Interstate 87 (NC-VA)

[sprjus4]

Funding shortfalls put I-87 projects on hold

Financial shortfalls have forced the N.C. Department of Transportation to delay construction on many parts of the proposed 213-mile Interstate 87 project from Raleigh to Virginia, a move that will push back the $1 billion project by several years.

Marc Finlayson of the Highway 17/64 Association told participants on a virtual "1-87 Work Session"  sponsored by the North Carolina East Alliance this week that a number of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have hurt NCDOT's bottom line.

"Most of the work we expect to be done has been pushed off at least several years and in some cases to the back end of the 10-year STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program),"  Finlayson said, referring to DOT's road-planning document for 2020-29.

NCDOT's financial challenges started with Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in 2018 as the agency had to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to repair damage from the storms.

"That was well beyond the money they had set aside to manage that,"  Finlayson said.

COVID further hurt NCDOT as people stopped driving during the pandemic and that led to a dramatic decrease in gas tax revenues.

"It's been really an unfortunate series of events that has caused DOT to have some financial difficulties,"  Finlayson said. "The good news is that as things improve, I am confident that DOT will move projects back to the left of the time line to the fullest extent that they can."

One I-87 project scheduled to begin last year in Pasquotank County – paving rehabilitation work from the Perquimans County line to the north end of U.S. Highway 17 – is one of many along the proposed route affected by NCDOT's financial woes.

NCDOT Division 1 Planning Engineer Craig Midgett said the $15 million Pasquotank project was let in 2019 and work was originally slated to begin in 2020. But he told work session participants that the project now "has been placed on hold."

A pavement rehab project in Camden County from the Pasquotank County line to the Virginia state line is scheduled to start in 2025 at an estimated cost of $6.1 million.

"We are hoping for that schedule to hold,"  Midgett said.

State Sen. Bob Steinburg, R-Chowan, told participants that funding priorities should be given to sections of future I-87 closer to the Virginia border.

Steinburg, whose district includes multiple counties through which the highway is scheduled to cross, noted that legislation he sponsored places northeastern North Carolina in Virginia's Foreign-Trade Zone and that land for economic development close to the Port of Virginia is becoming scarce and expensive.

"It seems that this would be prime for expansion first,"  Steinburg said of sections close to Virginia. "All of that land that is in North Carolina that is just across that invisible border is available for companies. If you want (economic) growth real quick, that would be the way to go about it."

Two projects in Chowan and Perquimans counties slated to be part of I-87 are "tentatively"  scheduled to begin in 2025, Midgett said.

The Chowan project is $6.4 million in pavement rehabilitation from the Bertie County line to the Perquimans County line. The Perquimans project is $5 million in pavement rehabilitation from East Bear Swamp Road to U.S. Highway 17 Business.

"I say tentatively because things being what they are, things are a little fluid,"  Midgett said. "But we anticipate them to begin in 2025."

Four interstate maintenance projects in Nash and Edgecombe counties are scheduled to be let in 2025. The interstate maintenance projects include pavement rehab, shoulder widening, guardrail upgrades and bridge preservation, said NCDOT Division 4 Planning Engineer Kristen Barnes.

The work session had almost 150 participants from across northeastern North Carolina. N.C. East Alliance interim President and CEO Vann Rogerson urged leaders attending the meeting to work toward getting federal dollars for I-87.

During the presidential campaign, President-elect Joe Biden voiced strong support for modernizing highways and roads, investing in light rail networks and updating ports. Those proposals may be easier to achieve as Democrats will take control of both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives in the coming days.

If such a package is approved, Rogerson said northeastern North Carolina needs to "put its hat in and ask for some of it."

"Let's make sure that we don't miss this infrastructure funding that is supposed to be an economic development stimulus from the federal government,"  Rogerson said. "One thing is for sure, if we don't ask for some money, we won't get any money."

[LM117]

Not surprised. This likely means bad news for I-42 and I-795 as well.

