North Carolina

[LM117]

Two projects to build the US-221 Rutherfordton Bypass have been put on the 2020 Build NC bond issuance list with construction to begin next year.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-02-build-nc-funds-rutherfordton-bypass.aspx

Any more projects going to get accelerated like this due to Build NC?

I don't know, but I'd like to find out too. bob7374 may know more about it.

[bob7374]

Two projects to build the US-221 Rutherfordton Bypass have been put on the 2020 Build NC bond issuance list with construction to begin next year.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-02-build-nc-funds-rutherfordton-bypass.aspx

Any more projects going to get accelerated like this due to Build NC?

I don't know, but I'd like to find out too. bob7374 may know more about it.

According to NCDOT, last year Build NC led to the acceleration of 350 projects and made room for an additional 144 projects on the 2020-2029 STIP. The only way I know to find out about future accelerated projects is to monitor the 12- month tentative contract letting and changes lists: https://connect.ncdot.gov/letting/Pages/12month.aspx

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Two projects to build the US-221 Rutherfordton Bypass have been put on the 2020 Build NC bond issuance list with construction to begin next year.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-02-build-nc-funds-rutherfordton-bypass.aspx

Can they not finish the nearby Shelby Bypass first? It only started in 2013 and a third of it has been delayed until 2024 with a 2027 completion, but why get in a rush now? There's only 45,000 cars on 74 through Shelby every day. It's not like a seamless freeway is needed between Charlotte and Asheville. But now we have strategic prioritization to fund and build highway projects. Right.

[sprjus4]

There's only 45,000 cars on 74 through Shelby every day.

Those 7,000 cars per day through Rutherfordton is obviously more important.

Ridiculous. Shelby should be completed first before any of this US-221 stuff happens.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Two projects to build the US-221 Rutherfordton Bypass have been put on the 2020 Build NC bond issuance list with construction to begin next year.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-02-build-nc-funds-rutherfordton-bypass.aspx

Any more projects going to get accelerated like this due to Build NC?

Shame on me for seeing this project for the first time, but having worked at Trip City Mall for 18 months and commuting to Morganton, they are really missing the boat on the design of the Charlotte Road interchange.  They should really find a better way of merging the US 74 Alt expressway into 221 north.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Two projects to build the US-221 Rutherfordton Bypass have been put on the 2020 Build NC bond issuance list with construction to begin next year.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-02-build-nc-funds-rutherfordton-bypass.aspx

Can they not finish the nearby Shelby Bypass first? It only started in 2013 and a third of it has been delayed until 2024 with a 2027 completion, but why get in a rush now? There's only 45,000 cars on 74 through Shelby every day. It's not like a seamless freeway is needed between Charlotte and Asheville. But now we have strategic prioritization to fund and build highway projects. Right.

The big dirty secret is that the big money in Shelby are not in a hurry to see the bypass done, if it we're not for pressure from Walmart distribution for an escape to the west, you would see far less progress.

[ARMOURERERIC]

There's only 45,000 cars on 74 through Shelby every day.

Those 7,000 cars per day through Rutherfordton is obviously more important.

Ridiculous. Shelby should be completed first before any of this US-221 stuff happens.

You cannot go by the ADT on 221 through town, right now most traffic cuts through to US74 Alt and goes north to the US 64 on ramp.  An ADT on Alt 74 at Oak street would be a better indicator, The Shelby Bypass would still, however win by a mile.

[sprjus4]

There's only 45,000 cars on 74 through Shelby every day.

Those 7,000 cars per day through Rutherfordton is obviously more important.

Ridiculous. Shelby should be completed first before any of this US-221 stuff happens.

You cannot go by the ADT on 221 through town, right now most traffic cuts through to US74 Alt and goes north to the US 64 on ramp.  An ADT on Alt 74 at Oak street would be a better indicator, The Shelby Bypass would still, however win by a mile.

The AADT north of town is 6,000. It jumps to 15,000 on the 4-lane Rutherford Bypass.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Where does that 15000 ADT occur?

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Where does that 15000 ADT occur?

Here's an NCDOT web map that will show you the AADT around the Tri-Cities (and the rest of the state).

[LM117]

Upcoming I-440 closures in Raleigh.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-04-i-440-closures-melbourne-bridge-demo.aspx

[LM117]

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-04-jones-county-bypass-paving-closure.aspx

POLLOCKSVILLE — A 6-mile section of a Jones County highway will close for construction for about 12 hours Monday.

Beginning at 6:30 a.m. Oct. 7, the southbound lanes of the U.S. 17 Bypass between U.S. 70 and U.S. 17 Business will be closed. All lanes are expected to reopen around 6:30 p.m.

During the closure, N.C. Department of Transportation contract crews will be paving at the interchange.

Eastbound motorists on U.S. 70 wanting to access U.S. 17 South will continue past the interchange and drive about 6 miles to the U.S. 17 Business exit, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. Drivers will continue down the ramp, making a right at the light to drive about 7 miles on U.S. 17 Business South.

Westbound motorists on U.S. 70 will drive past the interchange and exit at Clarks Road. Drivers will turn left at the stop sign, continue across the bridge to make a left back onto U.S. 70 east. People will drive about 6 miles to the U.S. 17 Business exit, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. Drivers will make a right at the light and drive about 7 miles on U.S. 17 Business South.

This construction is part of a 16.3-mile project, which starts south of Belgrade and ties into the U.S. 17 bypass around New Bern. The project costs about $143.4 million and is expected to be completed in November.

[LM117]

The ferry system has announced new schedules and NC-12 on Ocracoke Island will reopen this Thursday, albeit with limitations.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-01-ocracoke-emergency-routes-october.aspx

Another update regarding the ferry system.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-04-ocracoke-emergency-sound-routes-october.aspx

[LM117]

Planned overnight ramp closures at the I-40/NC-54 (Chapel Hill Rd) interchange in Raleigh.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-04-i-40-nc-54-ramp-closures.aspx

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Back to the Rutherfordton Bypass, here are the public meeting maps from 2011. They're going to wipe out a bunch of homes and businesses in an already economically depressed area. It seems like a high cost and impact for not much benefit.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Documents/r2233b-2011-11-15-map-1.pdf
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Documents/r2233b-2011-11-15-map-2.pdf
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Documents/r2233b-2011-11-15-map-3.pdf

[ARMOURERERIC]

Back to the Rutherfordton Bypass, here are the public meeting maps from 2011. They're going to wipe out a bunch of homes and businesses in an already economically depressed area. It seems like a high cost and impact for not much benefit.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Documents/r2233b-2011-11-15-map-1.pdf
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Documents/r2233b-2011-11-15-map-2.pdf
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Documents/r2233b-2011-11-15-map-3.pdf

Planned overnight ramp closures at the I-40/NC-54 (Chapel Hill Rd) interchange in Raleigh.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-04-i-40-nc-54-ramp-closures.aspx

Back to the Rutherfordton Bypass, here are the public meeting maps from 2011. They're going to wipe out a bunch of homes and businesses in an already economically depressed area. It seems like a high cost and impact for not much benefit.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Documents/r2233b-2011-11-15-map-1.pdf
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Documents/r2233b-2011-11-15-map-2.pdf
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Documents/r2233b-2011-11-15-map-3.pdf

I regularly travel through this area as part of my job, we have locations at Tru City mall in Forest City and Marion, I live near South Mountains  park.  The section that will soon start is somewhat needed.  There is a good flow of traffic west (north) on US 74 Alt.  Much of this is through traffic bound for Marion via 221 and Morganton  via 64.  From 4 to 7 in the evening, there are multi signal backups at a
Alt 74 and Charlotte Rd and at Alt 74 at 64 turning left at the Food Lion.  US 221 towards Marion has lengthy backups with 20 cars stuck behind a slow semi. SB on 221, the ramp to US 64 is frequently backed into 221.  The intersection of Alt 74 and Oak Street is also severely under stress. I think NC Dot has made an error in origin and destination here, however.  Right now, all that is past needed  is a way to extend the 4 lane of 74 Alt to 221 north of town.  The interchanges at Chalotte Road and US 64 would be needed.  Under the plan NCDot is building, there is no direct connection to/from 221 to 74 Alt.  Note how close these 2 roads pass south of Chalotte Rd.  I would just end the road there with direct ramps and call it a day.

[sprjus4]

Made this interactive Google My Maps showing the proposed alignment of the bypass, since the maps can be slightly unclear.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1LFjjT7TT5RkJRDOuOxzDu9XA7pNzPKLJ&usp=sharing

I personally think NCDOT should upgrade the last 1/2 mile stretch between US-74 and the proposed bypass to full freeway standards and construct a free-flowing interchange with US-74, or at least a flyover from US-221 South to US-74 East. Better connectivity for US-74 to US-221 traffic to have an all-freeway movement as opposed to 1/2 mile of arterial in between.

Then for fictional territory - if US-74 ever becomes an interstate highway, the bypass could become an I-xXX.

[X99]

Then for fictional territory - if US-74 ever becomes an interstate highway, the bypass could become an I-xXX.

There is no Fictional thread on this, so I might as well say this here. My other fictional ideas stay in Fictional.

It seems to me that it would be easier and more cost effective to run I-74 west from Rockingham instead of north, following US 74, I-485, I-85, US 74 again, I-26, US 23, KY 114, US 460, KY 7, KY 519, KY 32, KY 11, KY 9, US 27, I-471, I-71 and I-75 to meet up with its original section. The route through West Virginia is multiplexed with I-73, and it's going to take forever to build either way. The sections already designated between Rockingham and the Virginia line could be redesignated as 3dis, and I-26 could have its western terminus at I-74 in Columbus, NC.

I'm done now.

[Roadsguy]

I personally think NCDOT should upgrade the last 1/2 mile stretch between US-74 and the proposed bypass to full freeway standards and construct a free-flowing interchange with US-74, or at least a flyover from US-221 South to US-74 East. Better connectivity for US-74 to US-221 traffic to have an all-freeway movement as opposed to 1/2 mile of arterial in between.

At least they're hardly touching anything south of the Birch Hutchins Road intersection, so it won't be wasting any work to upgrade the interchange with 74 later.

[LM117]

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-07-johnston-county-traffic-shift-nc-42.aspx

​CLAYTON — A traffic shift needed for the N.C. 42 widening in Johnston County will occur Wednesday.

Starting at 8 p.m., contract workers will set up orange drums and direct traffic onto the two newly built lanes between Glen Laurel Road and Fox Ridge Road. The shift will allow the contractor to begin reconstructing the other side of N.C. 42.

Motorists should slow down and pay attention as they travel into the work zone and go through the traffic shift.

The N.C. Department of Transportation is widening 4.6 miles of the two-lane highway into four lanes with a raised median, concrete curb and gutters and other improvements between Glen Laurel Road and Buffalo Road. The $58.7 million contract was awarded last year.

The project will be completed by the summer of 2022.

[LM117]

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-04-jones-county-bypass-paving-closure.aspx

POLLOCKSVILLE — A 6-mile section of a Jones County highway will close for construction for about 12 hours Monday.

Beginning at 6:30 a.m. Oct. 7, the southbound lanes of the U.S. 17 Bypass between U.S. 70 and U.S. 17 Business will be closed. All lanes are expected to reopen around 6:30 p.m.

During the closure, N.C. Department of Transportation contract crews will be paving at the interchange.

Eastbound motorists on U.S. 70 wanting to access U.S. 17 South will continue past the interchange and drive about 6 miles to the U.S. 17 Business exit, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. Drivers will continue down the ramp, making a right at the light to drive about 7 miles on U.S. 17 Business South.

Westbound motorists on U.S. 70 will drive past the interchange and exit at Clarks Road. Drivers will turn left at the stop sign, continue across the bridge to make a left back onto U.S. 70 east. People will drive about 6 miles to the U.S. 17 Business exit, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. Drivers will make a right at the light and drive about 7 miles on U.S. 17 Business South.

This construction is part of a 16.3-mile project, which starts south of Belgrade and ties into the U.S. 17 bypass around New Bern. The project costs about $143.4 million and is expected to be completed in November.

Due to rain, this has been pushed back to tomorrow.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-04-jones-county-bypass-paving-closure.aspx

[LM117]

NCDOT is holding a public meeting on October 10 in Winston-Salem to discuss improvements to US-158 between Business 40 and Belews Creek Road.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-10-07-reidsville-road-upgrades.aspx

[LM117]

The only NC-related news regarding AASHTO's recent fall meeting is the re-routing of US-70 in the Triad and signing the new bypasses of Pollocksville and Maysville as US-17 while the current US-17 alignments through those towns become US-17 Business.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/v3-app_crowdc/assets/b/ba/ba708eca603c86f1/000_USRN_Agenda_and_List_of_Applications__AM_St_Louis__MO-2019_%28nc%29.original.1570033411.pdf?1570033413

[TimQuiQui]

That's a pretty significant rerouting of 70, and amazingly NC is taking it off an Interstate multiplex. It's going from central Greensboro to north Thomasville. Probably 20-25 mile route change

[BrianP]

For US 70 it says affirmative with condition.  What's the condition?  Also I assume that NC 68 will get truncated since all of the southern portion would otherwise be multiplexed with US 70.