Interstate 42

[architect77]

^

The bypasses don't really add much mileage.

Clayton - 1 mile added
- US-70 Business - 13 miles
- I-40 / US-70 - 14 miles

Selma - 0 miles added
- US-70 - 3 miles
- US-70 Bypass - 3 miles

Princeton - 0.1 miles added
- Old US-70 - 1.6 miles
- US-70 - 1.7 miles

Goldsboro - 1 mile added
- US-70 - 19 miles
- US-70 Bypass - 20 miles

La Grange - 0.1 mile removed
- Old US-70 - 4.5 miles
- US-70 - 4.4 miles

Dover to New Bern - 1 mile removed
- Old US-70 - 27 miles
- US-70 - 26 miles

In total, only about 1 mile is added which is moot on a 100+ mile route. The Kinston Bypass will not add any distance as most of it will upgrade the existing road, and the Havelock Bypass may add 1 or 2 miles.

I must have gotten that impression from looking at the semi loops on a map. It seems like it's adding miles.

Only in NC could you list 3 routes for every section to compare distances. Lots of ways to go anywhere.

People in Louisburg going to Atlantic Beach form 3 groups: taking NC39 to 70 which is dangerously lacking in proper shoulders ,etc., my favorite which is NC581 to 70 via Bailey and Spring Hope, and there's another route to the North I can't remember off hand. I'm not counting a 4th option which is just go through Raleigh to 70.

[The Ghostbuster]

Where exactly will future Interstate 42 terminate in Morehead City? There are a number of places they could end the roadway. Also, once 42 is completed in full, is it possible that US 70 could be truncated to Interstate 40 in Auburn, with existing 70 from Morehead City to Atlantic becoming an extension of NC 12 or NC 24?

[sprjus4]

^

Unless the Northern Carteret Bypass is constructed, I-42 will likely terminate at the southern end of the Havelock Bypass.

[Roadsguy]

Where exactly will future Interstate 42 terminate in Morehead City? There are a number of places they could end the roadway. Also, once 42 is completed in full, is it possible that US 70 could be truncated to Interstate 40 in Auburn, with existing 70 from Morehead City to Atlantic becoming an extension of NC 12 or NC 24?

I think they should keep US 70, but reroute it onto the current Business 70 between Clayton and Smithfield, as well as rerouting it back though Havelock. (Plans for the bypass include rerouting US 70 onto the bypass and creating another Business 70 through the town.) They've already kept US 70 proper on its original (or, rather, then-current) alignment through Goldsboro and probably will again through Kinston.

[Finrod]

Where exactly will future Interstate 42 terminate in Morehead City? There are a number of places they could end the roadway. Also, once 42 is completed in full, is it possible that US 70 could be truncated to Interstate 40 in Auburn, with existing 70 from Morehead City to Atlantic becoming an extension of NC 12 or NC 24?

I think they should keep US 70, but reroute it onto the current Business 70 between Clayton and Smithfield, as well as rerouting it back though Havelock. (Plans for the bypass include rerouting US 70 onto the bypass and creating another Business 70 through the town.) They've already kept US 70 proper on its original (or, rather, then-current) alignment through Goldsboro and probably will again through Kinston.

I agree.  Presuming they use 70 Bypass for I-42 there in Selma/Smithfield and reroute I-95 slightly so that they can build an interchange between those two in what's currently an open field with solar panels in it (like the plans I've seen have it), they can also extend US 70-A across I-95 for a mile and a half on what's currently US 70 to where 70 and 70 Bypass split just to the NW of I-95.

[architect77]

Johnston county already has 4 different US70s. Crazy, but NC does love to build a bypass.

[orulz]

This is my take for US70 and I-42 in Selma/Smithfield. (Assumes the I-95 realignment they talked about a few years back)

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1BaSudrqbAl1mqUH8rnlpA6EujDjmz0_1&usp=sharing

[sernum]

I refuse to believe they cant come up with a groundbreaking innovative design for an interchange that doesn't require the gargantuan task of moving a critically important interstate.