[The Ghostbuster]

I guess that means that Interstate 87 in North Carolina will remain at 12.9 miles indefinitely. Thus, the southern Interstate 87 will remain the shortest mainline Interstate Highway in the country, since Interstate 97 in Maryland is 4.72 miles longer.

[fillup420]

this is why NCDOT should've waited to sign it all at once. The only thing the public has really gotten out of this is a large jump in exit numbers on US 64. It jumps from Exit 14 to Exit 432.

[vdeane]

Given that the funding shortfalls started before the pandemic, it looks like NC has bitten off more than they can chew with all these interstates.  They should be banned from requesting more until the finish the ones they have.  And the new MUTCD won't allow them to have their interstate without doing the work any more, as the "Future XX" shields they use in place of "Interstate XX" will not be in the 2020 MUTCD (probably because of NC abusing them!).

this is why NCDOT should've waited to sign it all at once. The only thing the public has really gotten out of this is a large jump in exit numbers on US 64. It jumps from Exit 14 to Exit 432.

Agreed.  Interstates should not be signed unless a section would make sense to be signed with that number even if no further extensions ever happen.  As we've seen, plans can fall though, and you can end up with short, disconnected sections of interstate all over the place for a long time (if not forever).

[Revive 755]

Given that the funding shortfalls started before the pandemic, it looks like NC has bitten off more than they can chew with all these interstates.  They should be banned from requesting more until the finish the ones they have.  And the new MUTCD won't allow them to have their interstate without doing the work any more, as the "Future XX" shields they use in place of "Interstate XX" will not be in the 2020 MUTCD (probably because of NC abusing them!).

If that does make it in the next MUTCD, it doesn't mean Congress won't override it.  I could see some push back from NC and other states on that proposal.

[Strider]

Funding shortfalls put I-87 projects on hold

Financial shortfalls have forced the N.C. Department of Transportation to delay construction on many parts of the proposed 213-mile Interstate 87 project from Raleigh to Virginia, a move that will push back the $1 billion project by several years.

Marc Finlayson of the Highway 17/64 Association told participants on a virtual "1-87 Work Session"  sponsored by the North Carolina East Alliance this week that a number of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have hurt NCDOT's bottom line.

"Most of the work we expect to be done has been pushed off at least several years and in some cases to the back end of the 10-year STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program),"  Finlayson said, referring to DOT's road-planning document for 2020-29.

NCDOT's financial challenges started with Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in 2018 as the agency had to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to repair damage from the storms.

"That was well beyond the money they had set aside to manage that,"  Finlayson said.

COVID further hurt NCDOT as people stopped driving during the pandemic and that led to a dramatic decrease in gas tax revenues.

"It's been really an unfortunate series of events that has caused DOT to have some financial difficulties,"  Finlayson said. "The good news is that as things improve, I am confident that DOT will move projects back to the left of the time line to the fullest extent that they can."

One I-87 project scheduled to begin last year in Pasquotank County – paving rehabilitation work from the Perquimans County line to the north end of U.S. Highway 17 – is one of many along the proposed route affected by NCDOT's financial woes.

NCDOT Division 1 Planning Engineer Craig Midgett said the $15 million Pasquotank project was let in 2019 and work was originally slated to begin in 2020. But he told work session participants that the project now "has been placed on hold."

A pavement rehab project in Camden County from the Pasquotank County line to the Virginia state line is scheduled to start in 2025 at an estimated cost of $6.1 million.

"We are hoping for that schedule to hold,"  Midgett said.

State Sen. Bob Steinburg, R-Chowan, told participants that funding priorities should be given to sections of future I-87 closer to the Virginia border.

Steinburg, whose district includes multiple counties through which the highway is scheduled to cross, noted that legislation he sponsored places northeastern North Carolina in Virginia's Foreign-Trade Zone and that land for economic development close to the Port of Virginia is becoming scarce and expensive.

