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North Carolina

Started by FLRoads, January 20, 2009, 11:55:15 PM

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bob7374

#5525
Lost in all the "excitement" of the opening of the Rockingham Bypass last week was that NCDOT published their Draft 2026-2035 STIP document. It does not bode well for those interested in new interstate construction. Only 1 future interstate project has been accelerated, the upgrade of US 29 to I-785 from the I-840 Greensboro Loop to NC 150 in Reidsville, from 2031 to 2030, the upgrade project north of there is still not funded. For I-74 fans, no changes. There are not projects listed to upgrade US 52 to interstate standards between the Winston-Salem Beltway and Mt. Airy. The upgrade of US 74 between the Rockingham Bypass and Laurinburg is listed for preliminary funding only, and the upgrade of US 74 from NC 74 to US 76 is unfunded. Meaning no upgrades until at least 2036. There are no listed projects to upgrade US 64/264 between Knightdale and Zebulon to interstate standards, the only project listed for US 264 is a pavement rehab project to start in 2027 between Zebulon and the Wilson County line, perhaps this will widen the shoulders to interstate standards. There are no new projects to improve US 64 east of Zebulon in Edgecombe and Nash Counties, and only a pavement rehab project that will start from Zebulon to the Nash County line in 2025. While the widening of the Durham Freeway/I-885 is funded, work is not to start until 2030. For the western section of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway (I-274), only construction between US 52 and Meadowlark Drive is funded, the rest for preliminary engineering only, but work starts in 2030. There is a project listed to upgrade US 52 in Winston-Salem to become I-285 between US 421 and Akron Drive, but also only for preliminary engineering. The upgrading of US 117 to I-795 are listed but again for preliminary engineering only. There are no new I-685 related projects listed for US 421 between Greensboro and Sanford. It appears the next few years will be rather dull for those following NC interstates.


sprjus4

Quote from: bob7374 on February 03, 2025, 01:28:08 PMOnly 1 future interstate project has been accelerated, the upgrade of US 29 to I-785 from the I-840 Greensboro Loop to NC 150 in Reidsville, from 2031 to 2030, the upgrade project north of there is still not funded.
Strange to go only to NC-150... 2.5 more miles to the US-29 Business split near Reidsville, and you could finish I-785 all the way from I-840 to the VA border / US-58 interchange.

plain

NCDOT might be getting a little cash strapped with all of the recent projects. The disaster in the western part of the state is not helping things either.
Newark born, Richmond bred

Rothman

Quote from: plain on February 04, 2025, 09:38:30 AMNCDOT might be getting a little cash strapped with all of the recent projects. The disaster in the western part of the state is not helping things either.

A lot of the disaster should be handled through Emergency Recovery funding (ER) and therefore cushion any effect on their core capital program.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Plutonic Panda

Quote from: plain on February 04, 2025, 09:38:30 AMNCDOT might be getting a little cash strapped with all of the recent projects. The disaster in the western part of the state is not helping things either.
I'm pretty sure they already admitted as such and that was before the pandemic and inflation along with the recent natural disasters they're going to need some major help going forward. It's hard to see them move forward with their projects without it.

cowboy_wilhelm

Inflation and right-of-way/real estate costs are playing a big part now. We've reached the point of $1 billion+ contracts being let. The total cost for right-of-way and utility relocation exceeds $50 million to widen less than 3 miles of I-85 towards Gastonia. And those are estimates.

The proposed STIP has no additional widening of I-26 south of Asheville. No widening of I-40 west of Asheville, through Hickory or between Winston and Greensboro. No widening of I-85 south of 321 or from I-40 to Durham. No Kinston Bypass.

Multiple projects around Raleigh that were slated to begin pre-COVID are either delayed to 2030 and beyond or didn't make it into the STIP.

Plutonic Panda

I've noticed the same thing in Oklahoma. I was excited for a while because of the infrastructure bill and the department of transportation they received a little bit more money so I thought maybe we would see projects pushed up and new projects added. But in fact, the exact opposite has happened. Many projects in Oklahoma have been pushed back. And of course that's a state that doesn't have anywhere near the budget state like North Carolina has.

sprjus4

Quote from: cowboy_wilhelm on February 04, 2025, 09:36:43 PMInflation and right-of-way/real estate costs are playing a big part now. We've reached the point of $1 billion+ contracts being let. The total cost for right-of-way and utility relocation exceeds $50 million to widen less than 3 miles of I-85 towards Gastonia. And those are estimates.

The proposed STIP has no additional widening of I-26 south of Asheville. No widening of I-40 west of Asheville, through Hickory or between Winston and Greensboro. No widening of I-85 south of 321 or from I-40 to Durham. No Kinston Bypass.

Multiple projects around Raleigh that were slated to begin pre-COVID are either delayed to 2030 and beyond or didn't make it into the STIP.
Another project that hasn't been talked about much, also near Raleigh, is widening I-87 / US-64 between Knightdale and the US-264 split. I believe that segment carries over 60,000 AADT... a very congested stretch of highway. The newer Knightdale Bypass is 6 lanes but narrows to 4 lanes as it transitions to the older 1970s freeway. It was on the STIP but unfunded.

