AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: tolbs17 on February 18, 2022, 11:31:56 AM

Poll
Question: What are you guys's opinions
Option 1: Yes votes: 4
Option 2: No votes: 3
Option 3: Don't care votes: 2
Title: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: tolbs17 on February 18, 2022, 11:31:56 AM
There is US-64 between Plymouth and Columbia NC. Under 5,000 AADT but is much higher during peak months and is useful for evacuation traffic.

US-64 east of Tarboro to Williamston is also a freeway. Has roughly 10,000 AADT and was built between 1996 and 2003.

US-70 between Dover and New Bern also 10,000 AADT.
Title: Re: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: webny99 on February 18, 2022, 11:38:48 AM
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by asking if freeways are "good" with 10,000 AADT.

If you mean "Is a freeway needed for a corridor with 10K AADT?" -  the answer is not necessarily. An expressway or even a two-lane road with passing lanes can handle that type of volume.
Title: Re: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: 1995hoo on February 18, 2022, 11:42:14 AM
It doesn't matter. It's North Carolina. They're probably trying to figure out a way to run an Interstate down the Outer Banks.
Title: Re: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: tolbs17 on February 18, 2022, 11:44:17 AM
Quote from: webny99 on February 18, 2022, 11:38:48 AM
If you mean "Is a freeway needed for a corridor with 10K AADT?" -  the answer is not necessarily. An expressway or even a two-lane road with passing lanes can handle that type of volume.
Yes.

Quote from: 1995hoo on February 18, 2022, 11:42:14 AM
It doesn't matter. It's North Carolina. They're probably trying to figure out a way to run an Interstate down the Outer Banks.
An interstate is not planned to run from Williamston to the Outer Banks as of right now.

The only realistic interstate that will happen is I-42. Nothing else has been heard.
Title: Re: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: kurumi on February 18, 2022, 12:15:35 PM
Quote
What are you guys's opinions

Are y'all really from North Carolina?  :-)

I've thought it would be fun to apply that guideline to every state highway in CT (outside city center) with AADT > 10K: make it into a freeway or at least 4-lane divided. Large parts of CT 70, 80, 85, etc.
Title: Re: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: tolbs17 on February 18, 2022, 12:17:24 PM
Quote from: kurumi on February 18, 2022, 12:15:35 PM
Quote
What are you guys's opinions

Are y'all really from North Carolina?  :-)

I've thought it would be fun to apply that guideline to every state highway in CT (outside city center) with AADT > 10K: make it into a freeway or at least 4-lane divided. Large parts of CT 70, 80, 85, etc.
I've lived in Greenville since 2008 so yes.
Title: Re: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: Henry on February 18, 2022, 02:27:37 PM
Of course! Because after all, they have rural freeways out west with a traffic flow under 10,000, and they get along just fine.
Title: Re: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: hotdogPi on February 18, 2022, 02:28:30 PM
Quote from: Henry on February 18, 2022, 02:27:37 PM
Of course! Because after all, they have rural freeways out west with a traffic flow under 10,000, and they get along just fine.

There's no reason to remove them once they're built, but the question is whether new ones should be built or not.
Title: Re: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: tolbs17 on February 18, 2022, 02:55:26 PM
Quote from: 1 on February 18, 2022, 02:28:30 PM
Quote from: Henry on February 18, 2022, 02:27:37 PM
Of course! Because after all, they have rural freeways out west with a traffic flow under 10,000, and they get along just fine.

There's no reason to remove them once they're built, but the question is whether new ones should be built or not.
One is planned for Ahoskie which is scheduled to begin in 2029. It will be a 4-lane freeway and part of the reason they considered it is because of the high number of accidents. Elsewhere will be a 4-lane highway.

For any need of freeway which is definite, I say NC-11 from Greenville to Kinston or US-264 from Greenville to Washington. Both roughly carry 20,000 AADT and NCDOT is analyzing full freeways for those.

US-74 and US-70 need to be freeways with no question. Both serve major corridors and are currently being upgraded.
Title: Re: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: Max Rockatansky on February 18, 2022, 05:08:08 PM
If they end up being built for some reason I don't see why they would be "bad."  
Title: Re: are freeways in rural areas good with 10,000 AADT?
Post by: SkyPesos on February 18, 2022, 05:52:11 PM
OH 11: built when Youngstown and Ashtabula were more significant cities in the state than today, now have an AADT as low as 4k in some sections.