"It seems that this would be prime for expansion first,"  Steinburg said of sections close to Virginia. "All of that land that is in North Carolina that is just across that invisible border is available for companies. If you want (economic) growth real quick, that would be the way to go about it."

Two projects in Chowan and Perquimans counties slated to be part of I-87 are "tentatively"  scheduled to begin in 2025, Midgett said.

The Chowan project is $6.4 million in pavement rehabilitation from the Bertie County line to the Perquimans County line. The Perquimans project is $5 million in pavement rehabilitation from East Bear Swamp Road to U.S. Highway 17 Business.

"I say tentatively because things being what they are, things are a little fluid,"  Midgett said. "But we anticipate them to begin in 2025."

Four interstate maintenance projects in Nash and Edgecombe counties are scheduled to be let in 2025. The interstate maintenance projects include pavement rehab, shoulder widening, guardrail upgrades and bridge preservation, said NCDOT Division 4 Planning Engineer Kristen Barnes.

The work session had almost 150 participants from across northeastern North Carolina. N.C. East Alliance interim President and CEO Vann Rogerson urged leaders attending the meeting to work toward getting federal dollars for I-87.

During the presidential campaign, President-elect Joe Biden voiced strong support for modernizing highways and roads, investing in light rail networks and updating ports. Those proposals may be easier to achieve as Democrats will take control of both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives in the coming days.

If such a package is approved, Rogerson said northeastern North Carolina needs to "put its hat in and ask for some of it."

"Let's make sure that we don't miss this infrastructure funding that is supposed to be an economic development stimulus from the federal government,"  Rogerson said. "One thing is for sure, if we don't ask for some money, we won't get any money."

Good. There are interstates that are still waiting to be completed (especially I-26 connector that keeps getting delayed) I-87 isn't important and shouldn't even be priority. It could easily wait as their 4-lane of US 64 and US 17 is fine for time being.

[snowc]

Funding shortfalls put I-87 projects on hold

Financial shortfalls have forced the N.C. Department of Transportation to delay construction on many parts of the proposed 213-mile Interstate 87 project from Raleigh to Virginia, a move that will push back the $1 billion project by several years.

Marc Finlayson of the Highway 17/64 Association told participants on a virtual "1-87 Work Session"  sponsored by the North Carolina East Alliance this week that a number of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have hurt NCDOT's bottom line.

"Most of the work we expect to be done has been pushed off at least several years and in some cases to the back end of the 10-year STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program),"  Finlayson said, referring to DOT's road-planning document for 2020-29.

NCDOT's financial challenges started with Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in 2018 as the agency had to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to repair damage from the storms.

"That was well beyond the money they had set aside to manage that,"  Finlayson said.

COVID further hurt NCDOT as people stopped driving during the pandemic and that led to a dramatic decrease in gas tax revenues.

"It's been really an unfortunate series of events that has caused DOT to have some financial difficulties,"  Finlayson said. "The good news is that as things improve, I am confident that DOT will move projects back to the left of the time line to the fullest extent that they can."

One I-87 project scheduled to begin last year in Pasquotank County – paving rehabilitation work from the Perquimans County line to the north end of U.S. Highway 17 – is one of many along the proposed route affected by NCDOT's financial woes.

NCDOT Division 1 Planning Engineer Craig Midgett said the $15 million Pasquotank project was let in 2019 and work was originally slated to begin in 2020. But he told work session participants that the project now "has been placed on hold."

A pavement rehab project in Camden County from the Pasquotank County line to the Virginia state line is scheduled to start in 2025 at an estimated cost of $6.1 million.

"We are hoping for that schedule to hold,"  Midgett said.

State Sen. Bob Steinburg, R-Chowan, told participants that funding priorities should be given to sections of future I-87 closer to the Virginia border.