[LM117]

Where exactly will future Interstate 42 terminate in Morehead City? There are a number of places they could end the roadway. Also, once 42 is completed in full, is it possible that US 70 could be truncated to Interstate 40 in Auburn, with existing 70 from Morehead City to Atlantic becoming an extension of NC 12 or NC 24?

I think they should keep US 70, but reroute it onto the current Business 70 between Clayton and Smithfield, as well as rerouting it back though Havelock. (Plans for the bypass include rerouting US 70 onto the bypass and creating another Business 70 through the town.) They've already kept US 70 proper on its original (or, rather, then-current) alignment through Goldsboro and probably will again through Kinston.

I still don't understand why NCDOT is moving US-70 onto the Havelock Bypass instead of signing it as US-70 Bypass, which ought to be temporary until I-42 takes over the alignment. If it works in Goldsboro, there's no reason it couldn't work in Havelock. Makes me wonder if they're going to pull the same crap in Kinston.

The Goldsboro City Council tried to screw things up by asking NCDOT to relocate US-70 Business from it's downtown alignment to US-70. Thankfully, NCDOT ignored them.

[Dirt Roads]

I still don't understand why NCDOT is moving US-70 onto the Havelock Bypass instead of signing it as US-70 Bypass, which ought to be temporary until I-42 takes over the alignment. If it works in Goldsboro, there's no reason it couldn't work in Havelock. Makes me wonder if they're going to pull the same crap in Kinston.

Seems to me that NCDOT is still careful about signage that encourages traffic on the old route (say Bypass US-70 versus Bus US-70) or discourages traffic (say US-70 versus unsigned).  Not sure that either of these apply to Havelock, but I would think that Base traffic would still be fairly heavy after the bypass.

[bob7374]

NCDOT has placed an 8-week advertisement for the project that will upgrade US 70 (Future I-42) in Johnston County from the end of the Clayton Bypass to the Neuse River bridge. The contract will be let on March 16. Plans, including signage for the two new interchanges that will be built, are available from NCDOT at:
https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/dsplan/2021%20Highway%20Letting/03-16-21/Plans%20and%20Proposals/Johnston%20C204359/Standard%20PDF%20Files/

[sprjus4]

NCDOT has placed an 8-week advertisement for the project that will upgrade US 70 (Future I-42) in Johnston County from the end of the Clayton Bypass to the Neuse River bridge. The contract will be let on March 16. Plans, including signage for the two new interchanges that will be built, are available from NCDOT at:
https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/dsplan/2021%20Highway%20Letting/03-16-21/Plans%20and%20Proposals/Johnston%20C204359/Standard%20PDF%20Files/

The signage plans indicate the speed limit will drop from 70 mph to 55 mph at the eastern end of the project, however this would technically be an error since the speed limit along that segment was increased to 60 mph a couple of years ago.

I don't understand why the upgrades just don't simply tie into the freeway segment just east of the Neuse River bridge to have one continuous freeway with a uniform 70 mph limit. With the current design, a couple of at-grade intersections will exist in between.

[wdcrft63]

NCDOT has placed an 8-week advertisement for the project that will upgrade US 70 (Future I-42) in Johnston County from the end of the Clayton Bypass to the Neuse River bridge. The contract will be let on March 16. Plans, including signage for the two new interchanges that will be built, are available from NCDOT at:
https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/dsplan/2021%20Highway%20Letting/03-16-21/Plans%20and%20Proposals/Johnston%20C204359/Standard%20PDF%20Files/

Very good news.

[sparker]

I refuse to believe they cant come up with a groundbreaking innovative design for an interchange that doesn't require the gargantuan task of moving a critically important interstate.

