I-95 Widening in North Carolina

[D-Dey65]

Does anybody know if the northbound Interstate 95 rest area in Johnston County is finished being rebuilt? Nothing on NCDOT's website is telling me anything.

[LM117]

New progress updates on the widenings and bridge replacements.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-07-18-harnett-county-bridge-rebuilt-over-I-95.aspx

[sprjus4]

^ The news release mentions the first contract (Exit 55 to 71) is about halfway complete, with completion on schedule for 2025.

Exit 71 to 81 will be complete by 2026.

I'm not sure the status on Exit 40 to 22 or Exit 22 to 13. Nothing was visibly under construction or an active construction driving through a few weeks ago.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

^ The news release mentions the first contract (Exit 55 to 71) is about halfway complete, with completion on schedule for 2025.

Exit 71 to 81 will be complete by 2026.

I'm not sure the status on Exit 40 to 22 or Exit 22 to 13. Nothing was visibly under construction or an active construction driving through a few weeks ago.

One segment (I-5987B) is being let tomorrow (MM 29-37). The next segment south of there to MM 21 (I-5987A) was scheduled to be let next month, but has been delayed to September. The design-build segment through Lumberton that was awarded last year is supposed to start construction this summer.

NCDOT has delayed the completion for the major highway projects in Wake County (I-40 and I-440 widening, Triangle Expressway), and one of the reasons they cited was not enough workers and too many big projects concentrated in one area. I wonder if the same thing will happen with all of the I-95 widening work going on simultaneously and an even smaller pool of workers....

[longhorn]

Just finished driving on I-95 from Georgia to Virginia. And I was very surprised that such an important artery from the NE to Florida is not three lanes in each direction.

Being from Texas and enjoying the three laned I-35 from the metroplex to the San Antonio, I guess it works for 95 due to less truck traffic than on I-35. 

Drove through the construction area, the right of way did not look wide enough for four lanes per side.

[architect77]

Just finished driving on I-95 from Georgia to Virginia. And I was very surprised that such an important artery from the NE to Florida is not three lanes in each direction.

Being from Texas and enjoying the three laned I-35 from the metroplex to the San Antonio, I guess it works for 95 due to less truck traffic than on I-35. 

Drove through the construction area, the right of way did not look wide enough for four lanes per side.

North Carolina has spent the last 25 years widening interstates that are used by the state's residents. I-95 has been the lowest priority since it is used more by out-of-staters going to Florida from the Northeast.

Now they are finally getting around to rebuilding I-95 through the state to 8 lanes and modern standards. The work will be done in sections and likely continue over the next 30 years or longer.

[fillup420]

North Carolina has spent the last 25 years widening interstates that are used by the state's residents. I-95 has been the lowest priority since it is used more by out-of-staters going to Florida from the Northeast.

Now they are finally getting around to rebuilding I-95 through the state to 8 lanes and modern standards. The work will be done in sections and likely continue over the next 30 years or longer.

I think NCDOT was wise to prioritize other interstates over I-95, specifically I-85. 85 is much more important to the state as a whole than 95. As an NC resident, I use 85 the most out of all the interstates here, with 40 being the second most. I can count on one hand the times I have been on 95 in the past five years. Now I know that's not the case for all NC residents, but the 95 corridor is sparsely populated compared to the rest of the state. 95 is definitely a long-haul road mostly serving the snowbirds heading to and from Florida. So why would I want my taxes to go towards making their trip easier? 95 passes through zero notable cities in NC, so it has always been low on the priority list. 85 was woefully undersized from Charlotte to Greensboro twenty years ago, and now that all the expansion work is done, it's an easy trip on a wide and modern highway.

I am surprised that I-95 isn't going to be tolled to fund improvements. I would've supported tolls at the state lines, which would allow locals to use the road like normal, while charging out-of-state drivers for the privilege of using 95 through NC. I have also had the idea that NC and SC should work together to improve the corridor with tolls, since both states are just "fly-over" states for the route as a whole. The only business gained from the 95 corridor in both states is gas and fast food, so state line tolls at SC/GA and NC/VA would be a major benefit for road improvements.