Steinburg, whose district includes multiple counties through which the highway is scheduled to cross, noted that legislation he sponsored places northeastern North Carolina in Virginia's Foreign-Trade Zone and that land for economic development close to the Port of Virginia is becoming scarce and expensive.

"It seems that this would be prime for expansion first,"  Steinburg said of sections close to Virginia. "All of that land that is in North Carolina that is just across that invisible border is available for companies. If you want (economic) growth real quick, that would be the way to go about it."

Two projects in Chowan and Perquimans counties slated to be part of I-87 are "tentatively"  scheduled to begin in 2025, Midgett said.

The Chowan project is $6.4 million in pavement rehabilitation from the Bertie County line to the Perquimans County line. The Perquimans project is $5 million in pavement rehabilitation from East Bear Swamp Road to U.S. Highway 17 Business.

"I say tentatively because things being what they are, things are a little fluid,"  Midgett said. "But we anticipate them to begin in 2025."

Four interstate maintenance projects in Nash and Edgecombe counties are scheduled to be let in 2025. The interstate maintenance projects include pavement rehab, shoulder widening, guardrail upgrades and bridge preservation, said NCDOT Division 4 Planning Engineer Kristen Barnes.

The work session had almost 150 participants from across northeastern North Carolina. N.C. East Alliance interim President and CEO Vann Rogerson urged leaders attending the meeting to work toward getting federal dollars for I-87.

During the presidential campaign, President-elect Joe Biden voiced strong support for modernizing highways and roads, investing in light rail networks and updating ports. Those proposals may be easier to achieve as Democrats will take control of both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives in the coming days.

If such a package is approved, Rogerson said northeastern North Carolina needs to "put its hat in and ask for some of it."

"Let's make sure that we don't miss this infrastructure funding that is supposed to be an economic development stimulus from the federal government,"  Rogerson said. "One thing is for sure, if we don't ask for some money, we won't get any money."

Oh jeez, they (NCDOT) might as well forget about the extension going into VA. There hasn't been any work on that since its inception in 2017. 

[snowc]

I guess that means that Interstate 87 in North Carolina will remain at 12.9 miles indefinitely. Thus, the southern Interstate 87 will remain the shortest mainline Interstate Highway in the country, since Interstate 97 in Maryland is 4.72 miles longer.

Agree with what you said. NCDOT should give this project up and start repairing bridges that are in desperate need of replacement.

[snowc]

Given that the funding shortfalls started before the pandemic, it looks like NC has bitten off more than they can chew with all these interstates.  They should be banned from requesting more until the finish the ones they have.  And the new MUTCD won't allow them to have their interstate without doing the work any more, as the "Future XX" shields they use in place of "Interstate XX" will not be in the 2020 MUTCD (probably because of NC abusing them!).

this is why NCDOT should've waited to sign it all at once. The only thing the public has really gotten out of this is a large jump in exit numbers on US 64. It jumps from Exit 14 to Exit 432.

Agreed.  Interstates should not be signed unless a section would make sense to be signed with that number even if no further extensions ever happen.  As we've seen, plans can fall though, and you can end up with short, disconnected sections of interstate all over the place for a long time (if not forever).

That is what I said earlier. Give up making new interstates, and just work on the existing ones. Example: NC540 has been VERY slow to a crawl in regards to construction. Going down US 401, and all I see is dirt with some grading for the ramps.

[architect77]

Given that the funding shortfalls started before the pandemic, it looks like NC has bitten off more than they can chew with all these interstates.  They should be banned from requesting more until the finish the ones they have.  And the new MUTCD won't allow them to have their interstate without doing the work any more, as the "Future XX" shields they use in place of "Interstate XX" will not be in the 2020 MUTCD (probably because of NC abusing them!).

this is why NCDOT should've waited to sign it all at once. The only thing the public has really gotten out of this is a large jump in exit numbers on US 64. It jumps from Exit 14 to Exit 432.

