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Interstate 73/74

Started by Voyager, January 18, 2009, 08:09:48 AM

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Strider

Hopefully this weekend,  I will get to drive around I-73 corridor and take pictures. I cannot wait to drive on I-73 once the connector from I-840 to NC 68 is completed this year.

Also, I forgot to mention that in Rockingham, NC area where they are upgrading that section of US 220, I remember looking at one of their MPO TIP for US 220 Rockingham Bypass, and there are exit lists proposed for that section:

Exit 22- US 220 South, Rockingham
Exit 20- Cartledge Creek Rd.
Exit 17- Blewitt Falls Rd.
Exit 15- US 74 West/Business US 74 East- Charlotte, Rockingham

I bet that other states realize how serious NCDOT is about building and extending I-73, they probably will finally do something about it.


74/171FAN

Quote from: Strider on May 06, 2016, 01:16:42 AM
I bet that other states realize how serious NCDOT is about building and extending I-73, they probably will finally do something about it.

I doubt that.  The town of Blacksburg cannot even convince VDOT to put an interchange on US 460 at the north end of the Blacksburg Bypass.  (Note that VDOT still has not figured out the exact plan to get to Roanoke, if I remember correctly)

That is not even considering the cost of upgrading US 460 to interstate standards through Narrows, plus the planned Tolsia Highway and King Coal Highway along US 52 in WV is planned to have at-grade intersections.  (as others on the forum have mentioned before) 
I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.

CanesFan27

Quote from: Strider on May 06, 2016, 01:16:42 AM
Hopefully this weekend,  I will get to drive around I-73 corridor and take pictures. I cannot wait to drive on I-73 once the connector from I-840 to NC 68 is completed this year.

Also, I forgot to mention that in Rockingham, NC area where they are upgrading that section of US 220, I remember looking at one of their MPO TIP for US 220 Rockingham Bypass, and there are exit lists proposed for that section:

Exit 22- US 220 South, Rockingham
Exit 20- Cartledge Creek Rd.
Exit 17- Blewitt Falls Rd.
Exit 15- US 74 West/Business US 74 East- Charlotte, Rockingham

I bet that other states realize how serious NCDOT is about building and extending I-73, they probably will finally do something about it.
Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 06, 2016, 06:13:03 AM
Quote from: Strider on May 06, 2016, 01:16:42 AM
I bet that other states realize how serious NCDOT is about building and extending I-73, they probably will finally do something about it.

I doubt that.  The town of Blacksburg cannot even convince VDOT to put an interchange on US 460 at the north end of the Blacksburg Bypass.  (Note that VDOT still has not figured out the exact plan to get to Roanoke, if I remember correctly)

That is not even considering the cost of upgrading US 460 to interstate standards through Narrows, plus the planned Tolsia Highway and King Coal Highway along US 52 in WV is planned to have at-grade intersections.  (as others on the forum have mentioned before) 

Though I agree it will be decades for Virginia and elsewhere - however, if you read mtr posts from 15 years ago - no one thought I-69 would get done in Indiana along with other Interstate or even ARC (Corridor H) projects.  Political influence and overall needs change - for the good and bad.  I do think that in time 73 will at least make it from 81 to Myrtle Beach and 74 from Mount Airy to Myrtle Beack.  After that - i'll most likely be dead.

SP Cook

The idea that OH, which has perfectly fine non-interstate four lanes that are where this 73 and 74 are supposed to be; or WV, which is flat broke and which would have to build 168 miles of interstate through the most mountainous and, frankly economic development potential free, places east of the Mississippi, all to save a whopping FOUR MILES in distance over the current existing 64 and 77 between 64 Exit 1 and 77 Exit 1, simply because NC is building roads which (mis) use the same numbers is not realistic. 

OH is happy as is.  WV will probably build a connector to the Prichard Intermodal facility and whatever the coal companies are willing to do with their current Tolsia deal and leave it at that.  Really it serves no purpose south of Prichard in WV whatsoever, WV has other (mostly equally quixotic) irons in the fire, and is just flat broke.


