Interstate 73/74

[bob7374]

NCDOT has awarded the contract to upgrade the Chauncey Town Road intersection in Lake Waccamaw on US 74/76 (Future I-74) to an interchange (plus build a roundabout at that road's intersection with NC 214) and create a bridge to replace the Old Lake Road intersection. Work can start next month and should conclude by the summer of 2025:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-07-11-upgrading-columbus-county-highway.aspx

[bob7374]

Google Maps Street View has updated their images along some of roadways intersecting the future I-74 Winston-Salem Northern Beltway from US 311 to US 52 to May 2022. I have posted screen shots taken from these updates on both my I-74 Segment 3 and 4 pages showing construction progress, especially along the new southbound lanes in vicinity of the future I-74/Winston-Salem Northern Beltway interchange:


And of the Beltway itself from the US 52 bridges, such as:


All the images on the Segment 4 page are at:


While the Segment 3 images are down on the page in the photos section:
[url]https://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg3.html]https://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg4.html#photos[/img]

While the Segment 3 images are down on the page in the photos section:
[url]https://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg3.html

Images from the I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass construction, also from May 2022, coming soon.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Wonder when we might see some updated Google Ariel imagry. 

[carbaugh2]

Found this article on the Winston-Salem beltway progress.

https://journalnow.com/news/local/progress-is-visible-in-prominent-places-along-the-northern-beltway-in-winston-salem/article_10e52ed4-fe33-11ec-8aa6-d338db8f606d.html

[GreenLanternCorps]

bob7374 mentiond up thread about the Rockingham bypass.

They are definitely making progress

View from the US 220 exit ramp:

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9962521,-79.7793579,3a,75y,238.89h,89.45t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sjZE4c7Z6eZ2ZgtlMZUUcSw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DjZE4c7Z6eZ2ZgtlMZUUcSw%26cb_client%3Dsearch.revgeo_and_fetch.gps%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D156.46964%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

The road here is paved and painted and ready to go as of May 2022

This view from Harrington Road to the South is older (September 2021) but also shows the northern section as paved (but not finished).

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9931091,-79.7833291,3a,30y,64.11h,82.34t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sOhy1hKvg7zZmOTud2ob1CQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DOhy1hKvg7zZmOTud2ob1CQ%26cb_client%3Dsearch.revgeo_and_fetch.gps%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D187.81697%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Further South, as of September 2021, not much work underway at Dave Kings Road:

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9875889,-79.7967258,3a,27.5y,46.19h,96.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjGWjR12jnAf5XCZePCu-TQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Plenty of construction (May 2022) at Business US 74:

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9533209,-79.8399495,3a,35.7y,125.79h,95.81t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s68-ByyTOIeKxvoAfogxNwA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

And construction (May 2022) at US 74:

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9447976,-79.8459122,3a,75y,31.41h,85.95t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sD1e4y9ByliKj0O5Kaei_lA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DD1e4y9ByliKj0O5Kaei_lA%26cb_client%3Dsearch.revgeo_and_fetch.gps%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D1.8421167%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

[bob7374]

On August 19, NCDOT released plans related to the last segment of the I-74 Winston-Salem Northern Beltway project from I-40 to I-74 east of the city.  Among the plans were 5 sets of signing plans.  They cover signage on the Beltway, on I-40 and other intersecting routes plus along US 52, Future NC 192 and I-77. For the Beltway the plans mostly document how the pull through and ramp signage will be revised from NC 74 to I-74 when it is completed, such as at US 158:


All the new plans for the Beltway can be found at: https://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg4.html#signplans

The plans for US 52 involve the changing of exit numbers to match I-74 mileage and the installation of new mile markers, similar to what recently occurred on US 264 for Future I-587. Here's the new exit number for the Pilot Mountain State Park exit:


The full set can be found at:https://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg3.html

Curiously, they are also appearing to be changing the exit number for the I-74 exit on I-77 South to that based on I-74 mileage, so that I-74 can exit itself:


The plans with the exit numbers for the future NC 192 that will replace I-74 west of the future Beltway exit, include:


I-40 East will be Exit 1. It is unknown whether all these sign and exit numbers changes will wait until the completion of this contract in 2026, or, especially in the case of US 52, whether they will occur earlier.

[rickmastfan67]

Curiously, they are also appearing to be changing the exit number for the I-74 exit on I-77 South to that based on I-74 mileage, so that I-74 can exit itself:

Ok, that's WTF time.  This shouldn't change.  Somebody should get a hold of NCDOT on this one.

If they're going to try and change this, they then need to change the MM's too.