Agreed.  Interstates should not be signed unless a section would make sense to be signed with that number even if no further extensions ever happen.  As we've seen, plans can fall though, and you can end up with short, disconnected sections of interstate all over the place for a long time (if not forever).

That is what I said earlier. Give up making new interstates, and just work on the existing ones. Example: NC540 has been VERY slow to a crawl in regards to construction. Going down US 401, and all I see is dirt with some grading for the ramps.

Every road project in the state seems to take years longer than it should, like there is some economy in moving super slow. Is it just a couple of construction companies working on multiple projects? Because you see no activity more than you see workers on the site.

I-87 is a useless project. It meanders off course so much that the benefits of an interstate to Norfolk won't be realized. Only Eastern NC counties may enjoy having a useless interstate nearby.

[snowc]

Given that the funding shortfalls started before the pandemic, it looks like NC has bitten off more than they can chew with all these interstates.  They should be banned from requesting more until the finish the ones they have.  And the new MUTCD won't allow them to have their interstate without doing the work any more, as the "Future XX" shields they use in place of "Interstate XX" will not be in the 2020 MUTCD (probably because of NC abusing them!).

this is why NCDOT should've waited to sign it all at once. The only thing the public has really gotten out of this is a large jump in exit numbers on US 64. It jumps from Exit 14 to Exit 432.

Agreed.  Interstates should not be signed unless a section would make sense to be signed with that number even if no further extensions ever happen.  As we've seen, plans can fall though, and you can end up with short, disconnected sections of interstate all over the place for a long time (if not forever).

That is what I said earlier. Give up making new interstates, and just work on the existing ones. Example: NC540 has been VERY slow to a crawl in regards to construction. Going down US 401, and all I see is dirt with some grading for the ramps.

Every road project in the state seems to take years longer than it should, like there is some economy in moving super slow. Is it just a couple of construction companies working on multiple projects? Because you see no activity more than you see workers on the site.

I-87 is a useless project. It meanders off course so much that the benefits of an interstate to Norfolk won't be realized. Only Eastern NC counties may enjoy having a useless interstate nearby.

How ironic. I just went on I-87 this morning and as you said, this is a useless highway that doesn't even need a number. It works best with a US highway, but DEFINITELY not with an interstate. The shoulders are not wide enough for people to pull over, the speed limits are WAY too high for a bypass (Sanford Bypass has a 60mph SL; K-Dale Bypass is 70mph, the maximum highway SL for NC) So, agree with you 100% 

[The Ghostbuster]

Useless or not, I have a feeling Interstates 42 and 87 will not be the last freeways North Carolina will slap an Interstate shield on. I speculate that the US 74 freeway (Columbus to Kings Mountain), or the US 1 freeway (Sanford to Raleigh) might be next; the latter of which was attempted to become Interstate 140 in 1999.

[sprjus4]

the speed limits are WAY too high for a bypass (Sanford Bypass has a 60mph SL; K-Dale Bypass is 70mph, the maximum highway SL for NC) So, agree with you 100%

I'd disagree, you can post lower speed limits all day long, people are still going to drive as fast. Might as well post the limits closer to the reality.

The US-64 freeway (including the Knightdale Bypass) from I-440 to Williamston is posted at 70 mph, with the exception of a 65 mph segment through Rocky Mount.

The US-421 bypass around Sanford is posted at 65 mph, and the US-1 bypass west of Sanford, along with the entire highway northeast to Raleigh, is posted at 70 mph. Honestly, this is surprising given the US-421 bypass is much newer and built to interstate standards, whereas US-1 is much older, narrower, and lacks shoulders. I'm not saying the US-1 freeway should be decreased, it's appropriate at 70 mph, however the US-421 bypass should easily be able to be posted at 70 mph as well.

I speculate that the US 74 freeway (Columbus to Kings Mountain)

I'm surprised the entire US-74 corridor between Columbus and Rockingham (utilizing I-85 and I-485 near Gastonia and Charlotte) has not been designated as a future corridor, especially given it's a logical addition and NCDOT is eventually going to upgrade the entire corridor to interstate standards regardless.