Well.....it's a really old section of I-95 at that has been due for major widening in the near term anyway.  Moving it slightly to the east for a mile or two wouldn't be a complete regional FUBAR; it makes the design aspect of the whole situation a bit simplified (don't really need the NC version of the NYC-bound I-87/95 interchange to be planned or deployed).  Not having to relocate most if not all the private facilities around the current interchange is a plus  -- and something that enhances the atmosphere for the development of the whole I-42 corridor; no need to have negative publicity because most of a given area must be displaced to accommodate an interchange.   

[architect77]

I refuse to believe they cant come up with a groundbreaking innovative design for an interchange that doesn't require the gargantuan task of moving a critically important interstate.

Once it was reported that I-95 widening through the state would take 75 years to complete, and that's likely not far off if roadway remains active. That must be quite challenging and increase the cost exponentially compared to a new road without any traffic yet.

So I've always thought that it would be faster and cheaper to  to build  a new highway next to the old one, either by increasing the right-of way off veering off occasionally from the original  route and then returning. No traffic to deal with, less staging, less required management of existing traffic, etc.

The I40/I85 duplex took 10 years to rebuild and it's what 30 miles long? Widening all of I-95 to 8 lands

[orulz]

Once it was reported that I-95 widening through the state would take 75 years to complete, and that's likely not far off if roadway remains active. That must be quite challenging and increase the cost exponentially compared to a new road without any traffic yet.

So I've always thought that it would be faster and cheaper to  to build  a new highway next to the old one, either by increasing the right-of way off veering off occasionally from the original  route and then returning. No traffic to deal with, less staging, less required management of existing traffic, etc.

The I40/I85 duplex took 10 years to rebuild and it's what 30 miles long? Widening all of I-95 to 8 lands

My thought on this is to

*whips out a crayon and starts drawing*

1. extend I-795 to Lumberton via Clinton and Roseboro, you can reuse and upgrade parts of the existing bypasses around each of them and possibly the NC24 alignment between them.
2. upgrade US 301 through Wilson and Rocky Mount. You'd need to bypass Sharpsburg which would not be hard, but turning Ward Blvd into a freeway in Wilson would be a mess...

South of Lumberton and north of Rocky Mount, just stick with I-95.

Of course none of this is should remotely be on the top

[Henry]

Once it was reported that I-95 widening through the state would take 75 years to complete, and that's likely not far off if roadway remains active. That must be quite challenging and increase the cost exponentially compared to a new road without any traffic yet.

So I've always thought that it would be faster and cheaper to  to build  a new highway next to the old one, either by increasing the right-of way off veering off occasionally from the original  route and then returning. No traffic to deal with, less staging, less required management of existing traffic, etc.

The I40/I85 duplex took 10 years to rebuild and it's what 30 miles long? Widening all of I-95 to 8 lands

My thought on this is to

*whips out a crayon and starts drawing*

1. extend I-795 to Lumberton via Clinton and Roseboro, you can reuse and upgrade parts of the existing bypasses around each of them and possibly the NC24 alignment between them.
2. upgrade US 301 through Wilson and Rocky Mount. You'd need to bypass Sharpsburg which would not be hard, but turning Ward Blvd into a freeway in Wilson would be a mess...

South of Lumberton and north of Rocky Mount, just stick with I-95.

Of course none of this is should remotely be on the top

But then, with 1, I-795 would no longer make sense, as it would connect back to I-95 in Lumberton. So maybe I-695 or I-895 would be a better fit.

[sprjus4]

1. extend I-795 to Lumberton via Clinton and Roseboro, you can reuse and upgrade parts of the existing bypasses around each of them and possibly the NC24 alignment between them.

Wouldn't this be largely redundant considering I-95 is going to be 8 lanes (with the exception of the Fayetteville Bypass which could be next) between I-40 and I-74 by 2025? That's over 50 miles of widening (without tolls) in a 5 year period, which contradicts the idea it takes 10 years to do 30 miles.

[tjcreasy]

When I-95 is widened between I-40 and I-74 and I-795 is complete. This should alleviate most of the long term congestion issues along I-95 through NC.

