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Interstate 87 (NC-VA)

Started by LM117, July 14, 2016, 12:29:05 PM

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LM117

#1150
Quote from: sprjus4 on May 12, 2019, 11:39:28 PM
Quote from: Beltway on May 12, 2019, 11:19:14 PM
There has been plenty of discussion about that segment here and on other online forums, and other segments, where THSDOT has posted Interstate signs on substandard highways that don't meet Interstate highway standards.  PFTC.
I can't think of instances other than the few discussed on I-73 / I-74 where NCDOT has signed a substandard highway as an interstate. All of the signed interstates throughout the state, with the I-73 / I-74 segment being the exception, meet full interstate highway standards.

Are you aware of any that don't that I'm missing?

I-440 between the I-40/US-1 interchange and Wade Avenue, though it will soon change.

https://goo.gl/maps/jBBAdrM6iPV75QAz8
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette


sprjus4

#1151
Quote from: LM117 on May 13, 2019, 02:46:26 AM
Quote from: sprjus4 on May 12, 2019, 11:39:28 PM
Quote from: Beltway on May 12, 2019, 11:19:14 PM
There has been plenty of discussion about that segment here and on other online forums, and other segments, where THSDOT has posted Interstate signs on substandard highways that don't meet Interstate highway standards.  PFTC.
I can't think of instances other than the few discussed on I-73 / I-74 where NCDOT has signed a substandard highway as an interstate. All of the signed interstates throughout the state, with the I-73 / I-74 segment being the exception, meet full interstate highway standards.

Are you aware of any that don't that I'm missing?

I-440 between the I-40/US-1 interchange and Wade Avenue, though it will soon change.

https://goo.gl/maps/jBBAdrM6iPV75QAz8
Ah yeah, that beauty. It makes me wonder why at minimum when they designated it I-440, they didn't at least widen the shoulders to 10 feet?

At least the I-26 segment north of Asheville, which doesn't meet interstate standards, it's only has blue-and-red shields that say "Future 26" instead of "Interstate 26". It provides continuity for thru traffic, but at the same time keeps a substandard part not designated as an interstate.

You'd think the I-73 / I-74 segments could be posted with those "Future 73 / 74" shields instead of "Interstate 73 / 74" if they at least want to allow the designation to float south to the interstate-standard portions near Rockingham instead of no designation at all. Same with I-440. IIRC, the "Future 73 / 74" shields did exist on the Rockingham Bypass until they were removed about 5 years ago.

None of I-87 is being signed until portions are fully upgraded to interstate standards. And hopefully it remains that way. Next thing you'll know, they'll be one substandard piece once most upgrades are completed, and NCDOT will just go ahead and designate it anyways.


jcarte29

"...You'd think the I-73 / I-74 segments could be posted with those "Future 73 / 74" shields instead of "Interstate 73 / 74" if they at least want to allow the designation to float south to the interstate-standard portions near Rockingham instead of no designation at all. Same with I-440. IIRC, the "Future 73 / 74" shields did exist on the Rockingham Bypass until they were removed about 5 years ago."

It used to, but NC was granted a waiver to sign it, that's been done for (5?) years now. No reason to take them down once the waiver is granted. Same happened on the segment between High Point and Winston-Salem, with a promise to widen the shoulders at a later date. (For those wondering if there are other segments in NC that don't have wide enough shoulders still...)
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)

bob7374

The waiver for I-73/I-74 in the Candor area was granted in 1997 with the promise that the shoulders would be widened. NCDOT had it on their construction schedule for a few years but then moved it to 'Future Years' in the mid 2000s (meaning not funded). When the STIP process was overhauled only to list funded projects about 5 years ago the shoulder widening project reappeared, only to be moved to later dates in subsequent STIPs. The latest Draft 2020-2029 STIP does not list a project for widening but does list a project for pavement rehabilitation in Montgomery County, that like similar projects along the I-42 and I-87 corridors, could include work on shoulder widening, it's suppose to begin in 2022. If so, it would have taken NCDOT 25 years to finally comply with the terms of the waiver.

