Interstate 73/74

[CanesFan27]

Except here on the Forum.

And mtr before that.  Routing 74 to Wilmington posts are the southeast's equivalent to the I hate I-99 posts of 20-25 years ago.

Governor Easley proposed I-20 to Wilmington late in his last term.  Seems like it was yesterday but going on 15 years now.  That would be a great option (possibly better) but that died quickly.

If they ever do change 74's routing - i believe it may have to be done legislatively since it was written into law as an HPC.  The truncation from Charleston and then to Georgetown was done by legislation.    I do not think you will see an AASHTO change vs. a push by a Southeastern NC congressional delegation to make the change.

If by an aashto route, I can see an x74 to Wilmington. 

[sprjus4]

Governor Easley proposed I-20 to Wilmington late in his last term.  Seems like it was yesterday but going on 15 years now.  That would be a great option (possibly better) but that died quickly.

It would be a waste of money, which would be better off spent on widening I-95.

[WashuOtaku]

It would be a waste of money, which would be better off spent on widening I-95.

The fact that NCDOT has yet to publicly route I-74 south of Bolton is a strong indication they agree with you.

[sprjus4]

It would be a waste of money, which would be better off spent on widening I-95.

The fact that NCDOT has yet to publicly route I-74 south of Bolton is a strong indication they agree with you.

I'm referring to the extension of Interstate 20 east of I-95. It would only shave around 10-15 miles off the existing I-95 -> I-74 / US-74 route, and given the volumes on US-74 east of I-95 are only around 10,000 AADT, the I-20 extension would serve a minimal amount of traffic and likely cost over $1 billion.

I'd rather them spend that $1 billion widening the I-95 portion of the route, which would also address capacity issues on I-95 at the same time. A much better investment of limited dollars.

[WashuOtaku]

I'm referring to the extension of Interstate 20 east of I-95. It would only shave around 10-15 miles off the existing I-95 -> I-74 / US-74 route, and given the volumes on US-74 east of I-95 are only around 10,000 AADT, the I-20 extension would serve a minimal amount of traffic and likely cost over $1 billion.

I'd rather them spend that $1 billion widening the I-95 portion of the route, which would also address capacity issues on I-95 at the same time. A much better investment of limited dollars.

South Carolina never signed-off on the idea and they have a pretty good track record of dragging their feet on interstate construction. That's why when the governor left office, his dream of a I-20 extension went with him.

[tolbs17]

Can US-220 be moved back onto its original alignment between Greensboro and Emery or did they intentionally not move it back for political reasons?

[Strider]

Can US-220 be moved back onto its original alignment between Greensboro and Emery or did they intentionally not move it back for political reasons?

NCDOT can do that, but they are not planning on doing it.

[The Ghostbuster]

I'd much rather truncate the US 220 designation than relocate it back to its ordinal alignment. In fact, I'd like US 220 to be truncated to the current northern terminus of Interstate 73 northeast of Stokesdale (and be truncated further if more of Interstate 73 is constructed northward towards Martinsville, and if it ever makes it to Roanoke). On the other end, US 220 should eventually be truncated to Interstate 99's present southern terminus in Bedford, Pennsylvania (existing US 220 between Pennsdale and South Waverly can become PA 220).

[sturmde]

It would be a waste of money, which would be better off spent on widening I-95.

The fact that NCDOT has yet to publicly route I-74 south of Bolton is a strong indication they agree with you.

The solution is clear.... I-74 can follow US 74/76 all the way to I-140.  At that point, it can change directions (a la I-69 in Michigan) and suddenly become I-74 SOUTH and take over I-140 to US 17.  It can continue along the US 17 parallel route and then pick up SC 31 as planned.
.
This requires no change in legislation... it still traverses North Carolina, and crosses the border into South Carolina where planned.  It just requires the disbelief of I-74 making a right angle turn of sorts, and becoming a NORTH/SOUTH route to its end south of Myrtle Beach.  The precedent for changing direction exists already with Michigan's I-69, and the precedents for ending near an ocean are many... and even in the middle of the country (I-27, I-44, I-39) not at another interstate.
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No need at all to make it an I-x74.

