Interstate 42

[sprjus4]

That's not exactly the plan - although I agree it should be. The existing frontage roads will be retained and kept 2 way while the mainline is upgraded into a six lane freeway. At interchanges, the frontage roads will curve away from the main intersection to leave room for tight traditional ramps.

They'll have to buy and clear quite a few properties near the intersection corners to do that. Tight slip ramps at various points along the way would be easier. I suppose those wouldn't be up to current geometry standards though.

The second segment between the southern end of this project and the Havelock Bypass is scheduled to begin construction next year. A similar design will be used, though it will transition back to a 4 lane mainline design with a 46 foot median. The bridges appear to be designed with a third center lane for future expansion, however.

I wouldn't think there would be enough space for a 46' wide median, much less any kind of grassy median at all. I pretty much expected the opposing main lanes to be divided by a concrete Jersey barrier along all the portions flanked by frontage roads.

If you go on the project websites, all of the design plans should be posted.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Wilsons Mills freeway upgrade.

Approaching the future Swift Creek Rd. interchange.


Approaching the future Wilsons Mills Rd. interchange.






Look at those big, broad shoulders (Dover).


Clearing right-of-way for James City freeway upgrade.






Havelock Bypass
west interchange going eastbound


east interchange going eastbound


east interchange going westbound

[roadman65]

Will the BP station have to shut down east of US 70 Business near Smithfield where that one at grade is that got it's median closed to prevent cross traffic?
https://goo.gl/maps/krnjKyN1mgKQ59ae7

I imagine that this will not be bypassed but upgraded.

[CanesFan27]

Will the BP station have to shut down east of US 70 Business near Smithfield where that one at grade is that got it's median closed to prevent cross traffic?
https://goo.gl/maps/krnjKyN1mgKQ59ae7

I imagine that this will not be bypassed but upgraded.

I'm sure NCDOT will cross that bridge when we come to it.

[roadman65]

Will the BP station have to shut down east of US 70 Business near Smithfield where that one at grade is that got it's median closed to prevent cross traffic?
https://goo.gl/maps/krnjKyN1mgKQ59ae7

I imagine that this will not be bypassed but upgraded.

I'm sure NCDOT will cross that bridge when we come to it.

So then it won't be bypassed?  Then it's set to just upgrade the existing road between cities except east of New Bern?

[Henry]

Judging from the above pictures, most of US 70 will be upgraded, and the BP will need to be closed but can always be rebuilt elsewhere. Perhaps some frontage roads can be created from the ones meeting at that closed-off intersection if a bridge over the highway is not going to be built.

[nerdom]

42 will continue to the east of New Bern, past Havelock and end at the Carteret County line.... for now.

[bob7374]

NCDOT's latest Tentative letting list indicates the letting for the design-build contract to upgrade US 70 to interstate standards between James City and the future Havelock Bypass has been delayed from August to January 2023.

[LM117]

NCDOT's latest Tentative letting list indicates the letting for the design-build contract to upgrade US 70 to interstate standards between James City and the future Havelock Bypass has been delayed from August to January 2023.

Related to this section of US-70, the median crossing with Old Cherry Point Road will be closed and converted into a "reduced-conflict intersection" as a temporary measure until the larger upgrade project begins. Work will begin tomorrow night and will be complete by Wednesday at 8am.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-08-22-craven-county-intersection-improvement.aspx

[The Ghostbuster]

Does anyone have any updates on when Interstate 42 will be signposted along the Clayton and Goldsboro Bypasses? They were offficially designated in March, but apparently still haven't been signposted.

[LM117]

Does anyone have any updates on when Interstate 42 will be signposted along the Clayton and Goldsboro Bypasses? They were offficially designated in March, but apparently still haven't been signposted.

From their March 16 press release:

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-03-16-i-42-coming-us-70-corridor.aspx

Engineers with the NCDOT still have to work out the logistics of the change, including drawing up the plans for a contractor to install the interstate signage and mile markers. A timeline will be announced later this year.

Timeline still hasn't been announced yet.

[bob7374]

An intersection in James City will be temporarily reconstructed as a reduced conflict intersection prior to this section of US 70 being upgraded to interstate (I-42) standards:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-08-22-craven-county-intersection-improvement.aspx

[LM117]

Upcoming traffic shift on US-70 East at Wilson's Mills as part of the interstate upgrade project in that area.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-09-06-us-70-johnston-county-traffic-shift.aspx

[LM117]

Upcoming traffic shift on US-70 East at Wilson's Mills as part of the interstate upgrade project in that area.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-09-06-us-70-johnston-county-traffic-shift.aspx

Upcoming shift on the westbound side.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-10-12-us-70-construction-johnston-county-traffic-shift.aspx

[bob7374]

Upcoming traffic shift on US-70 East at Wilson's Mills as part of the interstate upgrade project in that area.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-09-06-us-70-johnston-county-traffic-shift.aspx

Upcoming shift on the westbound side.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-10-12-us-70-construction-johnston-county-traffic-shift.aspx

Unfortunately, this shift will happen after my trip to NC this weekend, but I will hopefully will get to check out the eastbound shift. I also plan to get photos for updates to my I-73/I-74 and Future interstate sites while I'm down there.