It doesn't help that the sole I-74 shield (at least going NB) is no more.
https://goo.gl/maps/muRuugA7zgn1hrqs5 (09/19)
https://goo.gl/maps/vgvtjNwg4sXByhpB9 (09/21)

SB is still in it's place as of 09/21. https://goo.gl/maps/qsxW19BWvQELH4tP6

[ARMOURERERIC]

Also, if the exits were renumbered based on 74 being the primary route, the tab would need to be over the 77 half

[bob7374]

Curiously, they are also appearing to be changing the exit number for the I-74 exit on I-77 South to that based on I-74 mileage, so that I-74 can exit itself:

Ok, that's WTF time.  This shouldn't change.  Somebody should get a hold of NCDOT on this one.

If they're going to try and change this, they then need to change the MM's too.

It doesn't help that the sole I-74 shield (at least going NB) is no more.
https://goo.gl/maps/muRuugA7zgn1hrqs5 (09/19)
https://goo.gl/maps/vgvtjNwg4sXByhpB9 (09/21)

SB is still in it's place as of 09/21. https://goo.gl/maps/qsxW19BWvQELH4tP6

A closer look at the plans shows they are changing mile markers. Mile Marker 2 is to be installed just west/north of the bridge carrying SR 1602/Maple Grove Church Road. Mile Marker 3 just east/south of the weigh station and Mile Marker 4 at the merge point west/north of I-74 with I-77. I will post these plans later on my site and with this post.

[vdeane]

This is stupid.  I-74 will never be signed in VA or completed in WV or OH.  Why is NCDOT doing this?  IMO I-74 should be truncated to not have an overlap with I-77 at all.

[MATraveler128]

This is stupid.  I-74 will never be signed in VA or completed in WV or OH.  Why is NCDOT doing this?  IMO I-74 should be truncated to not have an overlap with I-77 at all.

I guess they're still holding out hope that Virginia will post I-74 shields along their stretch of I-77. West Virginia is flat broke and can't afford to spend money to build a freeway along US 52 and Ohio has zero interest in any new Interstates. There's no need for VDOT to spend money to sign I-74 when there's much more important things to be done in the state first. I'd say I-73 reaching completion is more likely and even that is a long way off.

[Mapmikey]

This is stupid.  I-74 will never be signed in VA or completed in WV or OH.  Why is NCDOT doing this?  IMO I-74 should be truncated to not have an overlap with I-77 at all.

Virginia did formally request and AASHTO approved I-74 be added to I-77 south of I-81 in October 1996.  I have wondered if the steps NCDOT is now taking to have a more continuous I-74 north of Winston-Salem would be what VDOT was waiting for to post I-74.

I have e-mailed VDOT with this question this afternoon.  We'll see what kind of response I get.  It might be VDOT forgot they added I-74 26 years ago.

Otherwise, if VDOT has no intention of signing I-74 south of I-81 then I agree what NCDOT is doing makes zero sense for the I-77 portion.

[vdeane]

It still makes no sense for a north-south highway to have exit numbers and mileposts be backwards just because I-74 is the lower number.

[74/171FAN]

It still makes no sense for a north-south highway to have exit numbers and mileposts be backwards just because I-74 is the lower number.

Well, I do not see this changing for I-40/I-85 any time soon so why does it need to be done here.

[Jmiles32]

This is stupid.  I-74 will never be signed in VA or completed in WV or OH.  Why is NCDOT doing this?  IMO I-74 should be truncated to not have an overlap with I-77 at all.

Virginia did formally request and AASHTO approved I-74 be added to I-77 south of I-81 in October 1996.  I have wondered if the steps NCDOT is now taking to have a more continuous I-74 north of Winston-Salem would be what VDOT was waiting for to post I-74.

I have e-mailed VDOT with this question this afternoon.  We'll see what kind of response I get.  It might be VDOT forgot they added I-74 26 years ago.

Otherwise, if VDOT has no intention of signing I-74 south of I-81 then I agree what NCDOT is doing makes zero sense for the I-77 portion.

I am very curious to see how they respond as well. I've always assumed that part of the reason why "Wytheville" is used as a control city westbound for I-74 instead of "Mt. Airy" or "To I-77" was because VDOT had told NCDOT that once I-74 between Mt. Airy and Winston-Salem was complete, they would sign I-74 up to I-81. 

Personally, I would at the very least like to see Winston-Salem added as a control city at the Fort Chiswell interchange since a significant number of travelers are bound that way too. With the addition of I-74 I think this would only help, not hurt.

[bob7374]

Here's the plan for the proposed location of the I-74 Mile 1 markers. Notice that the plan also indicates that the I-77 Mile 104 markers shown are to be removed:


The plans for the other 3 new mile markers are at:
https://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg1.html

[wdcrft63]

This is stupid.  I-74 will never be signed in VA or completed in WV or OH.  Why is NCDOT doing this?  IMO I-74 should be truncated to not have an overlap with I-77 at all.