MazdaStrider

Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 06, 2016, 06:13:03 AM
Quote from: Strider on May 06, 2016, 01:16:42 AM
I bet that other states realize how serious NCDOT is about building and extending I-73, they probably will finally do something about it.

I doubt that.  The town of Blacksburg cannot even convince VDOT to put an interchange on US 460 at the north end of the Blacksburg Bypass.  (Note that VDOT still has not figured out the exact plan to get to Roanoke, if I remember correctly)

That is not even considering the cost of upgrading US 460 to interstate standards through Narrows, plus the planned Tolsia Highway and King Coal Highway along US 52 in WV is planned to have at-grade intersections.  (as others on the forum have mentioned before)



If you are talking about I-73 from the state line to Roanoke, they already have a proposed routing.

CanesFan27

Quote from: SP Cook on May 06, 2016, 10:04:07 AM
The idea that OH, which has perfectly fine non-interstate four lanes that are where this 73 and 74 are supposed to be; or WV, which is flat broke and which would have to build 168 miles of interstate through the most mountainous and, frankly economic development potential free, places east of the Mississippi, all to save a whopping FOUR MILES in distance over the current existing 64 and 77 between 64 Exit 1 and 77 Exit 1, simply because NC is building roads which (mis) use the same numbers is not realistic. 

OH is happy as is.  WV will probably build a connector to the Prichard Intermodal facility and whatever the coal companies are willing to do with their current Tolsia deal and leave it at that.  Really it serves no purpose south of Prichard in WV whatsoever, WV has other (mostly equally quixotic) irons in the fire, and is just flat broke.



Wasn't the 73/74 designations done legislatively?

wdcrft63

Quote from: CanesFan27 on May 06, 2016, 11:29:48 AM
Wasn't the 73/74 designations done legislatively?
Yes, that is correct.

Mapmikey

Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 06, 2016, 06:13:03 AM
Quote from: Strider on May 06, 2016, 01:16:42 AM
I bet that other states realize how serious NCDOT is about building and extending I-73, they probably will finally do something about it.

I doubt that.  The town of Blacksburg cannot even convince VDOT to put an interchange on US 460 at the north end of the Blacksburg Bypass.  (Note that VDOT still has not figured out the exact plan to get to Roanoke, if I remember correctly)

That is not even considering the cost of upgrading US 460 to interstate standards through Narrows, plus the planned Tolsia Highway and King Coal Highway along US 52 in WV is planned to have at-grade intersections.  (as others on the forum have mentioned before) 

When VDOT was considering running I-77 along the VA 100 and US 460 corridors to connect to the WV Tpk at Princeton, they had a tunnel planned in the Narrows area, so even then (1960) upgrading directly along 460 was deemed not an easy or cheap choice...

jcarte29

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)

CanesFan27

Quote from: wdcrft63 on May 06, 2016, 04:39:39 PM
Quote from: CanesFan27 on May 06, 2016, 11:29:48 AM
Wasn't the 73/74 designations done legislatively?
Yes, that is correct.

So contrary to SP, NC is not mis-using the number I would gather?

LM117

Quote from: Strider on May 06, 2016, 01:16:42 AMI bet that other states realize how serious NCDOT is about building and extending I-73, they probably will finally do something about it.

I wouldn't count on it. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see I-73 finished from Roanoke to Myrtle Beach. However, there's no political will or support for I-73 in VA except from the city leaders in Roanoke and Martinsville, who have been very vocal about wanting I-73 built, since it would run through some of the most economically depressed areas in the state, especially around Martinsville. Northern VA seems to rule the roost here, so unless there is major political change, I doubt I-73 will ever be built in VA. As far as I-73 in SC goes, I'll believe it when I see it.
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette

CobaltYoshi27

Quote from: LM117 on May 06, 2016, 06:50:24 PM
Quote from: Strider on May 06, 2016, 01:16:42 AMI bet that other states realize how serious NCDOT is about building and extending I-73, they probably will finally do something about it.

I wouldn't count on it. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see I-73 finished from Roanoke to Myrtle Beach. However, there's no political will or support for I-73 in VA except from the city leaders in Roanoke and Martinsville, who have been very vocal about wanting I-73 built, since it would run through some of the most economically depressed areas in the state, especially around Martinsville. Northern VA seems to rule the roost here, so unless there is major political change, I doubt I-73 will ever be built in VA. As far as I-73 in SC goes, I'll believe it when I see it.

