Appalachian Development Highway System

[hbelkins]

I'm surprised we don't have a thread for general discussion of the ARC corridors.

We do now.

After having driven US 64/74 from Cleveland to Ducktown yesterday, through the Ocoee River Gorge, I'm wondering if Corridor K won't be the last one completed.

I'd say it will be a race between it and Corridor L, specifically the US 119 tunnel under Pine Mountain.

[NE2]

Corridor A is sillily defined to use the cancelled Northern Arc: http://www.arc.gov/noindex/programs/transp/adhs_status_report_2013/ADHSFY2013StatusReportGeorgia.pdf

K could always be done with spot improvements as a two-lane corridor.

[Pete from Boston]

It's a little insensitive not to mention Senator Byrd in the title of the thread.  It wouldn't hurt for him to get a little credit every now and then. 

[hbelkins]

It's a little insensitive not to mention Senator Byrd in the title of the thread.  It wouldn't hurt for him to get a little credit every now and then.

Why would I want to give that old Klansman credit for anything?

Oh wait, are you being sarcastic? 

[Pete from Boston]

Because when 98.8% of everything in West Virginia credits him, it just looks sloppy that it's not 100%.

[WashuOtaku]

K could always be done with spot improvements as a two-lane corridor.

They are not doing that though, the plan is to build a new four-lane highway through Robbinsville, between Andrews and Almond.  The Nantahala Gorge is a bottleneck for traffic, especially in the Summer and Autumn when tourist are there; expanding the existing road is out of the question too because of the natural beauty there.

The next phase between Stecoah and Robbinsville routing and design are already established, with right-of-way purchases already begun.  Actual building of the road though is tied-up with the new STI formula and will not know till next year if will get funding.

http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/US74Relocation/

[WashuOtaku]

Additional documents of planning along Corridor K in North Carolina.

Plans to improve the Nantahala Gorge routing includes adding truck climbing lane and widening shoulders.

Breakdown of the US 74 Relocation:  Section A, Section B and Section C.

[froggie]

expanding the existing road is out of the question too because of the natural beauty there.

What about the natural beauty where they plan to build the new road?

Personally, I wouldn't use that as the reason.  Instead, it's more likely the existing close-to-the-road development through the Gorge that is limiting options along the existing route.

[NE2]

It's not like there's no good highway between Murphy and Sylva (US 64-23 says hi). This is really a local project that shouldn't be getting ADHS funds.

[WashuOtaku]

expanding the existing road is out of the question too because of the natural beauty there.

What about the natural beauty where they plan to build the new road?

Personally, I wouldn't use that as the reason.  Instead, it's more likely the existing close-to-the-road development through the Gorge that is limiting options along the existing route.

Yea, the environmentalists bitched about that too (like any road project); but they are out-weighed by the people of Graham County, which strongly support the highway connecting the county seat of Robbinsville, and the Cherohala Skyway, with the rest of the state.

The build-up of development along the Gorge route is another reason, for sure; but it's more-or-less an old trading path along a riverbank that was built into a highway over the years and widening the existing road to four-lane would be just as costly as building new road to open up Graham County.

[Pete from Boston]

Yea, the environmentalists bitched about that too (like any road project); but they are out-weighed by the people of Graham County, which strongly support the highway connecting the county seat of Robbinsville, and the Cherohala Skyway, with the rest of the state.

You mean when the people of Graham County bitched that they needed a new road?

[hbelkins]

It's not like there's no good highway between Murphy and Sylva (US 64-23 says hi). This is really a local project that shouldn't be getting ADHS funds.

http://www.arc.gov/noindex/programs/transp/adhs_status_report_2013/ADHSFY2013StatusReportNorthCarolina.pdf

I can't remember which state route it is that turns south off US 64 as part of Corridor A, but I do know that the mountain west of Murphy could sure use a passing lane. The whole thing is two lanes and that's a long haul up and down that mountain to be behind a slow-moving truck, which has happened to me every time I have been on that road.

[WashuOtaku]

It's not like there's no good highway between Murphy and Sylva (US 64-23 says hi). This is really a local project that shouldn't be getting ADHS funds.

http://www.arc.gov/noindex/programs/transp/adhs_status_report_2013/ADHSFY2013StatusReportNorthCarolina.pdf

I can't remember which state route it is that turns south off US 64 as part of Corridor A, but I do know that the mountain west of Murphy could sure use a passing lane. The whole thing is two lanes and that's a long haul up and down that mountain to be behind a slow-moving truck, which has happened to me every time I have been on that road.