sprjus4

Quote from: bob7374 on May 13, 2019, 06:00:21 PM
The waiver for I-73/I-74 in the Candor area was granted in 1997 with the promise that the shoulders would be widened. NCDOT had it on their construction schedule for a few years but then moved it to 'Future Years' in the mid 2000s (meaning not funded). When the STIP process was overhauled only to list funded projects about 5 years ago the shoulder widening project reappeared, only to be moved to later dates in subsequent STIPs. The latest Draft 2020-2029 STIP does not list a project for widening but does list a project for pavement rehabilitation in Montgomery County, that like similar projects along the I-42 and I-87 corridors, could include work on shoulder widening, it's suppose to begin in 2022. If so, it would have taken NCDOT 25 years to finally comply with the terms of the waiver.
Doubtful. They've done a lot of repaving on these "future interstate corridors", and it simply repaves the mainline travel lanes, not the shoulders or anything else. A lot of US-64 has been repaved in the past year or so and no shoulder widening.

A shoulder widening project isn't just slapping down asphalt and calling it a day. Maybe an arterial shoulder, but an interstate-standard shoulder has to be a lot stronger, and usually requires a full reconstruction on the shoulder area, not just paving.

Mr. ENC

Quote from: LM117 on May 10, 2019, 05:07:19 PM
Quote from: Mr. ENC on May 10, 2019, 02:13:22 PM
Quote from: LM117 on May 10, 2019, 10:38:28 AM
Beginning next week, the exit numbers on the Knightdale Bypass will be changing to I-87 exit numbers. Work is scheduled to be complete by the end of July. The new exit numbers are listed in the press release.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-05-10-exit-number-changes-i-87.aspx

My problem with this is why didn't they just put I-87 on 440 and end the highway near Cary (or wherever US1/US64 no longer meet Interstate Standards)? It could have been a legitimate push to get this highway running to Columbia SC.

Because there's no local push to extend I-87 along US-1 and even if I-87 does go south of Raleigh, it would end in Rockingham since South Carolina is broke. They can't even get I-73 started. Hell, they can barely maintain what they have.

Even if that is true they should at least run this to I-40 near Cary. Decommission 440, run 87 to Cary, and then the little bit that is left going to 40 in Raleigh should just be called US-64

roadman65

Maybe get I-87 extended to Rockingham and then west along US 74 to Charlotte.  We can get that Charlotte to Wilmington route built even though two or three numbers.

I have always been a fan of I-36 or I-38 for US 74 and kill I-74's number in NC being that WV and OH will never connect the two I-74's.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

sprjus4

#1157
Quote from: roadman65 on May 14, 2019, 10:04:50 AM
Maybe get I-87 extended to Rockingham and then west along US 74 to Charlotte.
Could work. It's the same distance (163 miles) from Raleigh to Charlotte along either I-85 or US-1 to US-64. Obviously the latter is slower now, but if a freeway, would be the same travel time as I-85.

But the question is how do you go into Downtown Charlotte once there? Or do you just terminate at I-485?

Or even better.... renumber I-87 into an east-west interstate, and route it from I-26 to Norfolk via US-74, US-1, US-64, and US-17. This concept, and the one just to Charlotte would be 50 miles slower (well going from I-85 to I-40 to I-87 under the official I-87 proposal today is already 50 miles slower) than the current route (I-85), but each segment would serve it's own use. US-74 would serve it's own use, US-1 serves it's own use, US-64 and US-17 serve their own use. It'd be one designation to upgrade multiple different routes to interstate standards in one stroke.

But I suppose all this is "vanity" because it's not the most direct route possible  :-o

wdcrft63

Quote from: Mr. ENC on May 14, 2019, 09:18:37 AM
Quote from: LM117 on May 10, 2019, 05:07:19 PM
Quote from: Mr. ENC on May 10, 2019, 02:13:22 PM
Quote from: LM117 on May 10, 2019, 10:38:28 AM
Beginning next week, the exit numbers on the Knightdale Bypass will be changing to I-87 exit numbers. Work is scheduled to be complete by the end of July. The new exit numbers are listed in the press release.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-05-10-exit-number-changes-i-87.aspx

My problem with this is why didn't they just put I-87 on 440 and end the highway near Cary (or wherever US1/US64 no longer meet Interstate Standards)? It could have been a legitimate push to get this highway running to Columbia SC.