[tolbs17]

If this hasn't been mentioned yet, western segments of the beltway (EA and D) have been accelerated 1 year I think. They were originally scheduled to begin in 2028, but not the DOT website shows that they will begin in 2027 with the rest of the remaining segments to begin in 2028. Previously they were either unfunded or had a start date of 2029. I'm happy to hear about this

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/wsnb/Pages/default.aspx

[tolbs17]

Governor Easley proposed I-20 to Wilmington late in his last term.  Seems like it was yesterday but going on 15 years now.  That would be a great option (possibly better) but that died quickly.

It would be a waste of money, which would be better off spent on widening I-95.

New alignment of I-20 or following I-95 and US74/76?

[fillup420]

Governor Easley proposed I-20 to Wilmington late in his last term.  Seems like it was yesterday but going on 15 years now.  That would be a great option (possibly better) but that died quickly.

It would be a waste of money, which would be better off spent on widening I-95.

New alignment of I-20 or following I-95 and US74/76?

I would say roughly follow US 76 the whole way. a new-build northern bypass using a bit of I-95 would probably be the best route around and out of Florence. The I-20/I-95 interchange is already sort of built for I-20 east to swing north on I-95. 20 could depart 95 just north of US 52, and rejoin US 76 near the Florence airport. Some new location would also be beneficial between Marion and Chadbourn to avoid town centers.

[wdcrft63]

This is fictional. Reality: If South Carolina can't figure out a way to build I-73 to take people to Myrtle Beach there's no chance it will want to build a road to take people to North Carolina beaches.

[sprjus4]

Governor Easley proposed I-20 to Wilmington late in his last term.  Seems like it was yesterday but going on 15 years now.  That would be a great option (possibly better) but that died quickly.

It would be a waste of money, which would be better off spent on widening I-95.

New alignment of I-20 or following I-95 and US74/76?

I would say roughly follow US 76 the whole way. a new-build northern bypass using a bit of I-95 would probably be the best route around and out of Florence. The I-20/I-95 interchange is already sort of built for I-20 east to swing north on I-95. 20 could depart 95 just north of US 52, and rejoin US 76 near the Florence airport. Some new location would also be beneficial between Marion and Chadbourn to avoid town centers.

Still not worth the cost. I-95 / I-74 is sufficient, and limited spending could be used to expand I-95 to 6 lanes.

[bob7374]

I've added new photos courtesy of David Gallo and Tracy Hamm of the construction of a new Future I-74 interchange in Boardman, such as:


to my I-74 Segment 17 page, the rest of the photos at: https://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg17.html#photos

[bob7374]

NCDOT temporarily closing Old Walkertown Road as part of Winston-Salem Northern Beltway (Future I-74) project:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-04-04-forsyth-county-one-month-improvement.aspx

[bob7374]

I've added some additional photos of the Boardman interchange project courtesy of David Gallo, this from US 74 West:


Other new images at bottom of photo section of the I-74 Segment 17 page:
https://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg17.html#photos

In other news, the completion date for the I-74/Beltway interchange with US 52 has been moved from October 2022 to July 2023. Don't know yet if this will have an effect to the opening date of the section from US 311 to NC 66, scheduled for the end of the year.

[bob7374]

The first week of May marks the 25th anniversary of the first signing of I-73 and I-74 in NC along the new 'US 220 Bypass' between Ulah and Steeds (later that year the signage was extended further south along the (still) substandard existing US 220 freeway to Candor). From that small 12 mile highway beginning, I-73 now runs continuously just over 100 miles from north of Greensboro to north of Rockingham, while I-74 is in 3 distinct segments (with another segment signed as NC 74) between the NC/VA border and east of Lumberton.

