Interstate 73/74

[PColumbus73]

No point to replace signs when those new signs may soon be replaced as well.

[sprjus4]

No point to replace signs when those new signs may soon be replaced as well.

Are you referring to the potential speed limit increase to 75 mph? It would be nice to see certainly, but they've been proposing it every other year it seems and goes nowhere.

[bob7374]

Speaking of new signs, NCDOT announced today that the transition of exit numbers along US 52 to align with future I-74 mile markers has started. The prep work creating new sign foundations will be followed by sign installation and new mileposts by April:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2025/2024-02-26-signs-mile-markers-i74-forsyth-county.aspx

List of new exit numbers included.

[sprjus4]

Speaking of new signs, NCDOT announced today that the transition of exit numbers along US 52 to align with future I-74 mile markers has started. The prep work creating new sign foundations will be followed by sign installation and new mileposts by April:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2025/2024-02-26-signs-mile-markers-i74-forsyth-county.aspx

List of new exit numbers included.

All good, but last I remember, they were also planning on changing the mile markers on I-77 to make I-74 the "primary" route... which is really stupid.

You'd have mile marker 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 heading north, then go 1, 2, 3, etc. once in Virginia. Confusing.

North Carolina just needs to give up on the I-77 overlap and end I-74 at I-77. Make MM 1 start there... but regardless of designation... I-77 mile markers should NOT be changed in any circumstances.

Even if I-74 was signed all the way through Virginia, and split in West Virginia like it was one envisioned to... I-77 should always be the primary route.

[PColumbus73]

No point to replace signs when those new signs may soon be replaced as well.

Are you referring to the potential speed limit increase to 75 mph? It would be nice to see certainly, but they've been proposing it every other year it seems and goes nowhere.

From my experience driving in North Carolina, the speed limit is irrelevant and everyone drives like they're in a NASCAR race. So even if they left the speed limits as-is, would anything really change?

Speaking of new signs, NCDOT announced today that the transition of exit numbers along US 52 to align with future I-74 mile markers has started. The prep work creating new sign foundations will be followed by sign installation and new mileposts by April:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2025/2024-02-26-signs-mile-markers-i74-forsyth-county.aspx

List of new exit numbers included.

All good, but last I remember, they were also planning on changing the mile markers on I-77 to make I-74 the "primary" route... which is really stupid.

You'd have mile marker 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 heading north, then go 1, 2, 3, etc. once in Virginia. Confusing.

North Carolina just needs to give up on the I-77 overlap and end I-74 at I-77. Make MM 1 start there... but regardless of designation... I-77 mile markers should NOT be changed in any circumstances.

Even if I-74 was signed all the way through Virginia, and split in West Virginia like it was one envisioned to... I-77 should always be the primary route.

Agreed. I-74 in the Carolinas is a north-south corridor despite it being an even numbered interstate anyway. I-74 just piggybacks off of I-77 and I-73 to get to Wilmington, so they might as well treat it as an odd-numbered route. Even if built according to plan, I would expect that I-77 would remain the primary freight corridor through Virginia and West Virigina.

I still believe I-73 should just end at I-81 and I-74 gets rebranded as another route.

[thenetwork]

Even if I-74 was signed all the way through Virginia, and split in West Virginia like it was one envisioned to... I-77 should always be the primary route.

That's what they've done on the West Virginia Turnpike with the I-64/77 duplex between Charleston and Beckley -- all of the turnpike mile markers are based on I-77 mileage.

[PColumbus73]

It also helps that the I-64/77 duplex also travels generally north-south, just like an I-74/77 duplex.

[sprjus4]

From my experience driving in North Carolina, the speed limit is irrelevant and everyone drives like they're in a NASCAR race. So even if they left the speed limits as-is, would anything really change?

Consistency. Sure, a lot drive as "fast as they would like", there's also those that travel closer to the limit, maybe only 5-7 over. If you raise their speed, while others just continue doing their own thing, overall speeds are closer, reducing any potential for conflict.

Not changing speeds for the reason of "everyone already goes that fast, what difference does it make" is just lazy and defies any engineering logic.

[The Ghostbuster]

Wikipedia has already updated its Interstate 74 in North Carolina page to include the to-be-renumbered exit numbers along the US 52/future Interstate 74 duplex. At the same time, are they planning to renumber the rest of the US 52 exit numbers to correspond with Interstate 285's mileage (both existing and the future extension to the Interstate 74/future Interstate 274 Winston-Salem Northern Beltway)? Or will that renumbering occur later?

[Strider]

Wikipedia has already updated its Interstate 74 in North Carolina page to include the to-be-renumbered exit numbers along the US 52/future Interstate 74 duplex. At the same time, are they planning to renumber the rest of the US 52 exit numbers to correspond with Interstate 285's mileage (both existing and the future extension to the Interstate 74/future Interstate 274 Winston-Salem Northern Beltway)? Or will that renumbering occur later?

It will just follow US-52's mileage for now at least until they extend I-285 to I-74. They have not changed mile markers on I-285/US-52 yet.

[Strider]

No point to replace signs when those new signs may soon be replaced as well.