Because there's no local push to extend I-87 along US-1 and even if I-87 does go south of Raleigh, it would end in Rockingham since South Carolina is broke. They can't even get I-73 started. Hell, they can barely maintain what they have.

Even if that is true they should at least run this to I-40 near Cary. Decommission 440, run 87 to Cary, and then the little bit that is left going to 40 in Raleigh should just be called US-64
Dreaming up ways to eliminate or avoid concurrences of interstate routes is a common pastime on the forum. But really.
I-440 is the Raleigh beltway and it deserves its beltway-appropriate numbering. As for the short concurrence of I-440 and I-87, it just makes sense to me. Drivers driving through the Raleigh area east-west get a clear connection between I-40 and I-87; drivers circling Raleigh of the beltway get a clear connection of the beltway with I-40. There's nothing wrong with this concurrence.

sprjus4

QuoteKNIGHTDALE, N.C. (WNCN) – A sign of change is going up this week in eastern Wake County.

The road long known as U.S. 64 and 264 is becoming an interstate – and that means the need for new exit signs.

You may have noticed the Interstate 87 signs just outside of Knightdale for the past couple of years.

The corridor will connect Raleigh to coastal Virginia. The next step of progress is the new exit numbers for the road.

Crews will be changing the exit numbers on the road between the Raleigh Beltline and Rolesville Road. The exit numbers will switch from the 400s to the single digits.
https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/new-exit-numbers-coming-to-i-87-in-wake-county/1998704003

According to this, and the video on the website, the exit numbers are actually going to get swapped out this week.

I can't make it down there for a few months, but it'd be interesting if anybody in the area could drive up the corridor in the next week or two to see if anything has indeed been updated.

Hopefully by the time I can get down there myself, all of the overhead signs will be finally updated to reflect I-87 shields, exits, etc.

roadman65

Quote from: sprjus4 on May 14, 2019, 05:16:26 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on May 14, 2019, 10:04:50 AM
Maybe get I-87 extended to Rockingham and then west along US 74 to Charlotte.
Could work. It's the same distance (163 miles) from Raleigh to Charlotte along either I-85 or US-1 to US-64. Obviously the latter is slower now, but if a freeway, would be the same travel time as I-85.

Like when I-74 is completed with I-73 going into SC, that traffic on I-73/I-74 is going to use I-73 into SC rather than head east along US 74?  No most I-74 traffic from Rockingham east will be through US 74 traffic heading to Wilmington.

So its different numbers but its the overall freeway concept.

But the question is how do you go into Downtown Charlotte once there? Or do you just terminate at I-485?

Or even better.... renumber I-87 into an east-west interstate, and route it from I-26 to Norfolk via US-74, US-1, US-64, and US-17. This concept, and the one just to Charlotte would be 50 miles slower (well going from I-85 to I-40 to I-87 under the official I-87 proposal today is already 50 miles slower) than the current route (I-85), but each segment would serve it's own use. US-74 would serve it's own use, US-1 serves it's own use, US-64 and US-17 serve their own use. It'd be one designation to upgrade multiple different routes to interstate standards in one stroke.

But I suppose all this is "vanity" because it's not the most direct route possible  :-o
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

Beltway

Quote from: roadman65 on May 14, 2019, 09:58:14 PM
But I suppose all this is "vanity" because it's not the most direct route possible  :-o

It is what it is.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

sparker

^^^^^^^^^^
I wonder if a form of new-terrain "hypotenuse" between Rocky Mount and Suffolk (VA) were ever considered (avoiding the big ol' swamp) as a potential regional Interstate corridor?  Most of it would parallel US 258 and likely make use of parts of the Franklin and Suffolk bypasses -- and, trajectory-wise, wouldn't be too different than the US 64 corridor from Raleigh to I-95.  Except for the fact that it wouldn't drag Hampton Roads traffic past the built-up areas along 64, it would provide sufficient NC vs. VA mileage to at least placate the former, while obviating the need for VA to reluctantly agree to upgrade US 58 all the way to Emporia or even I-85. 

But as Steve Martin would have said 40 years ago on SNL:

Naaaaaah!

