The proposed Raleigh-Norfolk corridor - why I-44 or I-50?

[cpzilliacus]

MD wasted I-97 on a very short route that could've easily been part of a rerouted I-83 (which should've been done when it was realized that the route into Baltimore would never be completed).

I-97 could easily be I-995.

Or instead of re-routing I-83 around the west side of Baltimore City, I-70 could be routed via the Baltimore Beltway to reach present-day I-97 (since it has been decommissioned inside I-695), flipping it from a N-S route to an E-W route, and have it end at U.S. 50/U.S. 301/"secret" I-595.  I-70 overlaps U.S. 50 in Colorado and Utah, so why not?

[english si]

Or I-70 (with a bit of work) could use MD32 and miss both major cities to end at Annapolis (or Dover) and the rump I-97 can become I-970

[Alex]

Do we have a source for the I-50 suggestion? Interstate 50 for that corridor was always my fictional route from when I lived in North Carolina. I envisioned US 64 and US 17 as I-50 and US 264 from I-440 east to US 13 north as I-250. Figured, I-50 will never be used otherwise, why not at least use it here.

I sometimes pondered ridiculously extending it west, using NC 147 through Greensboro, overlapping it with I-40 to Winston-Salem, having it overtake the upgraded Business Loop I-40, then after bumping with I-40 again, having it take the US 421 freeway westward to its end.

Anyway, having driven US 64 a number of times from Rocky Mount to Williamston, its a modern enough freeway, but lightly traveled and ultra boring. Should an Interstate ever come to pass through to Norfolk, they would have to come up with a solution to the Dismal Swamp environmental issue. As I recall, that is what killed an earlier proposal for a limited access route for US 17 in Virginia.

[roadman65]

I-50 should go in Kansas where I made a joke on fictional threads to show how dumb Wisconsin was to number US 41 as I-41 and its overlap with I-94 that ends midway through it (and if its not midway, so I am off as its just an expression like a million people at a concert that was in an arena that fits one thousand) where if at best an x43 could have been used for that freeway segment from Milwaukee to Green Bay.

If not Kansas, it could be Missouri or Oklahoma.

[Henry]

Or I-70 (with a bit of work) could use MD32 and miss both major cities to end at Annapolis (or Dover) and the rump I-97 can become I-970

That's nice, but what number would you give the part that runs east to I-695?

[english si]

That's nice, but what number would you give the part that runs east to I-695?

Resurrect I-170 of course!

[cpzilliacus]

That's nice, but what number would you give the part that runs east to I-695?

Resurrect I-170 of course!

Or I-70N? Or I-470?

[english si]

Or I-70N? Or I-470?

Both perfectly cromulant, though if 70N returns, so should 70S. And maybe the Annapolis route should be 70C

[wdcrft63]

Interesting discussion, but a bit out of place in the Southeast Forum.

[english si]

I was pretty sure it was in the fictional forum when I posted reply #26 - I even checked!

[bob7374]

This blog piece from the supporters of an I-44 designation for the Raleigh-Norfolk corridor discusses other possible numbers for the future interstate, including giving the route a N-S 2di number:
http://letsgetmoving.org/rta-blog/raleigh-norfolk-495-44-50-89-56/

[mvak36]

I-50 seems reasonable.

[The Nature Boy]

Having an east-west interstate go from NC to Virginia would seem odd to me. I'd be in favor of a southern I-89.

[froggie]

Why would it be odd?  The corridor is far more east-west than it is north-south.

[The Nature Boy]

Why would it be odd?  The corridor is far more east-west than it is north-south.

Just a personal thing, I always think as Raleigh to any point in Virginia as being mostly a north-south move. Though this route would be (slightly) more east-west so it could go either way.

[Pink Jazz]

Why would it be odd?  The corridor is far more east-west than it is north-south.

Just a personal thing, I always think as Raleigh to any point in Virginia as being mostly a north-south move. Though this route would be (slightly) more east-west so it could go either way.

I-85 and the portion of I-81 south of I-78 are also more east-west than north-south, but are signed north-south.  I don't see that much of being an issue.

[wdcrft63]

Why would it be odd?  The corridor is far more east-west than it is north-south.

From a North Carolina perspective, driving from Raleigh to Elizabeth City is indisputably west to east. Therefore, you can bet that NCDOT will request an east-west number.

[froggie]

78 miles north-south between Raleigh and Norfolk versus 130 miles east-west.  Undoubtedly east-west there as well.

[The Ghostbuster]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't this topic be in Fictional Highways? Or is the topic not completely fictitious?

[WashuOtaku]

One thing about the blog fails to realize is that both North Carolina and Virgina can renumber state highways in there state as well.  They have done so in the past and if they believe would be an issue, can do so again. 

[Henry]

Why would it be odd?  The corridor is far more east-west than it is north-south.

Just a personal thing, I always think as Raleigh to any point in Virginia as being mostly a north-south move. Though this route would be (slightly) more east-west so it could go either way.

I-85 and the portion of I-81 south of I-78 are also more east-west than north-south, but are signed north-south.  I don't see that much of being an issue.

Not to mention that I-26 is more north-south, and it is still signed east-west.

[US 41]

I'd number it I-740 from Raleigh to Rocky Point. Does this interstate really need to go to Norfolk? I feel like heading northeast on I-95 and then east on US 58 is just as good. Why not just upgrade US 58 to interstate standards from Emporia to Norfolk?

[Takumi]

One thing about the blog fails to realize is that both North Carolina and Virgina can renumber state highways in there state as well.  They have done so in the past and if they believe would be an issue, can do so again. 

Yep. I-46 would both fit the grid and would be a simple renumber because NC/VA 46 are the same route across the state line.

[froggie]

Why not just upgrade US 58 to interstate standards from Emporia to Norfolk?

Because, even though it makes logical, traffic, and fiscal sense along US 58, it wouldn't be near the North Carolina businesses that are pushing for the Interstate route...

[ARMOURERERIC]

What is the connection point in metro Norfolk?  Bowers Hill, Deep Creek, Great Bridge?  If it is Bowers Hill, could it makes sense for I-46? to just overtake all of 264 to the beach?  Wpould there be driver confusion if 46 and 64 were in the same metro area?