Plutonic Panda

I'm very disappointed that that huge project they have going on in Asheville won't fix that defunct interchange with left exits. But I suspect cost cutting measures had something to do with that.

sprjus4

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on February 04, 2025, 11:10:14 PMI'm very disappointed that that huge project they have going on in Asheville won't fix that defunct interchange with left exits. But I suspect cost cutting measures had something to do with that.
The I-40 / I-26 interchange? I don't think they ever planned to reconfigure that.

Plutonic Panda

Quote from: sprjus4 on February 05, 2025, 01:33:49 AM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on February 04, 2025, 11:10:14 PMI'm very disappointed that that huge project they have going on in Asheville won't fix that defunct interchange with left exits. But I suspect cost cutting measures had something to do with that.
The I-40 / I-26 interchange? I don't think they ever planned to reconfigure that.
Yeah I thought they had an alternative as part of the larger I-26 connector project that would've included a rebuild of that interchange to include redesigned exits to the right.

cowboy_wilhelm

There are unfunded plans for the I-26/I-40/I-240 interchange. Section C of project I-2513 (I-26 connnector). The left exits will be retained, but they will add the movements from I-40 WB to I-26 WB/I-240 EB and I-26 EB/I-240WB to I-40 EB. Work will start soon to widen the I-40 east to I-26 east ramp as part of project I-2513AB.

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/asheville-i-26-connector/Documents/i-40-i-26-map-1.pdf


ElishaGOtis

Quote from: ElishaGOtis on February 13, 2025, 09:10:07 PMNorth Carolina HB 112 would increase the max allowed Interstate speed limit to 75, with criminal speed still applying at 10 over (80 in a 70, 85 in a 75). This is similar to previous session bills.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H112
I can drive 55 ONLY when it makes sense.

NOTE: Opinions expressed here on AARoads are solely my own and do not represent or reflect the statements, opinions, or decisions of any agency. Any official information I share will be quoted from another source.

sprjus4

Still need to increase the rest of I-95 from 65 mph to 70 mph... though it appears the 50 miles being widened will be raised, which is the majority of the 65 mph zones.

Would also be nice to see divided highways increased from 60 to 65 mph (and in a lot of areas, even just 55 to 60 mph would be nice). The focus seems to just be the interstates though...

Chris

In the latest NCDOT Now segment they talk about how they have repurposed old railroad cars to function as temporary bridges, for locations that were destroyed by Hurricane Helene. They did this at more than 40 locations. The railroad cars function as the bridge span, and are paved and equipped with guardrails.






brad2971

Quote from: Chris on February 15, 2025, 11:24:24 AMIn the latest NCDOT Now segment they talk about how they have repurposed old railroad cars to function as temporary bridges, for locations that were destroyed by Hurricane Helene. They did this at more than 40 locations. The railroad cars function as the bridge span, and are paved and equipped with guardrails.







They're saying they are temporary bridges, but I'll bet some of those lower traffic bridges will be in use for more than a generation. Especially if NCDOT starts marking specific truck routes through and around those bridges.

brian440i

Regarding Fort Liberty being Renamed to Fort Bragg (WWII Pfc. Roland Bragg  not former COnfederate Braxton Bragg)

NC DOT:
A spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Transportation said it spent $160,000 to change about 80 highway signs to "Liberty" and estimated it would take more than $200,000 to switch back because highway improvements have added more signs.

He said North Carolina taxpayers paid for the first round of changes, and the state hopes the military will cover the switch back.

cowboy_wilhelm

Another bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to designate U.S. 74 as a future interstate highway between I-26 and I-85. H.R. 1333 was introduced by Rep. Tim Moore (R-NC-14) and cosponsored by Rep. Tim Edwards (R-NC-11). Edwards previously sponsored H.R. 2551 in April 2023 which also sought to create the future interstate.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2551
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1333

The Ghostbuster

If it is approved, it would probably be a 3di of Interstate 26, since all the even first digit 3dis of Interstate 85 are either in use or will be used in the future.

I-55

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on February 17, 2025, 03:56:41 PMIf it is approved, it would probably be a 3di of Interstate 26, since all the even first digit 3dis of Interstate 85 are either in use or will be used in the future.

I was thinking it would be an odd first digit 3di, if it were I-x85 it'd have similar issues with I-785 in state, 185,385,585 in use less than 40 miles away, I-985 would be the only one. I see this being I-326 (or I-36) in all likelihood.
Transportation Engineer
Let's Go Purdue Basketball Whoosh

The Ghostbuster

If a 2di were approved for the US 74 corridor, such as Interstate 36 or 38, it should go between Interstate 26 and Interstate 85, follow 85 to 485, and then follow US 74 to Rockingham where it would terminate at Interstates 73 and 74. If it is just for the Interstate 26-to-Interstate 85 corridor, I would number it Interstate 426.



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