U.S. 17 Hampstead Bypass in NC

[bob7374]

The Military Cutoff Extension opened this week from Market Street to NC 140. Don't know if it is signed as NC 417 as it's supposed to be when the northern part of the Hampstead Bypass is opened:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-09-29-ncdot-now.aspx

[74/171FAN]

The Military Cutoff Extension opened this week from Market Street to NC 140. Don't know if it is signed as NC 417 as it's supposed to be when the northern part of the Hampstead Bypass is opened:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-09-29-ncdot-now.aspx

It is based on rickmastfan67's post on the Travel Mapping Forum.

Route is now open.

https://www.wect.com/2023/09/28/monumental-day-military-cutoff-road-extension-open-drivers-after-more-than-ten-years-planning-construction/

Video @ that link confirms route number as NC-417.  Shield is shown @ the 1:45 mark.

So, only thing left to confirm is the exit number on NC-140.

[The Ghostbuster]

The Military Cutoff Rd. extension is shown as completed on Google Maps, but it is not marked as NC 417 or any other designation besides its street name.

[NE2]

The Military Cutoff Rd. extension is shown as completed on Google Maps, but it is not marked as NC 417 or any other designation besides its street name.

We already know it's signed as NC 417. Why is it useful in any way to mention that the Goog doesn't show it as such?

[rickmastfan67]

If anybody checks this out, please find out the exit number for it on NC-140.  That's the only thing we need to put this in TM. 

[bob7374]

If anybody checks this out, please find out the exit number for it on NC-140.  That's the only thing we need to put this in TM. 

According to the sign plans I have for the Hampstead Bypass project:

[rickmastfan67]

If anybody checks this out, please find out the exit number for it on NC-140.  That's the only thing we need to put this in TM. 

According to the sign plans I have for the Hampstead Bypass project:

Had a feeling that it would be '23', but we've seen NCDOT randomly change numbers before.   That's why I hope in-field proof will show up sooner or later.

[Stephane Dumas]

The Military Cutoff Rd. extension is shown as completed on Google Maps, but it is not marked as NC 417 or any other designation besides its street name.

We already know it's signed as NC 417. Why is it useful in any way to mention that the Goog doesn't show it as such?

I guess Google maps is still the more popular online map despite competition from OpenStreetMap, Bing Maps, Apple Maps, Mapquest, etc...

[The Ghostbuster]

I prefer Google Maps due to the Google Street View option. Google Maps may jump-the-gun, and not update their satellite view as often as I would like, but I find the Street View option to be second to none.

[CanesFan27]

Some Hampstead Bypass construction photos for your enjoyment - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adamontheroad/albums/72177720324470689/

[bob7374]

NCDOT has advertised the second (southern) half of the Hampstead Bypass project to be let in June. The sign plans reveal two surprises. First, I-140 is finally going to be extend east of I-40 to US 17. Second, the Bypass will be signed as Bypass US 17 with its own set of milepost numbers. The plans for the northern section had indicated it would be signed as a continuation of NC 417 from Military Cutoff Road. The plans are available to download from:
https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/dsplan/2025%20Highway%20Letting/06-17-25/Plans%20and%20Proposals/NEW%20HANOVER_PENDER_R-3300A_C205072/Standard%20PDF%20Files/

[Mapmikey]

NCDOT has advertised the second (southern) half of the Hampstead Bypass project to be let in June. The sign plans reveal two surprises. First, I-140 is finally going to be extend east of I-40 to US 17. Second, the Bypass will be signed as Bypass US 17 with its own set of milepost numbers. The plans for the northern section had indicated it would be signed as a continuation of NC 417 from Military Cutoff Road. The plans are available to download from:
https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/dsplan/2025%20Highway%20Letting/06-17-25/Plans%20and%20Proposals/NEW%20HANOVER_PENDER_R-3300A_C205072/Standard%20PDF%20Files/

Also of note is that NC 417 goes away entirely and US 17 Bypass backtracks east on I-140 to get back to US 17.  Having a hard time making sense of that...

[LM117]

I never understood why I-140 wasn't extended east to US-17 as soon the final section of the Wilmington Bypass opened. Leaving that short stretch signed as NC-140 never made sense to me.

[The Ghostbuster]

Interstate 295 around Fayetteville was previously signed as NC 295 while it was being constructed. There are other 3dis that were signed as state highways of the same number before being signed as Interstate Highways (Interstate 840 around Nashville, Interstate 265 east of 65 north of Louisville, and Interstate 469 in Fort Wayne are three such examples).

[I-55]

Interstate 295 around Fayetteville was previously signed as NC 295 while it was being constructed. There are other 3dis that were signed as state highways of the same number before being signed as Interstate Highways (Interstate 840 around Nashville, Interstate 265 east of 65 north of Louisville, and Interstate 469 in Fort Wayne are three such examples).

The difference in each of these cases is that all 4 examples were signed as non-interstates on segments that weren't complete (I-265 being a special case still). This segment of NC-140 was never intended to connect to anything new east of I-40 than what it originally did. In each of the other scenarios there were significant chunks of highway that needed to be constructed for the route to be viable.

Now had I-140 been signed as NC-140 for the length of the route before the existence of the Cape Fear Skyway I would have far less issue with NCDOT's approach. But since the I-140 designation only ever extended westward from I-40 it made little sense why the east leg would be signed as NC-140 only after the whole route was completed.