Interstate 87 (NC-VA)

[sprjus4]

Hopefully the powers that be will at least secure right of way to build out freeway upgrades when they become desperately needed. Far too often we see important highway corridors that would eventually need major expansions get overrun with development. Properties get built up right next to the road with lots of driveways emptying out onto the highway. That lack of discipline in property development turns any highway upgrades into a painful affair.

I fear this is going to occur in the Grassfield area in Chesapeake. The city fully recognizes the corridor is apart of the future Raleigh to Norfolk interstate and supports it, though is continuing to build and plan with little regard to potential interchange locations. The highway is limited access though that doesn't prevent developers from building right up to it with little to no room for future ramps, overpasses, etc. Specifically, look at Grassfield Pkwy, and in the future likely Scenic Pkwy.

And the city is planning a mega site development near the North Carolina border, with the prospect of the interstate running alongside it in mind, but is planning to construct an at-grade signalized intersection on rural US-17 using one of the authorized breaks in limited access right of way currently used for farm access.

[froggie]

A lot of that has to do with property rights and development laws in a given state.  Some states are better than others.  As a general rule, the southern states lean more towards property rights, which has negative implications on right-of-way protection.

There's also the matter of that physical right-of-way.  Before the state can protect the right-of-way, they need to have an official map (i.e. get location and possibly environmental studies done).  Then they need the funding for right-of-way.  And we all saw what happened with that in North Carolina in the courts last year.

[architect77]

Generally speaking NCDOT only does interstate conversions that are pushed by local politicos. As far as I know no one in Sanford is pushing for an interstate now, but who knows what the future might bring. Of course I-140 is at Wilmington now so US 1 would have to be I-340 or maybe I-740.

I could be totally off, but you must remember that US1 is not just any ol' highway. It is arguably the one with the most historical significance in the entire country.

Maybe it's not one to be  casually renamed as it passes through towns up and down the Eastern Seaboard, even though as I type this I'm thinking of I-95 becoming US1 in/ near Miami.

US74 should get renamed since part of it will be an interstate.

The I-885 in RTP baffles me though, because at some point there are so many interstates in an area that clarity in people's minds of where  that red, white , & blue shield with a number will take them to.

Too many reduce the significance of highways signed that way.

I was thinking last night driving in Atlanta of how much emotion in people is evoked for a city with so many weekend visitors. Atlanta doesn't have big guidance signs on secondary roads nor at junctions with interstates, so the little shields on small lane signs at junctions are all visitors have to  get them around town.

And you know how relieved you are to spot one when you're driving in an unfamiliar city. and feel half lost.

[LM117]

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2021/2021-02-10-martin-county-contracts.aspx

​WILLIAMSTON — Portions of three primary roadways in Martin County will be resurfaced and rehabilitated under two contracts recently awarded by the N.C. Department of Transportation. The contracts, worth a total of $3.6 million, were both awarded to Barnhill Contracting of Rocky Mount.

The first contract, worth $861,000, is for the milling and resurfacing of 2.6 miles of U.S. 64 Alt between Cullipher Road and West Main Street, as well as on 1.1 miles of U.S. 17 between exit 514 and Garrett Road. The contract also includes patching of the existing pavement and replacement of guardrails.

The second contract, worth $2.7 million, includes pavement rehabilitation on 4.3 miles of U.S. 64, from U.S. 64 Alt to N.C. Highway 125. 

Work on the projects can begin this spring and both projects are expected to be complete by the fall or winter of 2022.

[snowc]

Looks like we have an official answer on I-587. Great job and kudos to @sprjus4! 

[ahj2000]

Looks like we have an official answer on I-587. Great job and kudos to @sprjus4! 

Why north though? The route goes ESE.
(I would've just preferred 46/48)

[snowc]

Looks like we have an official answer on I-587. Great job and kudos to @sprjus4! 

Why north though? The route goes ESE.
(I would've just preferred 46/48)

Since future I-87 is an odd number the route is considered a north south route and because future I-587 is a spur off that route, it's also considered a north south route. Hope this helps!