Back to I-42, I believe an interchange can reasonably be constructed on existing alignments of I-42 and I-95 through the construction of flyovers from I-95NB to I-42EB and I-42WB and I-95SB.

[sturmde]

You want really extended?  Take I-42 on the west end and run it along NC 540... either to end at I-40 again via NC 885, or all the way up NC 885 and NC 147 to end at I-85.
.
Or take it along the US 64 corridor with new construction as needed all the way to either US 64 and I-85, or along the NC 49 corridor towards Charlotte.

[LM117]

NCDOT has placed an 8-week advertisement for the project that will upgrade US 70 (Future I-42) in Johnston County from the end of the Clayton Bypass to the Neuse River bridge. The contract will be let on March 16. Plans, including signage for the two new interchanges that will be built, are available from NCDOT at:
https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/dsplan/2021%20Highway%20Letting/03-16-21/Plans%20and%20Proposals/Johnston%20C204359/Standard%20PDF%20Files/

I don't understand why the upgrades just don't simply tie into the freeway segment just east of the Neuse River bridge to have one continuous freeway with a uniform 70 mph limit. With the current design, a couple of at-grade intersections will exist in between.

Money, probably. I do agree that it would make sense to tie the upgrades into that freeway.

That said, I can't complain too much. Given NCDOT's budget problem, it's a miracle this project hasn't been pushed back like others have.

[ahj2000]

You want really extended?  Take I-42 on the west end and run it along NC 540... either to end at I-40 again via NC 885, or all the way up NC 885 and NC 147 to end at I-85.
.
Or take it along the US 64 corridor with new construction as needed all the way to either US 64 and I-85, or along the NC 49 corridor towards Charlotte.

Where it ends up in Charlotte would be curious...
Seriously though, Interstate quality road between Raleigh and Charlotte without going through the Triangle? This would make it so easy for personal reasons....Honestly, something like this could take a load off the 85-40 corridor. (stopping myself before it gets moved to Fictional )

[Mr. ENC]

You want really extended?  Take I-42 on the west end and run it along NC 540... either to end at I-40 again via NC 885, or all the way up NC 885 and NC 147 to end at I-85.
.
Or take it along the US 64 corridor with new construction as needed all the way to either US 64 and I-85, or along the NC 49 corridor towards Charlotte.

Where it ends up in Charlotte would be curious...
Seriously though, Interstate quality road between Raleigh and Charlotte without going through the Triangle? This would make it so easy for personal reasons....Honestly, something like this could take a load off the 85-40 corridor. (stopping myself before it gets moved to Fictional )


I already made a fictional post about I-42. It follows 540 to Apex, then follows the US 64 corridor to Asheboro, then roughly follows NC 49 to I 85 which I had it tied to I-85 between Kannapolis and Concord.

[ahj2000]

Sure, but does it end up at 485 and end there? Continue along 485 to 85 by Concord Mills? Is University City Blvd upgraded to a freeway (angering the masses at UNCC and in the neigborhoods around)?

You want really extended?  Take I-42 on the west end and run it along NC 540... either to end at I-40 again via NC 885, or all the way up NC 885 and NC 147 to end at I-85.
.
Or take it along the US 64 corridor with new construction as needed all the way to either US 64 and I-85, or along the NC 49 corridor towards Charlotte.

Where it ends up in Charlotte would be curious...
Seriously though, Interstate quality road between Raleigh and Charlotte without going through the Triangle? This would make it so easy for personal reasons....Honestly, something like this could take a load off the 85-40 corridor. (stopping myself before it gets moved to Fictional )


I already made a fictional post about I-42. It follows 540 to Apex, then follows the US 64 corridor to Asheboro, then roughly follows NC 49 to I 85 which I had it tied to I-85 between Kannapolis and Concord.

[sprjus4]

^

Besides the fact this is now getting fictional...

Just construct a new location segment paralleling NC-73 and tie into I-85 northeast of Concord. No need to continue all the way into Charlotte to meet I-85 inside of I-485.