[bigdave]

I think NCDOT was wise to prioritize other interstates over I-95, specifically I-85. 85 is much more important to the state as a whole than 95. As an NC resident, I use 85 the most out of all the interstates here, with 40 being the second most. I can count on one hand the times I have been on 95 in the past five years. Now I know that's not the case for all NC residents, but the 95 corridor is sparsely populated compared to the rest of the state. 95 is definitely a long-haul road mostly serving the snowbirds heading to and from Florida. So why would I want my taxes to go towards making their trip easier? 95 passes through zero notable cities in NC, so it has always been low on the priority list. 85 was woefully undersized from Charlotte to Greensboro twenty years ago, and now that all the expansion work is done, it's an easy trip on a wide and modern highway.

I am surprised that I-95 isn't going to be tolled to fund improvements. I would've supported tolls at the state lines, which would allow locals to use the road like normal, while charging out-of-state drivers for the privilege of using 95 through NC. I have also had the idea that NC and SC should work together to improve the corridor with tolls, since both states are just "fly-over" states for the route as a whole. The only business gained from the 95 corridor in both states is gas and fast food, so state line tolls at SC/GA and NC/VA would be a major benefit for road improvements.

I-95 carries a TON of truck traffic, and guess what trucks pay apportioned taxes so that truck traffic will be helping to pay for the I-95 expansion. Trucks pay a lot more taxes than four wheelers. It's open to debate whether they pay enough to cover the additional wear and tear, but you might be surprised to find out how much of NCDoT's budget comes from trucks.

https://www.roadsbridges.com/road-construction/article/10654344/strategic-planning-and-collaboration-help-keep-i-95-road-widening-work-in-north-carolina-on-track

David

[longhorn]

8 lane expansion?, impressive. Thats similar to where I-40 shares with I-85 and it becomes eight lanes.

I have heard horror stories of I-95 becoming a parking lot in North Carolina, just as I -95 becomes a parking lot for no reason half way between Richmond and DC (and its six lanes).  Maybe I was fortunate traveling on Sunday morning but it was uneventful till we reached the construction zone.

Nice to know easterners have fallen in love with Buccees at Florence SC, as we have in Texas. But OH MY.....It was like Black Friday at Walmart!!!!

[LM117]

I am surprised that I-95 isn't going to be tolled to fund improvements.

It was proposed about 10 years ago, but the idea was quickly dropped after eastern NC, in no uncertain terms, let everyone know how they felt about it. I-95 goes through some of the poorest areas of the state, which means instant political suicide for any politician that might support it. Towns along I-95 were also strongly opposed to tolls since they were worried that traffic would use US-301 as a shunpike route.

[VTGoose]

Nice to know easterners have fallen in love with Buccees at Florence SC, as we have in Texas. But OH MY.....It was like Black Friday at Walmart!!!!

We stopped at the Buc-ee's at Daytona Beach in Florida on a Sunday in June and Black Friday at Walmart had nothing on that place. Maybe add in Target and Best Buy on a good Black Friday and you might come close to the level of activity in that place.

[CtrlAltDel]

Nice to know easterners have fallen in love with Buccees at Florence SC, as we have in Texas. But OH MY.....It was like Black Friday at Walmart!!!!

We stopped at the Buc-ee's at Daytona Beach in Florida on a Sunday in June and Black Friday at Walmart had nothing on that place. Maybe add in Target and Best Buy on a good Black Friday and you might come close to the level of activity in that place.

Seems to me like a good reason to avoid it, honestly.

[fillup420]

Nice to know easterners have fallen in love with Buccees at Florence SC, as we have in Texas. But OH MY.....It was like Black Friday at Walmart!!!!

We stopped at the Buc-ee's at Daytona Beach in Florida on a Sunday in June and Black Friday at Walmart had nothing on that place. Maybe add in Target and Best Buy on a good Black Friday and you might come close to the level of activity in that place.

Seems to me like a good reason to avoid it, honestly.