NCDOT told @sprjus4 this info. Have more on I42 in its respective form post.

[vdeane]

Basically NCDOT doesn't know how 3dis are supposed to work.

[ran4sh]

That's not even consistent with their own historic usage! In Charlotte before there was I-485, they had I-277 posted as "East" coming off of I-77 (for the south half, and then removing the direction for the north half).

It makes me think the people making the decisions now, only learned the 2di rule (odd N-S / even E-W) and that was it.

[WashuOtaku]

That's not even consistent with their own historic usage! In Charlotte before there was I-485, they had I-277 posted as "East" coming off of I-77 (for the south half, and then removing the direction for the north half).

It makes me think the people making the decisions now, only learned the 2di rule (odd N-S / even E-W) and that was it.

How historic was that, because I have never seen East-West signs used on I-277. Now I have on I-485, but they later removed them all and kept with North-South throughout.

[Roadsguy]

This was also posted in 2019 when sprjus4 first made that tweet, but it's still silly now. It doesn't help that every single one of NC's 3di's just happen to naturally run in the same direction as their parent. (Future I-274 on the west half of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway is also confirmed to be east/west, despite overall running north-south.)

[CanesFan27]

Looks like we have an official answer on I-587. Great job and kudos to @sprjus4! 

Why north though? The route goes ESE.
(I would've just preferred 46/48)

Yes, ESE from Zebulon to Greenville.  So following their policy with Greenville to Zebulon going WNW - albeit barely - they are reversed. 

[snowc]

Looks like we have an official answer on I-587. Great job and kudos to @sprjus4! 

Why north though? The route goes ESE.
(I would've just preferred 46/48)

Yes, ESE from Zebulon to Greenville.  So following their policy with Greenville to Zebulon going WNW - albeit barely - they are reversed.

Thanks for telling me this!

[roadman65]

IMO I think US 264 should be decommissioned being it's a one state route and it's going to be concurrent west of Greenville completely with it and I-87. It's just almost there but 65 miles shy, so just give the non freeway part a state number and be done.

[ahj2000]

IMO I think US 264 should be decommissioned being it's a one state route and it's going to be concurrent west of Greenville completely with it and I-87. It's just almost there but 65 miles shy, so just give the non freeway part a state number and be done.

Why not route it onto 264 Alt?
As a complete route, it deserves an interstate shield

[snowc]

IMO I think US 264 should be decommissioned being it's a one state route and it's going to be concurrent west of Greenville completely with it and I-87. It's just almost there but 65 miles shy, so just give the non freeway part a state number and be done.

Why not route it onto 264 Alt?
As a complete route, it deserves an interstate shield

Agree with this.

[fillup420]

IMO I think US 264 should be decommissioned being it's a one state route and it's going to be concurrent west of Greenville completely with it and I-87. It's just almost there but 65 miles shy, so just give the non freeway part a state number and be done.

Why not route it onto 264 Alt?
As a complete route, it deserves an interstate shield

Agree with this.

I think it should just be left as US 264. It is not an inter-state route. Hell its barely a full-state route. Its been 264 since 1932, why change it now? No actual benefit comes from adding an interstate number, other than the federal funding for NC DOT. The road doesn't need a new number, or new and incorrect cardinal directions. All these interstate "projects" here are just a waste of time, money, and effort.

[Mapmikey]

IMO I think US 264 should be decommissioned being it's a one state route and it's going to be concurrent west of Greenville completely with it and I-87. It's just almost there but 65 miles shy, so just give the non freeway part a state number and be done.

Information for North Carolina residents on whether NC ever completely decommissions its US routes can be found by dialing 311.

[snowc]

IMO I think US 264 should be decommissioned being it's a one state route and it's going to be concurrent west of Greenville completely with it and I-87. It's just almost there but 65 miles shy, so just give the non freeway part a state number and be done.

Information for North Carolina residents on whether NC ever completely decommissions its US routes can be found by dialing 311.