[LM117]

Upcoming lane closures in James City this weekend as part of the interstate upgrade project. Completion is still expected by late 2024.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-10-26-us-70-james-city-lane-closures.aspx

[LM117]

Upcoming traffic shift on US-70 East at Wilson's Mills as part of the interstate upgrade project in that area.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-09-06-us-70-johnston-county-traffic-shift.aspx

Upcoming shift on the westbound side.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-10-12-us-70-construction-johnston-county-traffic-shift.aspx

Another upcoming closure in Wilson's Mills. The south side of Swift Creek Road at US-70 will be closed from Nov. 7 until March.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-11-02-johnston-county-highway-project-requires-temporary-road-closure.aspx

[bob7374]

Have posted photos from my recent trip to NC along Future I-42 from I-40 to I-95 of both signage:


and construction in Johnston County:


on my Future I-42 in NC webpage (also GSV images from the Havelock Bypass area taken in July):
https://malmeroads.net/ncfutints/fut42.html#photos

[LM117]

As part of the ongoing interstate upgrade project in the area, the US-70/Sadisco Road intersection just east of the Clayton Bypass will permanently close on Dec. 9.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-12-07-johnston-county-road-access-closes.aspx

[LM117]

Upcoming temporary lane closures on US-70 in Havelock as part of the Havelock Bypass construction.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-12-08-havelock-bypass-construction-temporary-lane-closures.aspx

[WashuOtaku]

Does anyone have any updates on when Interstate 42 will be signposted along the Clayton and Goldsboro Bypasses? They were offficially designated in March, but apparently still haven't been signposted.

From their March 16 press release:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-03-16-i-42-coming-us-70-corridor.aspx

Engineers with the NCDOT still have to work out the logistics of the change, including drawing up the plans for a contractor to install the interstate signage and mile markers. A timeline will be announced later this year.

Timeline still hasn't been announced yet.

Now that we have the 2022 AASHTO reports, we know for certain that NCDOT has done everything except sign the route at this point. Approval of I-42 in October 2021 followed by approval to eliminate US 70 Bypass in May 2022. FHWA even blessed it. So yea, we are just waiting on the state to act.

[bob7374]

Does anyone have any updates on when Interstate 42 will be signposted along the Clayton and Goldsboro Bypasses? They were offficially designated in March, but apparently still haven't been signposted.

From their March 16 press release:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-03-16-i-42-coming-us-70-corridor.aspx

Engineers with the NCDOT still have to work out the logistics of the change, including drawing up the plans for a contractor to install the interstate signage and mile markers. A timeline will be announced later this year.

Timeline still hasn't been announced yet.

Now that we have the 2022 AASHTO reports, we know for certain that NCDOT has done everything except sign the route at this point. Approval of I-42 in October 2021 followed by approval to eliminate US 70 Bypass in May 2022. FHWA even blessed it. So yea, we are just waiting on the state to act.

Given there's a little more than 2 weeks left, it appears then that it won't happen this year. I see no problem with signing the Goldsboro Bypass as I-42 now. NCDOT may be having second thoughts about the Clayton Bypass, wanting to wait until the Johnston County work is completed, or perhaps the NC 540 work. Or perhaps its a delay while trying to come up with a way of reducing the confusion of having I-42 and NC 42 in close proximity. New overhead signs went up recently along I-40 East for the Clayton Bypass and there was only room for a US 70 shield, making it look like NCDOT is in no rush to put up I-42 shields along on that roadway:

[WashuOtaku]

Does anyone have any updates on when Interstate 42 will be signposted along the Clayton and Goldsboro Bypasses? They were offficially designated in March, but apparently still haven't been signposted.

From their March 16 press release:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-03-16-i-42-coming-us-70-corridor.aspx

Engineers with the NCDOT still have to work out the logistics of the change, including drawing up the plans for a contractor to install the interstate signage and mile markers. A timeline will be announced later this year.

Timeline still hasn't been announced yet.

Now that we have the 2022 AASHTO reports, we know for certain that NCDOT has done everything except sign the route at this point. Approval of I-42 in October 2021 followed by approval to eliminate US 70 Bypass in May 2022. FHWA even blessed it. So yea, we are just waiting on the state to act.

Given there's a little more than 2 weeks left, it appears then that it won't happen this year. I see no problem with signing the Goldsboro Bypass as I-42 now. NCDOT may be having second thoughts about the Clayton Bypass, wanting to wait until the Johnston County work is completed, or perhaps the NC 540 work. Or perhaps its a delay while trying to come up with a way of reducing the confusion of having I-42 and NC 42 in close proximity. New overhead signs went up recently along I-40 East for the Clayton Bypass and there was only room for a US 70 shield, making it look like NCDOT is in no rush to put up I-42 shields along on that roadway:

Well, they can easily switch out US 70 with I-42. I suspect they will move US 70 mainline back through Clayton so I-42 would be the sole route on the freeway, similar to the I-587 and US 264 seperation.

[LM117]

I was wondering if the Goldsboro US-70 Bypass was the one that was referred to in AASHTO's report. The link that was posted in the main AASHTO 2022 thread wasn't specific.

I agree that moving US-70 back to it's old alignment through Clayton is pretty much all but certain at this point if I-587 & US-264 is any indication. No complaints from me.

[bob7374]

Since 2022 has come and gone and there has yet to be any announcement by NCDOT as to when I-42 will be signed along the Clayton and Goldsboro Bypasses, as was promised by the end of the year last March, I sent a question into NCDOT using the form provided on their website. I will let everyone know what the response is, when and if I get one.