I live a few miles from where the first NC location would've been; along I-40/85 in Efland just before the split. The county planners asked Bucees to scale it down by 1/3, so 80 gas pumps instead of 120, and eliminate car wash. In response, Bucees pulled out. Most locals are happy that the monstrosity won't be built.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Nice to know easterners have fallen in love with Buccees at Florence SC, as we have in Texas. But OH MY.....It was like Black Friday at Walmart!!!!

We stopped at the Buc-ee's at Daytona Beach in Florida on a Sunday in June and Black Friday at Walmart had nothing on that place. Maybe add in Target and Best Buy on a good Black Friday and you might come close to the level of activity in that place.

Seems to me like a good reason to avoid it, honestly.

I live a few miles from where the first NC location would've been; along I-40/85 in Efland just before the split. The county planners asked Bucees to scale it down by 1/3, so 80 gas pumps instead of 120, and eliminate car wash. In response, Bucees pulled out. Most locals are happy that the monstrosity won't be built.

Most locals are happy their mom and pop businesses don't have to compete with $14/hr

[architect77]

I am surprised that I-95 isn't going to be tolled to fund improvements.

It was proposed about 10 years ago, but the idea was quickly dropped after eastern NC, in no uncertain terms, let everyone know how they felt about it. I-95 goes through some of the poorest areas of the state, which means instant political suicide for any politician that might support it. Towns along I-95 were also strongly opposed to tolls since they were worried that traffic would use US-301 as a shunpike route.

The proposal was idiotic. Instead of putting one $5 toll entering NC at each border, the plan was multiple toll pay locations within the state that trapped locals into paying for short trips.

With tolls being ubiquitous from D.C. Northward just for the hell of collecting some money without any new construction, NY to Florida travelers wouldn't have batted an eye at a $5 NC toll contribution to rebuild what now is an aged, dangerous and deadly section of I-95

[bob7374]

NCDOT has awarded the contract to widen I-95 to 8 lanes in Robeson County, to be finished by 2026:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-08-09-i-95-widening-robeson.aspx

[CtrlAltDel]

The proposal was idiotic. Instead of putting one $5 toll entering NC at each border,

I can't help but think that this sort of thing is a bad idea. I'm glad that it wasn't implemented.

[NJRoadfan]

I can't help but think that this sort of thing is a bad idea. I'm glad that it wasn't implemented.

*cough* Delaware

[D-Dey65]

I can't help but think that this sort of thing is a bad idea. I'm glad that it wasn't implemented.

*cough* Delaware

Still beats the George Washington Bridge:
https://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/en/tolls.html

[LM117]

I-95 in Lumberton Will Be Widened, Modernized

Work begins this week.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-09-12-i-95-widening-lumberton.aspx

[roadman65]

I-95 in Lumberton Will Be Widened, Modernized

Work begins this week.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-09-12-i-95-widening-lumberton.aspx

Hopefully they'll raise the speed limit to 79 mph.

[sprjus4]

I-95 in Lumberton Will Be Widened, Modernized

Work begins this week.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-09-12-i-95-widening-lumberton.aspx

Hopefully they'll raise the speed limit to 79 mph.

Perhaps not 79 mph, but they will most likely increase the speed limit to 70 mph throughout all the widening between I-40 and I-74. The only segment not being expanded is the Fayetteville Bypass which already (and is currently the only part) posted at 70 mph.

The design speed of the project is 75 mph according to documents, so I imagine 70 mph will be the result, and if not, then 65 mph for some months before getting raised.

[Dirt Roads]

Hopefully they'll raise the speed limit to 79 mph.

If that's a snarky slap at us railway signal guys, I like it.  Except that I doubt that there are any 79MPH speed restrictions still left in the United States.

[sprjus4]

^ I believe the Northeast Regional between Norfolk and Richmond tops out at 79 mph along most of the route.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Passenger trains are restricted to 79 mph nationally except for a few routes like the Northeast Corridor, Keystone Corridor and a couple of spots in Illinois and Michigan.