Thanks for the public service announcement, MapMikey. Will take this into account.

[hotdogPi]

IMO I think US 264 should be decommissioned being it's a one state route and it's going to be concurrent west of Greenville completely with it and I-87. It's just almost there but 65 miles shy, so just give the non freeway part a state number and be done.

Information for North Carolina residents on whether NC ever completely decommissions its US routes can be found by dialing 311.

Thanks for the public service announcement, MapMikey. Will take this into account.

I'm pretty sure that wasn't to be taken seriously. (link)

[snowc]

IMO I think US 264 should be decommissioned being it's a one state route and it's going to be concurrent west of Greenville completely with it and I-87. It's just almost there but 65 miles shy, so just give the non freeway part a state number and be done.

Information for North Carolina residents on whether NC ever completely decommissions its US routes can be found by dialing 311.

Thanks for the public service announcement, MapMikey. Will take this into account.

I'm pretty sure that wasn't to be taken seriously. (link)

Now i get it. 

[sprjus4]

I think it should just be left as US 264. It is not an inter-state route. Hell its barely a full-state route.

Connects the largest eastern North Carolina city to the state capital, and of course it's not an inter-state route, it's a 3di, not a 2di. Using that logic, you might as well decommission every 3di that's a beltway, urban route, etc.

[LM117]

IMO I think US 264 should be decommissioned being it's a one state route and it's going to be concurrent west of Greenville completely with it and I-87. It's just almost there but 65 miles shy, so just give the non freeway part a state number and be done.

Why not route it onto 264 Alt?
As a complete route, it deserves an interstate shield

Agree with this.

I think it should just be left as US 264. It is not an inter-state route. Hell its barely a full-state route. Its been 264 since 1932, why change it now? No actual benefit comes from adding an interstate number, other than the federal funding for NC DOT. The road doesn't need a new number, or new and incorrect cardinal directions. All these interstate "projects" here are just a waste of time, money, and effort.

It wasn't NCDOT's idea. US-264 became a future interstate because Greenville had been pushing like hell for it since late 2012. NCDOT usually gives in to the locals, especially where eastern NC is concerned. ENC usually carries a lot of weight in state politics.

That said, I don't have a problem with I-587 (other than NCDOT signing it N/S ). It's already a 70mph freeway and once the ongoing upgrade project between the Wilson/Greene county line and Greenville wraps up, all that will be left to upgrade is the stretch between Sims and Zebulon.

[tolbs17]

Looks like we have an official answer on I-587. Great job and kudos to @sprjus4! 

Why north though? The route goes ESE.
(I would've just preferred 46/48)

Yes, ESE from Zebulon to Greenville.  So following their policy with Greenville to Zebulon going WNW - albeit barely - they are reversed.

Thanks for telling me this!

Looks like shit to me. Will they fix that?

[tolbs17]

IMO I think US 264 should be decommissioned being it's a one state route and it's going to be concurrent west of Greenville completely with it and I-87. It's just almost there but 65 miles shy, so just give the non freeway part a state number and be done.

Why not route it onto 264 Alt?
As a complete route, it deserves an interstate shield

Agree with this.

I think it should just be left as US 264. It is not an inter-state route. Hell its barely a full-state route. Its been 264 since 1932, why change it now? No actual benefit comes from adding an interstate number, other than the federal funding for NC DOT. The road doesn't need a new number, or new and incorrect cardinal directions. All these interstate "projects" here are just a waste of time, money, and effort.

It wasn't NCDOT's idea. US-264 became a future interstate because Greenville had been pushing like hell for it since late 2012. NCDOT usually gives in to the locals, especially where eastern NC is concerned. ENC usually carries a lot of weight in state politics.

That said, I don't have a problem with I-587 (other than NCDOT signing it N/S ). It's already a 70mph freeway and once the ongoing upgrade project between the Wilson/Greene county line and Greenville wraps up, all that will be left to upgrade is the stretch between Sims and Zebulon.

How about I-595?