Are you referring to the potential speed limit increase to 75 mph? It would be nice to see certainly, but they've been proposing it every other year it seems and goes nowhere.

From my experience driving in North Carolina, the speed limit is irrelevant and everyone drives like they're in a NASCAR race. So even if they left the speed limits as-is, would anything really change?

Speaking of new signs, NCDOT announced today that the transition of exit numbers along US 52 to align with future I-74 mile markers has started. The prep work creating new sign foundations will be followed by sign installation and new mileposts by April:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2025/2024-02-26-signs-mile-markers-i74-forsyth-county.aspx

List of new exit numbers included.

All good, but last I remember, they were also planning on changing the mile markers on I-77 to make I-74 the "primary" route... which is really stupid.

You'd have mile marker 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 heading north, then go 1, 2, 3, etc. once in Virginia. Confusing.

North Carolina just needs to give up on the I-77 overlap and end I-74 at I-77. Make MM 1 start there... but regardless of designation... I-77 mile markers should NOT be changed in any circumstances.

Even if I-74 was signed all the way through Virginia, and split in West Virginia like it was one envisioned to... I-77 should always be the primary route.

Agreed. I-74 in the Carolinas is a north-south corridor despite it being an even numbered interstate anyway. I-74 just piggybacks off of I-77 and I-73 to get to Wilmington, so they might as well treat it as an odd-numbered route. Even if built according to plan, I would expect that I-77 would remain the primary freight corridor through Virginia and West Virigina.

I still believe I-73 should just end at I-81 and I-74 gets rebranded as another route.

I have been saying that the whole time I-73 is present. I-73 should just be a regional route (covers NC, SC, VA). No reason for I-73 to continue past Roanoke as we have I-77 (and I-74) nearby.

[The Ghostbuster]

We'll be lucky if Interstate 73 ever makes it to Martinsville, let alone Roanoke. Whether Interstate 73 will ever be constructed in South Carolina is still very much up in the air.

[LM117]

We'll be lucky if Interstate 73 ever makes it to Martinsville, let alone Roanoke. Whether Interstate 73 will ever be constructed in South Carolina is still very much up in the air.

We'll be lucky if I-73 ever makes it anywhere outside of NC.

[vdeane]

We'll be lucky if Interstate 73 ever makes it to Martinsville, let alone Roanoke. Whether Interstate 73 will ever be constructed in South Carolina is still very much up in the air.

This is why I wouldn't mind seeing I-74 replaced with I-73 and the small remainder of I-73 that exists become a 3di.

[Strider]

Most of us will not see I-73 built from Stokesdale to Roanoke and/or from Rockingham to Myrtle Beach in our lifetime anyways. It will get built eventually. The future generations will have a better chance to see it happening than we do.

[sprjus4]

Most of us will not see I-73 built from Stokesdale to Roanoke and/or from Rockingham to Myrtle Beach in our lifetime anyways. It will get built eventually. The future generations will have a better chance to see it happening than we do.

I highly doubt Virginia will be building it for a long, long, LONG time. There is no interest at all. Nor money.

South Carolina at least has interest, just no money.

[sprjus4]

We'll be lucky if Interstate 73 ever makes it to Martinsville, let alone Roanoke. Whether Interstate 73 will ever be constructed in South Carolina is still very much up in the air.

This is why I wouldn't mind seeing I-74 replaced with I-73 and the small remainder of I-73 that exists become a 3di.

I-74 between I-77 and Wilmington is more of an east-west route than north-south, so I don't see an issue with that number over I-73.

[Molandfreak]

We'll be lucky if Interstate 73 ever makes it to Martinsville, let alone Roanoke. Whether Interstate 73 will ever be constructed in South Carolina is still very much up in the air.

This is why I wouldn't mind seeing I-74 replaced with I-73 and the small remainder of I-73 that exists become a 3di.

I-74 between I-77 and Wilmington is more of an east-west route than north-south, so I don't see an issue with that number over I-73.

Not US 74?

[bob7374]

No point to replace signs when those new signs may soon be replaced as well.

Are you referring to the potential speed limit increase to 75 mph? It would be nice to see certainly, but they've been proposing it every other year it seems and goes nowhere.

From my experience driving in North Carolina, the speed limit is irrelevant and everyone drives like they're in a NASCAR race. So even if they left the speed limits as-is, would anything really change?

Speaking of new signs, NCDOT announced today that the transition of exit numbers along US 52 to align with future I-74 mile markers has started. The prep work creating new sign foundations will be followed by sign installation and new mileposts by April:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2025/2024-02-26-signs-mile-markers-i74-forsyth-county.aspx

List of new exit numbers included.

All good, but last I remember, they were also planning on changing the mile markers on I-77 to make I-74 the "primary" route... which is really stupid.

You'd have mile marker 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 heading north, then go 1, 2, 3, etc. once in Virginia. Confusing.

North Carolina just needs to give up on the I-77 overlap and end I-74 at I-77. Make MM 1 start there... but regardless of designation... I-77 mile markers should NOT be changed in any circumstances.

Even if I-74 was signed all the way through Virginia, and split in West Virginia like it was one envisioned to... I-77 should always be the primary route.

