, if we can finally finish it, will provide a direct link to Richmond via I-85 for the west half of the Triangle area.

I think he's referring to reaching I-85 from northern Raleigh.

You are correct I-885 will be a vastly improved second option for trips originating in Raleigh bound for the northeast unless you're in the Briar Creek area. Don't get me wrong, I-885 is much needed but true travel savings between the northeast and Raleigh only comes in the form of a US 1 conversation to freeway (it's only 30 miles give or take). 

Fixed quote. - rmf67

[wdcrft63]

I'm not aware of any plans to widen I-85 northeast of Durham, but I suspect I-885 will direct so much more traffic in that direction that there will be a need to widen I-85 at least from I-885 to the US 15 exit north of Falls Lake.

[wriddle082]

I'm not aware of any plans to widen I-85 northeast of Durham, but I suspect I-885 will direct so much more traffic in that direction that there will be a need to widen I-85 at least from I-885 to the US 15 exit north of Falls Lake.

I have hit I-85 north around the future I-885 interchange a few times recently around afternoon rush hour when heading from Charlotte to Hampton Roads.  It does seem to back up as the lanes drop beyond that interchange.  It probably does need to be widened right now to US 15 at the very least.

[Strider]

US 1 between I-540 and I-85 doesn't need to be a freeway. The road is fine as it is.. there are other projects that are needed in NC....SMH.

The portion currently planned to be upgraded certainly needs to be upgraded... north of there is debatable.

Sorry, I disagree. There are more desirable projects out there that has been sitting for years.

[hbelkins]

News item: "Dean Smith, Roy Williams To Be Honored Along Stretches of I-40"

Comment: The section named for Smith will be prone to stalls and slowdowns.

[jdunlop]

News item: "Dean Smith, Roy Williams To Be Honored Along Stretches of I-40"

Comment: The section named for Smith will be prone to stalls and slowdowns.

Not sure there's four corners on the segment.  (So many on here have no idea what we're talking about!)

I'd offer some more comments, but this Duke grad will refrain. 

[Dirt Roads]

News item: "Dean Smith, Roy Williams To Be Honored Along Stretches of I-40"

Comment: The section named for Smith will be prone to stalls and slowdowns.

Not sure there's four corners on the segment.  (So many on here have no idea what we're talking about!)

I'd offer some more comments, but this Duke grad will refrain. 

Ouch!  The Triangle has now officially become "The Four Corners".  But H. B. was clairvoyant:  I-40 was down to 10MPH on the entire Roy Williams Freeway this morning (and presumably the Dean Smith Freeway as well, but I got off in Chapel Hill to bypass the whole mess).  One of the local radio traffic "forecasters" calls this "slugisity".

[tolbs17]

I-95 in Rocky Mount has the Nov 2021 imagery:

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.9692113,-77.8820355,3a,89.5y,174.46h,82.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1slflXA3zTLKHlOuh9KoiNHg!2e0!5s20211101T000000!7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0649399,-77.8217535,3a,75y,187.4h,88.07t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJR7cmutP4oLK_wzOKVo97w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 - looks so bare when seeing them cut all the trees down...

[hbelkins]

News item: "Dean Smith, Roy Williams To Be Honored Along Stretches of I-40"

Comment: The section named for Smith will be prone to stalls and slowdowns.

Not sure there's four corners on the segment.  (So many on here have no idea what we're talking about!)

I'd offer some more comments, but this Duke grad will refrain. 

Dean Smith is probably the person most responsible for college basketball adopting a shot clock.

Believe it or not, one of the most exciting high school basketball games I ever saw ended up with a final score of 18-16. It was my senior year of high school and our team was playing the high school from a neighboring county. They were overmatched so their game plan was to take the air out of the ball if they got the lead. Once they did get the lead, they did just that and went into the four corners. I forget what happened to give my school the ball and the opportunity to tie the game and then take the lead, but the crowd was really into it. They were cheering and clapping and stomping the bleacher floors with their feet. It was raucous.