It would be nice to see built. Would offer an easy way to get to Myrtle Beach.
I's traveled:
10(TX) 20(TX) 24(TN) 30(TX) 35(TX) 40(TN) 45(TX) 64(KY-VA) 65(TN-KY) 66(VA-DC) 68(WV-MD) 69(TX) 70(IN-MD) 71(OH) 75(TN-MI) 76(OH-NJ) 77(VA-OH) 78(PA-NJ) 79(WV-PA) 80(OH-NJ) 81(TN-NY) 83(MD-PA) 84(NY-MA) 86(PA-NY) 87(NY) 88(NY) 89(NH-VT) 90(OH-MA) 91(CT-VT) 93(MA-NH) 95(NC-MA) 99(PA)

CanesFan27

Quote from: CobaltYoshi27 on May 06, 2016, 07:01:42 PM
Quote from: LM117 on May 06, 2016, 06:50:24 PM
Quote from: Strider on May 06, 2016, 01:16:42 AMI bet that other states realize how serious NCDOT is about building and extending I-73, they probably will finally do something about it.

I wouldn't count on it. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see I-73 finished from Roanoke to Myrtle Beach. However, there's no political will or support for I-73 in VA except from the city leaders in Roanoke and Martinsville, who have been very vocal about wanting I-73 built, since it would run through some of the most economically depressed areas in the state, especially around Martinsville. Northern VA seems to rule the roost here, so unless there is major political change, I doubt I-73 will ever be built in VA. As far as I-73 in SC goes, I'll believe it when I see it.

It would be nice to see built. Would offer an easy way to get to Myrtle Beach.

everything is in place - it's just SC politics in the way

Strider

Quote from: LM117 on May 06, 2016, 06:50:24 PM
Quote from: Strider on May 06, 2016, 01:16:42 AMI bet that other states realize how serious NCDOT is about building and extending I-73, they probably will finally do something about it.

I wouldn't count on it. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see I-73 finished from Roanoke to Myrtle Beach. However, there's no political will or support for I-73 in VA except from the city leaders in Roanoke and Martinsville, who have been very vocal about wanting I-73 built, since it would run through some of the most economically depressed areas in the state, especially around Martinsville. Northern VA seems to rule the roost here, so unless there is major political change, I doubt I-73 will ever be built in VA. As far as I-73 in SC goes, I'll believe it when I see it.


I-73 will be built. I have put a faith on it. Only from Roanoke to Myrtle Beach even if it takes 20+ years to get it done. Anything else is just a pipe dream.

SP Cook

Quote from: CanesFan27 on May 06, 2016, 05:59:06 PM
Quote from: wdcrft63 on May 06, 2016, 04:39:39 PM
Quote from: CanesFan27 on May 06, 2016, 11:29:48 AM
Wasn't the 73/74 designations done legislatively?
Yes, that is correct.

So contrary to SP, NC is not mis-using the number I would gather?

If a legislature calls a tail a leg, a dog still just has four legs.


Tom958

Quote from: bob7374 on May 04, 2016, 11:24:15 PM
Thanks to MazdaStrider, here is one of the new BGSs placed along Bryan Blvd. in anticipation of the completion of I-73 north of Greensboro later this year:


I decided to have a closer look at this area today, and I noticed that... originally, the onramp to westbound Bryan Boulevard from Fleming Road was built as a future auxiliary lane which would exit at the future offramp to 840 north. It was striped as an overlong but otherwise typical parallel onramp terminal. Then, just beyond where it ended, the taper for the decel lane for the loop offramp to 73-840 south began:

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1162367,-79.9050861,3a,75y,282.75h,76.14t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sbGT1gOOQk1isQRdfODcTXQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Now, as the above photo shows, the auxiliary lane is being extended to connect to the decel lane, and... an additional auxiliary lane is being built outboard of that! That's why there's an exit only tab on the shrouded sign for the 840 north exit. I suppose there could be a capacity reason for doing this, but I suspect that the main reason is to provide enough room to allow the options to be signed comprehensibly. Wow.