Agreed. I-74 in the Carolinas is a north-south corridor despite it being an even numbered interstate anyway. I-74 just piggybacks off of I-77 and I-73 to get to Wilmington, so they might as well treat it as an odd-numbered route. Even if built according to plan, I would expect that I-77 would remain the primary freight corridor through Virginia and West Virigina.

I still believe I-73 should just end at I-81 and I-74 gets rebranded as another route.

In case anyone has forgotten the plan to sign the I-74 East/I-77 South split:

[sprjus4]

No point to replace signs when those new signs may soon be replaced as well.

Are you referring to the potential speed limit increase to 75 mph? It would be nice to see certainly, but they've been proposing it every other year it seems and goes nowhere.

From my experience driving in North Carolina, the speed limit is irrelevant and everyone drives like they're in a NASCAR race. So even if they left the speed limits as-is, would anything really change?

Speaking of new signs, NCDOT announced today that the transition of exit numbers along US 52 to align with future I-74 mile markers has started. The prep work creating new sign foundations will be followed by sign installation and new mileposts by April:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2025/2024-02-26-signs-mile-markers-i74-forsyth-county.aspx

List of new exit numbers included.

All good, but last I remember, they were also planning on changing the mile markers on I-77 to make I-74 the "primary" route... which is really stupid.

You'd have mile marker 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 heading north, then go 1, 2, 3, etc. once in Virginia. Confusing.

North Carolina just needs to give up on the I-77 overlap and end I-74 at I-77. Make MM 1 start there... but regardless of designation... I-77 mile markers should NOT be changed in any circumstances.

Even if I-74 was signed all the way through Virginia, and split in West Virginia like it was one envisioned to... I-77 should always be the primary route.

Agreed. I-74 in the Carolinas is a north-south corridor despite it being an even numbered interstate anyway. I-74 just piggybacks off of I-77 and I-73 to get to Wilmington, so they might as well treat it as an odd-numbered route. Even if built according to plan, I would expect that I-77 would remain the primary freight corridor through Virginia and West Virigina.

I still believe I-73 should just end at I-81 and I-74 gets rebranded as another route.

In case anyone has forgotten the plan to sign the I-74 East/I-77 South split:

Yup, which is blatantly dumb. Why on Earth are they trying to change anything on I-77 at all?

Especially since I-74 is exiting, and I-77 is the primary highway. Literally nothing about changing the exit numbers or milemarkers on I-77 makes any sense at all.

[english si]

Especially since I-74 is exiting, and I-77 is the primary highway.

Is either route actually exiting? Looks to me like an equal split. The existing BGS has a much less pronounced curve on I-74 and a more pronounced diverge to the right for I-77, showing much more equality than the drawing.

It seems bizarre to renumber this with I-74's exit number and then keeping I-74 as the nominated exiting road. If they are going to make I-74 the primary highway, move the tab over to the right and have a normal exit for I-77, rather than having I-74's eastbound exit 5 being for I-74 eastbound with a 'left exit' which is just all sorts of crazy!

Really what they should do is have both routes marked with exit tabs, and use both exit numbers! (I'm only half-kidding there)

[sprjus4]

Especially since I-74 is exiting, and I-77 is the primary highway.

Is either route actually exiting? Looks to me like an equal split. The existing BGS has a much less pronounced curve on I-74 and a more pronounced diverge to the right for I-77, showing much more equality than the drawing.

It seems bizarre to renumber this with I-74's exit number and then keeping I-74 as the nominated exiting road. If they are going to make I-74 the primary highway, move the tab over to the right and have a normal exit for I-77, rather than having I-74's eastbound exit 5 being for I-74 eastbound with a 'left exit' which is just all sorts of crazy!

Really what they should do is have both routes marked with exit tabs, and use both exit numbers! (I'm only half-kidding there)

In reality, what it should be is what the existing situation is today. I-77 is the primary highway, and I-74 is the exit. I-74 should not even be signed along I-77... it's never going to leave the state. It should begin at that split.

My issue is the continuity for drivers. If you're driving either northbound on I-77 south of this split or southbound on I-77 from Virginia, you would have seen I-77 milemarkers for a long time and I-77 exit numbers. All of a sudden, those will become I-74 for a few miles, then go right back to I-77. Even more confusing, at the border, you'll have mile marker 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1, etc. for I-77 to the north, then the exact same for I-74 just to the south.

[PColumbus73]

I-74 is functionally north-south, might as well treat it as such.

[sprjus4]

I-74 is functionally north-south, might as well treat it as such.

Between I-77 and Wilmington, it's more east-west than north-south.

[The Ghostbuster]

These are the only southbound reassurance signs along the Interstate 74/77 duplex on the side of the roadway: https://www.google.com/maps/@36.5486465,-80.7448132,3a,75y,197.62h,98.16t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1soZ49jSWBRznUWGwGWRoCGQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-8.160257394738508%26panoid%3DoZ49jSWBRznUWGwGWRoCGQ%26yaw%3D197.62130907364696!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDIyNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D. There are none northbound after the 74/77 split, not even an End Interstate 74 sign at the state line.