A little more fictional, and I've suggested this before, but delete I-74 in North Carolina, and designate the entire US-74 corridor from Columbus to Wilmington one I-3x. Replace the I-74 segment between I-77 and I-73 through Winston-Salem and High Point with an I-x73 or I-x77.

[snowc]

the speed limits are WAY too high for a bypass (Sanford Bypass has a 60mph SL; K-Dale Bypass is 70mph, the maximum highway SL for NC) So, agree with you 100%

I'd disagree, you can post lower speed limits all day long, people are still going to drive as fast. Might as well post the limits closer to the reality.

The US-64 freeway (including the Knightdale Bypass) from I-440 to Williamston is posted at 70 mph, with the exception of a 65 mph segment through Rocky Mount.

The US-421 bypass around Sanford is posted at 65 mph, and the US-1 bypass west of Sanford, along with the entire highway northeast to Raleigh, is posted at 70 mph. Honestly, this is surprising given the US-421 bypass is much newer and built to interstate standards, whereas US-1 is much older, narrower, and lacks shoulders. I'm not saying the US-1 freeway should be decreased, it's appropriate at 70 mph, however the US-421 bypass should easily be able to be posted at 70 mph as well.

I speculate that the US 74 freeway (Columbus to Kings Mountain)

I'm surprised the entire US-74 corridor between Columbus and Rockingham (utilizing I-85 and I-485 near Gastonia and Charlotte) has not been designated as a future corridor, especially given it's a logical addition and NCDOT is eventually going to upgrade the entire corridor to interstate standards regardless.

A little more fictional, and I've suggested this before, but delete I-74 in North Carolina, and designate the entire US-74 corridor from Columbus to Wilmington one I-3x. Replace the I-74 segment between I-77 and I-73 through Winston-Salem and High Point with an I-x73 or I-x77.

Isn't 421 BP in sanford going to be an Interstate, according to Bob Malme?
And that's the reason I-140 never went to be approved by AASHTO? http://www.vahighways.com/ncannex/route-log/ih140.html

[snowc]

Useless or not, I have a feeling Interstates 42 and 87 will not be the last freeways North Carolina will slap an Interstate shield on. I speculate that the US 74 freeway (Columbus to Kings Mountain), or the US 1 freeway (Sanford to Raleigh) might be next; the latter of which was attempted to become Interstate 140 in 1999.

That's what I said in my post. Given the age of the road, the narrowness of lanes, and the shoulders not wide enough, I-140 was denied in the 1990s

[sprjus4]

Useless or not, I have a feeling Interstates 42 and 87 will not be the last freeways North Carolina will slap an Interstate shield on. I speculate that the US 74 freeway (Columbus to Kings Mountain), or the US 1 freeway (Sanford to Raleigh) might be next; the latter of which was attempted to become Interstate 140 in 1999.

That's what I said in my post. Given the age of the road, the narrowness of lanes, and the shoulders not wide enough, I-140 was denied in the 1990s

The cross section of US-1 between Raleigh and Sanford meets interstate standards. The lanes are 12 ft wide, and the right shoulders are 10 ft paved. The only potential issue I could see are overpass bridges and vertical clearance issues on some of the older stretches. A lot of that highway was built in the 1960s as a super-two on a 4 lane right of way and dualized in the 1990s.

[snowc]

Useless or not, I have a feeling Interstates 42 and 87 will not be the last freeways North Carolina will slap an Interstate shield on. I speculate that the US 74 freeway (Columbus to Kings Mountain), or the US 1 freeway (Sanford to Raleigh) might be next; the latter of which was attempted to become Interstate 140 in 1999.