The latest news is that the second to last section of the Future I-74 Winston-Salem Northern Beltway, from US 421 to I-40, is now under construction, due to be completed in early 2027. The final segment, due to be completed around the same time, is to be let this October. The current section under construction from US 311 to NC 66 is now over 90% complete and is due to be open this October. The project constructing the Beltway and US 52 interchange is now scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2023. Construction on the I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass is still set to be completed in the spring of 2024, and is almost 50% complete. The contract to build a new interchange between US 74/76 and Chauncey Town Road east of Whiteville is scheduled to be let in June. Work on upgrading the intersection between US 74 and Old Boardman Road to an interchange in Columbus County is now nearly 43% complete. All this information is now posted on my I-73/I-74 in NC website, now in its 20th year:
https://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/index.html

[bob7374]

Lane closures along I-40 in Winston-Salem this weekend due to Beltway (I-74) project:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-05-20-closures-for-winston-salem-northern-beltway-project.aspx

[bob7374]

NCDOT's advertisements for the June 21 Central Contract Letting include the project to upgrade the Chauncey Town Road intersection on US 74/76 in Columbus County to an interchange and replace the intersection with Old Lake Road with a bridge. Sign plans for the future Chauncey Town Road interchange indicate it will be called Lake Waccamaw and be numbered 252:


Plans also indicate the 70 MPH speed limit will be continued 2 miles beyond the new exit. This will be 4 miles before the last current I-74 numbered exit (258) along US 74/76 at NC 211.

[sprjus4]

^ Good to see the speed limit slightly extended, but it couldn't be increased to 70 mph all the way to NC-211 once those two intersections are done? As far as I can see, it's all fully controlled access highway, has the same cross section (albeit a smaller 46 ft median - but that should be no factor) and cable barrier installed.

[Henry]

^ Good to see the speed limit slightly extended, but it couldn't be increased to 70 mph all the way to NC-211 once those two intersections are done? As far as I can see, it's all fully controlled access highway, has the same cross section (albeit a smaller 46 ft median - but that should be no factor) and cable barrier installed.

The reason for that is because NC 211 is where I-74 is supposed to turn southeast, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Sierra Club is fighting that section tooth and nail and demanding that it continue directly to Wilmington instead.

[LM117]

^ Good to see the speed limit slightly extended, but it couldn't be increased to 70 mph all the way to NC-211 once those two intersections are done? As far as I can see, it's all fully controlled access highway, has the same cross section (albeit a smaller 46 ft median - but that should be no factor) and cable barrier installed.

The reason for that is because NC 211 is where I-74 is supposed to turn southeast, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Sierra Club is fighting that section tooth and nail and demanding that it continue directly to Wilmington instead.

If the Sierra Club takes it to court, I think they will win that battle. That stupid downward turn from NC-211 is completely unnecessary and useless, and I doubt anyone at NCDOT today would disagree, even if they won't admit it publicly. I wouldn't be surprised if NCDOT secretly hopes that it gets struck down so that NCDOT could then say "Welp, we tried ¯\_(ツ)_/¯" and finally have a solid case to force Congress's hand to change I-74's routing to Wilmington where it belongs.

I'm not a fan of the Sierra Club, but I would happily root for them on this one.

[sprjus4]

^ Good to see the speed limit slightly extended, but it couldn't be increased to 70 mph all the way to NC-211 once those two intersections are done? As far as I can see, it's all fully controlled access highway, has the same cross section (albeit a smaller 46 ft median - but that should be no factor) and cable barrier installed.

The reason for that is because NC 211 is where I-74 is supposed to turn southeast, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Sierra Club is fighting that section tooth and nail and demanding that it continue directly to Wilmington instead.

I-74 south of Bolton is useless, but that's not what I'm referring to. I'm simply talking about the speed limit on US-74 and why it cannot be 70 mph all the way to NC-211 (where the fully controlled access segment transitions to a partially controlled access where the maximum speed limit can only be 60 mph) once the two interchanges in question to the west are complete.

[bob7374]

In addition to the news from the Draft 2024-2033 STIP that most of the remaining I-73/I-74 projects won't start until at least 2034, the completion date for the I-73/74 Rockingham Bypass has been revised to the fall of 2025 in the latest listing in the NCDOT Construction Progress Report, the original completion date was to be the fall of 2023. Work is almost 50% complete.