The connecting highways for Corridor A at the state line is NC 69 and SR 515, between Hayesville, NC and Hiawassee, GA.

There are several projects related for US 64 (between Murphy and Franklin) in the STI:  H111080, H090005-D and H090277.

[hbelkins]

I could've sworn Byrd was a Democrat to the end, and Reagan was opposed to racial discrimination.  But, never mind politicians, let's discuss these roads.

I know that the entire ARC system in West Virginia is named for Byrd, as are a whole bunch of other things, but I can't remember if there is a specific corridor that's named for him as well. The US 22 expressway is named for him (was reminded of that in the most recent FreewayJim video) but it's not an ARC corridor.

[Pete from Boston]

I could've sworn Byrd was a Democrat to the end, and Reagan was opposed to racial discrimination.  But, never mind politicians, let's discuss these roads.

I know that the entire ARC system in West Virginia is named for Byrd, as are a whole bunch of other things, but I can't remember if there is a specific corridor that's named for him as well. The US 22 expressway is named for him (was reminded of that in the most recent FreewayJim video) but it's not an ARC corridor.

I think I've seen signs on US 50 between Clarksburg and Parkersburg saluting the Byrd, but it's hard to remember if they were for the system or the specific road.  With so many instances of the dude's name around the state, they all start to blur together after a while.

Speaking of which, does anyone know if this record is still in a glass case in the lobby of the West Virginia Cultural Center?

[codyg1985]

Considering that the ADHS pot of money is apparently going away, I wonder if any future progress on the remaining sections of the ADHS will occur, at least at the speed it has before.

[SP Cook]

I know that the entire ARC system in West Virginia is named for Byrd, as are a whole bunch of other things, but I can't remember if there is a specific corridor that's named for him as well. .

Both G and H are the Byrd this or that.  One is "RCB Freeway" one is "RCB Expressway".  I forget which is which.

The great thing about Byrd's personal narcissism, is that he dictated the renamings to such a ridiculous level that no one, even the most ardent democrat and/or racist, calls anything by its Byrd name.  If he had picked one or two things, people might have cared.

[froggie]

Resurrecting this thread to note that, in the Infrastructure Bill text, I found that $250M will be apportioned every year for the next 5 years for the ADHS.

[Rothman]

Resurrecting this thread to note that, in the Infrastructure Bill text, I found that $250M will be apportioned every year for the next 5 years for the ADHS.

Read on The Hill that Manchin got additional funding for Corridor H (I believe US 48).

[hbelkins]

And of course, Kentucky will probably have no interest in finishing Corridor F (US 119) between Cumberland and Whitesburg.

[SP Cook]

One of the longest lived and greatest lies politicians (of all parties, and probably in all nations that have politicians) is the myth that somehow they got this or that project funded.  It works something like this "Well, here they were, and all them other senators (or whatever) were going to spend eleventy gazillion $$ on building stuff in 49 of the 50 state, but I used my giant brain to trick them into building stuff here too."

Please. 

[HighwayStar]

One of the longest lived and greatest lies politicians (of all parties, and probably in all nations that have politicians) is the myth that somehow they got this or that project funded.  It works something like this "Well, here they were, and all them other senators (or whatever) were going to spend eleventy gazillion $$ on building stuff in 49 of the 50 state, but I used my giant brain to trick them into building stuff here too."

Please.

Democracy is a sad joke. They are not spending their own money so they just put in all the pork that anyone wants. Not projects anyone necessarily needs, just pork that their contractor buddies can give them a nice kickback on.

[froggie]

Resurrecting this thread to note that, in the Infrastructure Bill text, I found that $250M will be apportioned every year for the next 5 years for the ADHS.

Read on The Hill that Manchin got additional funding for Corridor H (I believe US 48).

If so, it wasn't specified in the Infrastructure Bill text.

[Rothman]

Resurrecting this thread to note that, in the Infrastructure Bill text, I found that $250M will be apportioned every year for the next 5 years for the ADHS.

Read on The Hill that Manchin got additional funding for Corridor H (I believe US 48).

If so, it wasn't specified in the Infrastructure Bill text.

Hm.  Maybe WV is taking their formula funds and just choosing to fund it:

https://www.wowktv.com/news/west-virginia/whats-in-the-federal-infrastructure-bill-for-west-virginia/