Many Forum members prefer a tidy Interstate with few or no unnecessary concurrences. Sometimes I'm one of them. But NCDOT doesn't have this preference. They did eliminate the unnecessary concurrence of I-40 and I-440 but we still have the concurrences of I-240 with I-26,
I-840 with I-73 and I-87 with I-440. I think NCDOT wants I-74 to run from the state line and probably doesn't care what Virginia does.

[vdeane]

^ Perhaps FHWA should mandate that preference.  NCDOT is out of control.  Especially now with them changing the mileage and exit numbers, it's only going to make things unnecessarily confusing, and it will mean that someone traveling south on I-77 will now deal with three sets of exit numbers between I-81 and points south.  Something tells me VA has no plans to flip the numbers on I-77 and even if they did, it would be stupid, since I-77 runs due north-south in VA outside of the I-81 overlap.  It's taking nice, logical exit numbers and making them a jumbled mess.

[wdcrft63]

I agree about the exit numbers. The I-40/I-85 concurrence has I-85 exit numbers. It's irrelevant which route has the lower number.

[bob7374]

^ Perhaps FHWA should mandate that preference.  NCDOT is out of control.  Especially now with them changing the mileage and exit numbers, it's only going to make things unnecessarily confusing, and it will mean that someone traveling south on I-77 will now deal with three sets of exit numbers between I-81 and points south.  Something tells me VA has no plans to flip the numbers on I-77 and even if they did, it would be stupid, since I-77 runs due north-south in VA outside of the I-81 overlap.  It's taking nice, logical exit numbers and making them a jumbled mess.

Perhaps this is another case where a NCDOT official has gotten into his mind, like the 'fact' that 3dis should have the same directional banners as their parent routes, that the MUTCD demands that with concurrent routes, the lower numbered route gets the exit numbers. The MUTCD are guidelines, not mandates. Besides there's the fact that when I-40 was extended from Greensboro along I-85, the I-85 exit numbers were not changed, rightly so, because it was there first.

I have always been an advocate for I-74 to be signed in VA, though not until the route is signed all the way down to at least Winston-Salem. I don't think VDOT would be more encouraged to do that if they needed to change exit numbers to be consistent with NC (perhaps they could sign their portion of I-74 as North-South and comply with using 'I-74's' mileage for exit numbers that way).

[amroad17]

This is how passionate we members are about our Interstate, US, and State Highway systems.  Many of our posters, as well as myself, believe that this renumbering of the I-74/I-77 Mt. Airy interchange is something that does not need to occur.  I-77 was completed first; I-74 was added at the turn of the century.  Why change the exit number, and, why change it so that the Interstate it is based on has to exit itself?  Like ARMOURERERIC posted earlier, EXIT 5 should be over the right side of the BGS--over the I-77 part.  It would match I-74 WB's BGS.

vdeane also brings up the point that if Virginia is not going to sign I-74, then why not truncate it to the Mt. Airy interchange.  I agree with this, however, it seems as if North Carolina has a thing with wanting to sign an Interstate Highway to a state line.  I can see this in the future with I-73 and I-87.  However, there must be something in the works if NC is re-doing mile markers and changing the exit number from 101 to 5.  Maybe Virginia will sign I-74 up to I-81 within the next 5 years but they best not change any exit numbers or mile markers.  That would be a colossal waste of time, resources, and money.  Even some of us "amateur" road enthusiasts could do a better job of deciding signage at some of these state DOT jurisdictions than some of the employees currently working there.

The passion I brought up in my first sentence is that we are voicing our opinions over one Exit tab and five pairs of mile markers.  However, I would not expect any less from us!  

[Molandfreak]

I just don't see what the big deal is, it's five mile markers and one exit. That's insignificant enough for me to be a "blink or you miss it"  detail. I would rank this as orders of magnitude less confusing than deciding they want I-495 posted on part of US 64, then going back less than five years later and changing that to I-87 because "we want this to reach Virginia someday."

[sprjus4]

I-77 is a long established highway independent of the I-74 corridor in North Carolina. It should not have its exits changed simply because they're going to make I-74 concurrent for a few miles.

[Molandfreak]

I-77 is a long established highway independent of the I-74 corridor in North Carolina. It should not have its exits changed simply because they're going to make I-74 concurrent for a few miles.

Exactly one exit is going to be changed. After the change happens, show me an article about it causing mass confusion, and I'll eat a hat.

[Alex]

Agree with most of the above posts regarding the proposed renumbering of I-77's mile markers and Exit for I-74 east. This is not unprecedented, as a similar renumbering took place in St. Louis with the northward extension of I-44 over I-70. There the exit numbers along Interstate 55 were renumbered south from the Poplar Street Bridge (I-64/U.S. 40) so that I-55 exits itself at the split with I-44 at LaSalle Park:



Similar to the change at I-44/55 south, if the MUTCD is to be completely followed, the proposed sign changes at I-74/77 should be amended so that I-77 is Exit 5.

I-44 was previously Exit 207 from I-55 south: