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North Carolina

Started by FLRoads, January 20, 2009, 11:55:15 PM

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Henry

Quote from: Cemajr on June 03, 2015, 12:56:06 PM
Quote from: The Nature Boy on June 03, 2015, 07:52:45 AM
They really need to widen I-95. I've been stuck in traffic in some really rural areas, it's bad.

And by "they," I mean NC, SC and Virginia. I-95 should probably never be a two-lane road given its high traffic volume.

They really do but with the tolling option shot down who knows if it will ever get widened in our lifetimes now.
I agree, and add GA to that group. Making I-95 less than 2 lanes each way is a major insult to the East Coast's main Interstate.
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!


slorydn1

Quote from: froggie on June 03, 2015, 10:07:47 AM
QuoteI've been stuck in traffic in some really rural areas, it's bad.

How slow were you going?  I've been stuck in plenty of traffic on I-95 but we were still going at or close to the speed limit.


Not entirely "rural" but really not urban as there are nothing but trees on either side of the road through here:


On May 9 2015 (a Saturday, no less) between 1430 and 1450 hrs it took me 20 minutes, 22 seconds to cover the 13.0 miles northbound on I-95 from MM47 to MM60 (so from just south of the Hope Mills rest area to just south of the Wade-Stedman Rd exit). There were multiple times in that segment I was at a dead stop. For the first time in a long time there weren't a whole bunch of trucks blocking the view either, and I never saw any blue or red flashing lights to denote an incident of some kind, so it was just a case of volume exceeding capacity.


38.4mph over that 70mph speed limit segment on a Saturday????? I could understand it if it was closer to 1700 hrs and on a weekday since Fayetteville and Ft Bragg is right there but a Saturday afternoon??


(source Garmin Basecamp, measurements taken with a Garmin Nuvi 2689 LMT)
Please Note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of any governmental agency, non-governmental agency, quasi-governmental agency or wanna be governmental agency

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dfilpus

Quote from: Cemajr on June 03, 2015, 12:56:06 PM

It's been mostly widened.  The only part that's still 4 lanes is between Exit 55 and Exit 68 around Kannapolis.  They're already widening that segment right now and redesigning some of the interchanges.  I think it's supposed to be complete late 2016.  Then the only parts of 85 remaining that will be 4 lanes will be north of Durham and the segment near the SC border.

The current widening project is for I-85 from Exit 55 to Exit 60. When this project is complete (projected for Dec 2017), there still will be a bottleneck from Exit 60 to 68. The next project to widen the bottleneck is projected to begin ROW acquisition in 2018 and begin construction in 2020.

WashuOtaku

Quote from: Henry on June 03, 2015, 01:21:28 PM
Quote from: Cemajr on June 03, 2015, 12:56:06 PM
Quote from: The Nature Boy on June 03, 2015, 07:52:45 AM
They really need to widen I-95. I've been stuck in traffic in some really rural areas, it's bad.

And by "they," I mean NC, SC and Virginia. I-95 should probably never be a two-lane road given its high traffic volume.
They really do but with the tolling option shot down who knows if it will ever get widened in our lifetimes now.
I agree, and add GA to that group. Making I-95 less than 2 lanes each way is a major insult to the East Coast's main Interstate.

To be fair, I-95 between Jacksonville, FL and Petersburg, VA isn't a high priority on anyone's list except those that can't drive fast enough through it.  The states have no insentive to improve it since I-95 isn't an economic benefactor compared to others in those states.

afguy

#554
Georgia has already six-laned Interstate 95 through the entire state. The project was completed in 2010. In fact, Georgia is the first state in the Southeast to have I-95 be six lanes from state line to state line. Also unlike the Carolinas, Georgia has vested interest in making sure I-95 is six lanes, Savannah and Brunswick. Both a major tourist cities and ports, with Savannah receiving 13 million tourists annually and being home to the nation's fourth busiest container port. Also the Port of Brunswick is major port for automobiles and agricultural products.

Henry

Quote from: afguy on June 03, 2015, 07:31:59 PM
Georgia has already six-laned Interstate 95 through the entire state. The project was completed in 2010. In fact, Georgia is the first state in the Southeast to have I-95 be six lanes from state line to state line. Also unlike the Carolinas, Georgia has vested interest in making sure I-95 is six lanes, Savannah and Brunswick. Both a major tourist cities and ports, with Savannah receiving 13 million tourists annually and being home to the nation's fourth busiest container port. Also the Port of Brunswick is major port for automobiles and agricultural products.
Well, then disregard what I said about GA. And what I meant to say was, making I-95 less than 3 lanes each way is an insult to the main Interstate route on the East Coast.
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

rickmastfan67


wdcrft63

Here is info on the widening of I-85 from 4 lanes to 8 near Kannapolis: http://bit.ly/1HUbNCL

wdcrft63

NCDOT has reached a settlement with environmental groups that clears the way for the replacement of the Bonner Bridge on NC 12, connecting Hatteras Island to the mainland. In return for withdrawal of the lawsuits, NCDOT will cancel its plans for improvements to NC 12 north of Rodanthe and start a new study that will likely recommend moving this section of the highway westward off the island and over Pamlico Sound.
https://apps.ncdot.gov/newsreleases/details.aspx?r=11288

slorydn1

#559
US-17 will be widened to 4 lanes between New Bern and Jacksonville, finally:


http://www.newbernsj.com/article/20150627/NEWS/150629072


QuoteAfter decades of trying to open the corridor to four lanes between New Bern and Jacksonville it is finally going to happen.The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded a $143.4 million construction contract to Balfour Beatty and E.V. Williams on June 16 to begin the project from northern Onslow County through Jones County to River Bend.The project will convert the current two-lane highway into a four-lane, divided expressway with bypasses at Belgrade, Maysville and Pollocksville, according to a press release from the Highway 17 Association.


Quote"After patiently waiting through decades of permitting, landowner and funding issues, eastern North Carolina will see a four-lane expressway linking New Bern to Jacksonville,"  he said in a press release.[/font]The project is expected to break ground in September or October and should be completed in approximately three years, according to the Highway 17 Association.</blockquote>The N.C. Department of Transportation and the Board of Transportation members from Eastern North Carolina receive the credit for finding the balance of funding required to build the project and accelerating the construction date to 2015, Finlayson said.




Please Note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of any governmental agency, non-governmental agency, quasi-governmental agency or wanna be governmental agency

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Zeffy

I'm surprised it took that long. Though unfamiliar with the area, I'd assume US 17 is a major corridor for traveling to points like Wilmington, Myrtle Beach and Charleston. If that were the case, there must be a lot of traffic on US 17 when the weather is great.
Life would be boring if we didn't take an offramp every once in a while

A weird combination of a weather geek, roadgeek, car enthusiast and furry mixed with many anxiety related disorders

slorydn1

Quote from: Zeffy on June 28, 2015, 11:00:34 AM
I'm surprised it took that long. Though unfamiliar with the area, I'd assume US 17 is a major corridor for traveling to points like Wilmington, Myrtle Beach and Charleston. If that were the case, there must be a lot of traffic on US 17 when the weather is great.

Yes, Zeffy it is a busy and dangerous corridor.
I'm not sure on the average number of vehicles, but I do know that on most summer weekends traffic is rolling along at 25-30 mph (in a 55 zone) and the town of Maysville has a ridiculously slow 20 mph speed limit near the NC-58 intersection.

Back in the day when I ran volunteer Fire/EMS with Pollocksville Fire and Rescue (in the mid 90's) we had alot of really bad head on crashes due to one person holding up a long line of traffic and someone pulling out to pass only to get creamed by a log truck. There was talk of doing bypasses and expanding the rest to 4 lanes even then, but there was the usual push back from those who would lose property in the ROW acquisition. 
Please Note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of any governmental agency, non-governmental agency, quasi-governmental agency or wanna be governmental agency

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bob7374

Quote from: slorydn1 on June 28, 2015, 10:42:46 AM
US-17 will be widened to 4 lanes between New Bern and Jacksonville, finally:


http://www.newbernsj.com/article/20150627/NEWS/150629072


QuoteAfter decades of trying to open the corridor to four lanes between New Bern and Jacksonville it is finally going to happen.The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded a $143.4 million construction contract to Balfour Beatty and E.V. Williams on June 16 to begin the project from northern Onslow County through Jones County to River Bend.The project will convert the current two-lane highway into a four-lane, divided expressway with bypasses at Belgrade, Maysville and Pollocksville, according to a press release from the Highway 17 Association.


Quote"After patiently waiting through decades of permitting, landowner and funding issues, eastern North Carolina will see a four-lane expressway linking New Bern to Jacksonville,"  he said in a press release.[/font]The project is expected to break ground in September or October and should be completed in approximately three years, according to the Highway 17 Association.</blockquote>The N.C. Department of Transportation and the Board of Transportation members from Eastern North Carolina receive the credit for finding the balance of funding required to build the project and accelerating the construction date to 2015, Finlayson said.
Based on the signing plans it appears the Bypass of Pollocksville will be between mileposts 130 and 136, with the existing US 17 between those points becoming US 17 Business. A curiosity at  the north end of the project. The current signage, according to the plans, has the US 70 interchange with US 17 being Exit 147, while under the new signage it will be 141. Will the new bypass(es) shave that much off of US 17's current mileage, or is this simply an error in the plans?

wdcrft63




Quote
Based on the signing plans it appears the Bypass of Pollocksville will be between mileposts 130 and 136, with the existing US 17 between those points becoming US 17 Business. A curiosity at  the north end of the project. The current signage, according to the plans, has the US 70 interchange with US 17 being Exit 147, while under the new signage it will be 141. Will the new bypass(es) shave that much off of US 17's current mileage, or is this simply an error in the plans?

Seems like a mistake. Here is the current signage: https://goo.gl/maps/OLgiI

froggie

Looking at the county traffic maps, average volumes on 17 are mostly in the 10-12K range.  So right on the cusp of warranting 4 lanes in the rural areas.  Of note however:  the existing New Bern bypass segment only sees 3300 vpd.

Mapmikey

Quote from: froggie on June 29, 2015, 08:47:50 AM
Looking at the county traffic maps, average volumes on 17 are mostly in the 10-12K range.  So right on the cusp of warranting 4 lanes in the rural areas.  Of note however:  the existing New Bern bypass segment only sees 3300 vpd.


I'd be willing to bet the vpd on the segment of 17 in question is a fair bit higher during the summer with beach traffic. 

Mike

slorydn1

Quote from: Mapmikey on June 29, 2015, 08:59:29 AM
Quote from: froggie on June 29, 2015, 08:47:50 AM
Looking at the county traffic maps, average volumes on 17 are mostly in the 10-12K range.  So right on the cusp of warranting 4 lanes in the rural areas.  Of note however:  the existing New Bern bypass segment only sees 3300 vpd.


I'd be willing to bet the vpd on the segment of 17 in question is a fair bit higher during the summer with beach traffic. 

Mike

Thanks Froggie for the numbers, I never knew them for sure and yes I can attest that the traffic is alot lighter on the bypass than on the old mainline (current US-17 business). I think part of that is because until the rest of the bypass north of Exit 147 is built the bypass is really out of the way for both us locals and for thru traffic. What I mean by that is that I can still get from US-17/US-70 exit at M L King Jr Blvd to to the stoplight that is the current intersection of the bypass and US-17 business quicker by heading down MLK past the mall, the high school and my house than by staying on US-70 to Exit 410 and coming down the bypass. Even with all the stoplights and 50 mph speed limit all the way down to the north end of Rocky Run Road versus 70 mph speed limits (with people doing 78-80 on the never patrolled bypass) that still seems to be the case.


I really believe that will change whenever the rest of the bypass is built in Craven County as it will remove US-17 from the Bridgeton speed trap and the Neuse River Bridge and route it west of New Bern so the through traffic won't have to worry about having to come through here.  It will be a much better through route to go down the bypass then.


Mike, I really haven't seen any appreciable increase on the bypass during the summer months since it opened a few years ago. Most of us in the New Bern area go to Atlantic Beach via US-70 down through Havelock and Morehead City. The people who go down US-17 are trying to get to either Emerald Isle or possibly even down to the Wrightsville Beach area and are mostly not from our area, and it seems that they still choose to come down US-17 business to do that.
Please Note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of any governmental agency, non-governmental agency, quasi-governmental agency or wanna be governmental agency

Counties: Counties Visited

Mapmikey

Quote from: slorydn1 on June 29, 2015, 11:15:36 AM

Mike, I really haven't seen any appreciable increase on the bypass during the summer months since it opened a few years ago. Most of us in the New Bern area go to Atlantic Beach via US-70 down through Havelock and Morehead City. The people who go down US-17 are trying to get to either Emerald Isle or possibly even down to the Wrightsville Beach area and are mostly not from our area, and it seems that they still choose to come down US-17 business to do that.

I was referring to the part of 17 yet to be bypassed which is where I think Froggie was pulling the 10-12k vpd from...

Mike

Henry

Quote from: Zeffy on June 28, 2015, 11:00:34 AM
I'm surprised it took that long. Though unfamiliar with the area, I'd assume US 17 is a major corridor for traveling to points like Wilmington, Myrtle Beach and Charleston. If that were the case, there must be a lot of traffic on US 17 when the weather is great.
This would make a great Interstate corridor from Savannah to at least Norfolk, but I'll save that for another story. I think US 17 needs to be at least four lanes all the way through, if not freeway-grade.
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

iBallasticwolf2

Quote from: Henry on June 29, 2015, 01:11:02 PM
Quote from: Zeffy on June 28, 2015, 11:00:34 AM
I'm surprised it took that long. Though unfamiliar with the area, I'd assume US 17 is a major corridor for traveling to points like Wilmington, Myrtle Beach and Charleston. If that were the case, there must be a lot of traffic on US 17 when the weather is great.
This would make a great Interstate corridor from Savannah to at least Norfolk, but I'll save that for another story. I think US 17 needs to be at least four lanes all the way through, if not freeway-grade.

It would make a great interstate corridor. Right now freeway-wise Norfolk is a dead end.
Only two things are infinite in this world, stupidity, and I-75 construction

Mapmikey

NC 24-87 is getting ready to be moved onto NC 295 and NC 210 as the existing route through Fort Bragg property will be closed to civilian traffic...

https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/NC%2024_NC%2087%20More%20Information.pdf

Mike

iBallasticwolf2

Quote from: Mapmikey on June 29, 2015, 04:29:05 PM
NC 24-87 is getting ready to be moved onto NC 295 and NC 210 as the existing route through Fort Bragg property will be closed to civilian traffic...

https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/NC%2024_NC%2087%20More%20Information.pdf

Mike

At first I thought this would mean a new part of I-295 is opening. I guess I'm wrong  :-(
Only two things are infinite in this world, stupidity, and I-75 construction

wdcrft63

Quote from: iBallasticwolf2 on June 29, 2015, 04:36:15 PM
Quote from: Mapmikey on June 29, 2015, 04:29:05 PM
NC 24-87 is getting ready to be moved onto NC 295 and NC 210 as the existing route through Fort Bragg property will be closed to civilian traffic...

https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/NC%2024_NC%2087%20More%20Information.pdf

Mike

At first I thought this would mean a new part of I-295 is opening. I guess I'm wrong  :-(

This is why the segment of 295 between Bragg Blvd and Murchison Rd was rushed to completion ahead of the other segments under construction.

DeaconG

Quote from: wdcrft63 on June 29, 2015, 10:57:55 PM
Quote from: iBallasticwolf2 on June 29, 2015, 04:36:15 PM
Quote from: Mapmikey on June 29, 2015, 04:29:05 PM
NC 24-87 is getting ready to be moved onto NC 295 and NC 210 as the existing route through Fort Bragg property will be closed to civilian traffic...

https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Route%20Changes/NC%2024_NC%2087%20More%20Information.pdf

Mike

At first I thought this would mean a new part of I-295 is opening. I guess I'm wrong  :-(

This is why the segment of 295 between Bragg Blvd and Murchison Rd was rushed to completion ahead of the other segments under construction.

I was stationed at Pope AFB in the 70s and 80s and that road was used quite a bit. That's gonna leave a mark.
Dawnstar: "You're an ape! And you can talk!"
King Solovar: "And you're a human with wings! Reality holds surprises for everyone!"
-Crisis On Infinite Earths #2

noelbotevera

Actually, I-95 doesn't have too much traffic in this state. When my family were going to Lexington, NC for a barbeque fest, our route was I-95 to US 52. Between I-26 and I-40, traffic isn't incredibly heavy.



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