That's what I said in my post. Given the age of the road, the narrowness of lanes, and the shoulders not wide enough, I-140 was denied in the 1990s

The cross section of US-1 between Raleigh and Sanford meets interstate standards. The lanes are 12 ft wide, and the right shoulders are 10 ft paved. The only potential issue I could see are overpass bridges and vertical clearance issues on some of the older stretches. A lot of that highway was built in the 1960s as a super-two on a 4 lane right of way and dualized in the 1990s.

This is what US 1 looks like when I drove it yesterday.

The bridges may look old, but boy they don't look tall at all. 

[froggie]

^ Based on snowc's photos, the left shoulders are substandard.  That bridge parapet might be as well.

So, no, US 1 is not Interstate-standard.

[snowc]

^ Based on snowc's photos, the left shoulders are substandard.  That bridge parapet might be as well.

So, no, US 1 is not Interstate-standard.

Now we know why I-140 wasn't approved! Thanks @froggie !

[sprjus4]

This is what US 1 looks like when I drove it yesterday.

12 foot lanes, 10 foot right paved shoulder. Not seeing anything abnormal.

The bridges may look old, but boy they don't look tall at all. 

Debatable, would have to see actual documentation to how high each bridge is. There's no advisory sign indicating any super-low clearances.

^ Based on snowc's photos, the left shoulders are substandard.  That bridge parapet might be as well.

So, no, US 1 is not Interstate-standard.

That is true, the left shoulder might be slightly less than 4 ft.

Either way, it would not involve much work to bring US-1 up to interstate standards. The left shoulder issue can be addressed in a routine resurfacing project.

Overall, the condition of the older sections US-1 freeway is not that much different than older interstate highway segments. General standards are met, full control of access, outside shoulders, lane widths, and left shoulder can relatively easily be addressed.

[sprjus4]

Draft cost estimates and prioritization scores have been released for all candidate projects apart of the Hampton Roads 2045 Long-Range Transportation Plan.

Currently, a project that would upgrade US-17 between I-64 and the North Carolina state line to interstate standards has a year-of-expenditure (through 2045) cost of $406.4 million, and a prioritization score of 87.

https://www.hrtpo.org/uploads/docs/012621%2006_Handout1%202045%20LRTP%20Roadway%20Candidate%20Projects.pdf

[wdcrft63]

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.

[sparker]

Draft cost estimates and prioritization scores have been released for all candidate projects apart of the Hampton Roads 2045 Long-Range Transportation Plan.

Currently, a project that would upgrade US-17 between I-64 and the North Carolina state line to interstate standards has a year-of-expenditure (through 2045) cost of $406.4 million, and a prioritization score of 87.

https://www.hrtpo.org/uploads/docs/012621%2006_Handout1%202045%20LRTP%20Roadway%20Candidate%20Projects.pdf

That seems to be an indicator that if VA's portion of I-87 is to get done within any reasonable timeframe, it'll require a sizeable infusion of federal dollars to offset the fact that, candidly, the project doesn't provide much in the way of direct benefits to Chesapeake or any of the other Hampton Roads "components" -- which is what dragged the overall priority score down.   The only other way to overcome that issue would be for NC itself, the instigator of the corridor concept to begin with, to provide financing -- and with its current precarious situation, that's unlikely (although things might change over the 24-year planning cycle cited in the release).  That leaves Federal largesse; although as part of HPC #13 it does garner the maximum 80% federal "aid", projects rated higher in the planning list likely receive a sizeable chunk of Fed funds as well, so that standard probably doesn't figure too highly in the rankings or project evaluation.  Some sort of USDOT grant -- or the reinstatement of Congressional "earmarks" (a distinct possibility within the current political atmosphere) -- would likely have to precede any solid activity toward building VA's share of I-87.

[Bobby5280]

One thing that could speed up construction on the NC version of I-87: the booming growth in the "Triangle" area of North Carolina. The Hampton Roads area is a popular spot for tourism and other business. The combination is going to put significantly more traffic on the future I-87 corridor.

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.