Henry

Quote from: sprjus4 on May 14, 2019, 05:16:26 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on May 14, 2019, 10:04:50 AM
Maybe get I-87 extended to Rockingham and then west along US 74 to Charlotte.
Could work. It's the same distance (163 miles) from Raleigh to Charlotte along either I-85 or US-1 to US-64. Obviously the latter is slower now, but if a freeway, would be the same travel time as I-85.

Like when I-74 is completed with I-73 going into SC, that traffic on I-73/I-74 is going to use I-73 into SC rather than head east along US 74?  No most I-74 traffic from Rockingham east will be through US 74 traffic heading to Wilmington.

So its different numbers but its the overall freeway concept.

But the question is how do you go into Downtown Charlotte once there? Or do you just terminate at I-485?

Or even better.... renumber I-87 into an east-west interstate, and route it from I-26 to Norfolk via US-74, US-1, US-64, and US-17. This concept, and the one just to Charlotte would be 50 miles slower (well going from I-85 to I-40 to I-87 under the official I-87 proposal today is already 50 miles slower) than the current route (I-85), but each segment would serve it's own use. US-74 would serve it's own use, US-1 serves it's own use, US-64 and US-17 serve their own use. It'd be one designation to upgrade multiple different routes to interstate standards in one stroke.
I remember seeing an idea with this exact routing in mind, called I-36 (with a starting point at I-26 near Hendersonville)! IIRC, Swamphen (the creator) wanted to run it up as far north as Scranton, PA, but he never got past Norfolk. And the part north of there would just be as stupid anyway because it is more deserving of an odd number, like I-97, I-99, or, dare I say it, I-101.

I, too, wouldn't mind a second Raleigh/Durham-Charlotte interstate corridor, which would offer motorists a route that avoids Greensboro.
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

LM117

#1164
Greensboro traffic isn't bad. Unless there's a wreck, it's a breeze. Even Death Valley isn't too bad outside of rush hour. Raleigh, on the other hand...
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette

goobnav

Quote from: LM117 on May 15, 2019, 10:50:38 AM
Greensboro traffic isn't bad. Unless there's a wreck, it's a breeze. Even Death Valley isn't too bad outside of rush hour. Raleigh, on the other hand...

It isn't getting better with time either. 
Life is a highway and I drive it all night long!

The Ghostbuster

Is the state planning to bring tolling to the Greensboro/Winston-Salem area?

After my question, let's steer this subject thread back to the present/future Interstate 87 corridor (Raleigh, NC to Norfolk, VA).

sprjus4

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on May 15, 2019, 04:08:47 PM
Is the state planning to bring tolling to the Greensboro/Winston-Salem area?
Not that I'm aware of. The new I-73 north of Greensboro, the I-840 beltway, and the I-74 relocation around Winston-Salem are all major freeway construction projects, though none of them are going to be / are tolled, and no plans to ever toll them. It's all being constructed with public funding.

The only tolls planned in NC are regional HO/T lane proposals, the Mid-Currituck Bridge, and the Cape Fear Crossing in Wilmington. There's only two toll roads, the Triangle Expressway (NC-540 / NC-147) in Raleigh / Durham, and the Monroe Expressway (US-74 Bypass) in Charlotte.

There were plans in the past to toll all of I-95 and widen it to 6 and 8 lanes thruout, but that got scrapped. Instead, I-95 is getting done with public funding, no tolls involved. It's a bit slower of a process, but will definitely pay off in the long run. There was heavy opposition to tolling. Similar to I-81 in Virginia.

bob7374

I have posted photos of the new I-87 shield and exit number signage recently placed along the southern end of the route at I-40 and heading north and east toward Wendell, courtesy of David Johnson and Ben Thurkill. Here's the first advance for I-87 on I-40 East in Raleigh:


The remainder can be found on my Future I-87 in NC photo gallery: http://www.malmeroads.net/ncfutints/fut87.html#photos

Work still continues in putting signs and new exit tabs heading back towards Raleigh. The new gore signs will not be put up until next month.

sprjus4

#1169
Quote from: bob7374 on May 27, 2019, 12:46:14 PM
I have posted photos of the new I-87 shield and exit number signage recently placed along the southern end of the route at I-40 and heading north and east toward Wendell, courtesy of David Johnson and Ben Thurkill. Here's the first advance for I-87 on I-40 East in Raleigh:


The remainder can be found on my Future I-87 in NC photo gallery: http://www.malmeroads.net/ncfutints/fut87.html#photos

Work still continues in putting signs and new exit tabs heading back towards Raleigh. The new gore signs will not be put up until next month.
Nice to finally see it getting underway. A couple years late, but better late than never I suppose.