Now I'm really curious as to how far back that extra lane begins.

Strider

Quote from: Tom958 on May 08, 2016, 10:38:36 AM
Quote from: bob7374 on May 04, 2016, 11:24:15 PM
Thanks to MazdaStrider, here is one of the new BGSs placed along Bryan Blvd. in anticipation of the completion of I-73 north of Greensboro later this year:


I decided to have a closer look at this area today, and I noticed that... originally, the onramp to westbound Bryan Boulevard from Fleming Road was built as a future auxiliary lane which would exit at the future offramp to 840 north. It was striped as an overlong but otherwise typical parallel onramp terminal. Then, just beyond where it ended, the taper for the decel lane for the loop offramp to 73-840 south began:

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1162367,-79.9050861,3a,75y,282.75h,76.14t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sbGT1gOOQk1isQRdfODcTXQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Now, as the above photo shows, the auxiliary lane is being extended to connect to the decel lane, and... an additional auxiliary lane is being built outboard of that! That's why there's an exit only tab on the shrouded sign for the 840 north exit. I suppose there could be a capacity reason for doing this, but I suspect that the main reason is to provide enough room to allow the options to be signed comprehensibly. Wow.

Now I'm really curious as to how far back that extra lane begins.


According to the signage plans I saw a couple of weeks ago surrounding this interchange, the auxiliary lane for 840 East was to begin when Bryan Blvd curves to meet the current photo you see.

There will be a few modifications made to this interchange just like one you observed.


bob7374

Thanks to Strider, I was able to get hold of images of the new exit signs that will be going up along I-73 north of the PTI Airport. Here's signage related to the 2 NC 68 exits:


All the images are on their appropriate I-73 Segment pages, starting with Segment 2:
http://www.gribblenation.net/i7374nc/i73seg2.html

Mapmikey

I notice some NC 220 shields on the first image of the segment 2 page...wonder if the contractor will dutifully install them because they're shown that way...?

Henry

I say that was a mistake. Lots of routes get signed with the wrong shields, so I wouldn't be surprised if they put them up.
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

bob7374

Strider was kind enough to forward photos he took of I-73 construction north of Greensboro, and the appearance of this Future I-73 sign on US 220 North:


All the images are available either on my I-73 Segment 2 and 3:
http://www.gribblenation.net/i7374nc/i73seg2.html or
Segment 4 pages:
http://www.gribblenation.net/i7374nc/i73seg4.html

LM117

#646
Nice to see I-73 coming along. Are there any more projects scheduled for I-73 towards VA or is NCDOT waiting to see if VA is actually going to build their part from the state line to US-58 in Martinsville first before spending any more money on an interstate that won't likely cross state lines anytime soon?
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette

MazdaStrider

Quote from: LM117 on May 10, 2016, 11:52:16 AM
Nice to see I-73 coming along. Are there any more projects scheduled for I-73 towards VA or is NCDOT waiting to see if VA is actually going to build their part from the state line to US-58 in Martinsville first before spending any more money on an interstate that won't likely cross state lines anytime soon?



I believe NCDOT is waiting for VDOT to start something on their part, but they have it listed as under construction after 2025, however.

WashuOtaku

Quote from: LM117 on May 10, 2016, 11:52:16 AM
Nice to see I-73 coming along. Are there any more projects scheduled for I-73 towards VA or is NCDOT waiting to see if VA is actually going to build their part from the state line to US-58 in Martinsville first before spending any more money on an interstate that won't likely cross state lines anytime soon?

The current STIP has a bridge replacement over Norfolk-Southern Railway in 2018 (#B-5352) and an interchange widening at US 311/NC 135 in 2022 (#I-5898). 

LM117

Thanks for the info, guys. So, once the new terrain I-73 opens from Bryan Blvd. to US-220 north of Greensboro, the rest of the corridor to VA is just upgrading US-220, correct? Also, I found the latest (dated 2012) I-73 VA corridor map for anybody interested. Apologies in advance if this has already been posted.

“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette



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