[VTGoose]

News item: "Dean Smith, Roy Williams To Be Honored Along Stretches of I-40"

Comment: The section named for Smith will be prone to stalls and slowdowns.

Not sure there's four corners on the segment.  (So many on here have no idea what we're talking about!)

I'd offer some more comments, but this Duke grad will refrain. 

So when a section of highway is named for Coach K, anyone displaying some type of dook logo will be allowed to do anything while visitors will be heavily penalized for minor infractions?

[hbelkins]

News item: "Dean Smith, Roy Williams To Be Honored Along Stretches of I-40"

Comment: The section named for Smith will be prone to stalls and slowdowns.

Not sure there's four corners on the segment.  (So many on here have no idea what we're talking about!)

I'd offer some more comments, but this Duke grad will refrain. 

So when a section of highway is named for Coach K, anyone displaying some type of dook logo will be allowed to do anything while visitors will be heavily penalized for minor infractions?

No, the least little breeze, and all the signs will blow over. 

[Mapmikey]

Name Toll 540 after Coach K so that in perpetuity charges can be taken from visitors...

[architect77]

A US 1 Freeway providing a direct connection from Raleigh to points northeast makes sense. This route if converted to a freeway would shave at least 30 minutes to Richmond. Think about the conjestion relief I-95 would receive.

I-885, if we can finally finish it, will provide a direct link to Richmond via I-85 for the west half of the Triangle area.

I think he's referring to reaching I-85 from northern Raleigh.

You are correct I-885 will be a vastly improved second option for trips originating in Raleigh bound for the northeast unless you're in the Briar Creek area. Don't get me wrong, I-885 is much needed but true travel savings between the northeast and Raleigh only comes in the form of a US 1 conversation to freeway (it's only 30 miles give or take). 

Fixed quote. - rmf67

I guarantee you that NC isn't ever going to prioritize easier travel out of the state.

If they do anything ln US1with NC gas tax revenue it will be for thre benefit of NC residents living North of Raleigh.

Remember North Carolina is so full of itself that there is little reason to ever venture outside the state's borders.

[tjcreasy]

I would agree with you if I-73, I-74, and I-785 didn't exist. Also don't forget about the state's justification for I-495 (which has now been replaced by I-87). Outside of the High Point bypass, and the east side of Winston Salem's northern beltway, those highways mostly benefit a small rural population base and out of state travel. An upgraded US 1 would improve safety along the corridor, significantly reduce travel times to and from the northeast, provide relief to a dangerous section of I-95 that may see a significant uptick in truck traffic if CCX is successful in catalyzing industrial growth, and improve job access to the economically distressed counties to the north. Personally I expect Granville County will see an influx in growth that will cause significant congestion on I-85 as a result of the reduced commute times after I-885 opens. With all of that said, we will likely never see this happen because the growth spilling in into Franklin County will make the future cost of this freeway conversion difficult without converting the highway to a toll facility. There are so many parallels between US 1 in the Raleigh area and US 74 in the Charlotte area.

[LM117]

NCDOT has awarded a contract to widen and make other improvements to NC-211 between NC-87 in Southport and NC-906. Work will begin early next year with completion expected in fall 2026.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2021/2021-12-14-nc-211-widening-southport.aspx

[wdcrft63]

NCDOT has awarded a contract to widen and make other improvements to NC-211 between NC-87 in Southport and NC-906. Work will begin early next year with completion expected in fall 2026.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2021/2021-12-14-nc-211-widening-southport.aspx

The interchange of NC 211 and NC 133 has been needed for about 20 years, so this is good news even if long delayed.

[KCRoadFan]

Here's a North Carolina road question I've always had: as for the I-40/I-85 multiplex between Greensboro and Durham, why does it use I-85's exit numbers instead of I-40's? Because that section runs largely east-west and I-40 is the default/dominant roadway at either end, that convention makes absolutely no sense. What was NCDOT's reasoning behind that state of affairs regarding the mile markers, if any?