I plan on heading down towards the Raleigh area in the next couple months, so it'll be a nice bonus to see.

It would've been interesting if they also put in "Norfolk" as a control city on the signage. But I suppose they won't do that until the entire US-17 and US-64 corridors are upgraded to interstate standards.

Roadsguy

#1170
Quote from: sprjus4 on May 27, 2019, 08:42:07 PM
It would've been interesting if they also put in "Norfolk" as a control city on the signage. But I suppose they won't do that until the entire US-17 and US-64 corridors are upgraded to interstate standards.

If they planned on doing that, perhaps they'd have left a blank space below Rocky Mount on the sign. Then again, they did remove all mention of Business 85 from the BGSes on I-85 NB south of Lexington without leaving any space for I-285... They also did this after they widened US 17/74/76 west of Wilmington without accommodating the planned reroute of US 17.
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.

LM117

The Zebulon split would be the ideal spot to use Norfolk as a control city, IMO.
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette

jcarte29

Quote from: Roadsguy on May 28, 2019, 01:04:43 AM
Quote from: sprjus4 on May 27, 2019, 08:42:07 PM
It would've been interesting if they also put in "Norfolk" as a control city on the signage. But I suppose they won't do that until the entire US-17 and US-64 corridors are upgraded to interstate standards.

If they planned on doing that, perhaps they'd have left a blank space below Rocky Mount on the sign. Then again, they did remove all mention of Business 85 from the BGSes on I-85 NB south of Lexington without leaving any space for I-285... They also did this after they widened US 17/74/76 west of Wilmington without accommodating the planned reroute of US 17.

Didn't stop them from going ahead and listing Martinsville on I-73 in Greensboro lol
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)

sprjus4

Quote from: jcarte29 on May 28, 2019, 08:54:29 AM
Quote from: Roadsguy on May 28, 2019, 01:04:43 AM
Quote from: sprjus4 on May 27, 2019, 08:42:07 PM
It would've been interesting if they also put in "Norfolk" as a control city on the signage. But I suppose they won't do that until the entire US-17 and US-64 corridors are upgraded to interstate standards.

If they planned on doing that, perhaps they'd have left a blank space below Rocky Mount on the sign. Then again, they did remove all mention of Business 85 from the BGSes on I-85 NB south of Lexington without leaving any space for I-285... They also did this after they widened US 17/74/76 west of Wilmington without accommodating the planned reroute of US 17.

Didn't stop them from going ahead and listing Martinsville on I-73 in Greensboro lol
That's the point I'm trying to make - listing Norfolk would make sense basing on the Martinsville signage. Also, Danville is listed on I-785 signage in Greensboro.

wdcrft63

Quote from: sprjus4 on May 28, 2019, 04:40:30 PM
Quote from: jcarte29 on May 28, 2019, 08:54:29 AM
Quote from: Roadsguy on May 28, 2019, 01:04:43 AM
Quote from: sprjus4 on May 27, 2019, 08:42:07 PM
It would've been interesting if they also put in "Norfolk" as a control city on the signage. But I suppose they won't do that until the entire US-17 and US-64 corridors are upgraded to interstate standards.

If they planned on doing that, perhaps they'd have left a blank space below Rocky Mount on the sign. Then again, they did remove all mention of Business 85 from the BGSes on I-85 NB south of Lexington without leaving any space for I-285... They also did this after they widened US 17/74/76 west of Wilmington without accommodating the planned reroute of US 17.

Didn't stop them from going ahead and listing Martinsville on I-73 in Greensboro lol
That's the point I'm trying to make - listing Norfolk would make sense basing on the Martinsville signage. Also, Danville is listed on I-785 signage in Greensboro.
Norfolk is a long way from Raleigh; Martinsville is pretty close to Greensboro and Danville is pretty close to Greensboro. I'm sure these facts mean something in these decisions.



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