NC: Proposed I-777 (Wilkesboro to Winston-Salem along US 421)

[ElishaGOtis]

Let's Remember what we are talking about....  Shoulders.

US421 between Winston Salem and Wilkesboro (Sometimes designated as Alt I-40 when I-40 has construction) has been a Limited Controlled Freeway for over 30 Years... 

Do they need to waste money on Shoulders to Wilkesboro just to get an Interstate Number...  No.  (But its also not an extravagent cost.)

The NC DOT Divisions  on either end would rather spend $1 Billion for the Boone/BlowingRock By-Pass or Completion of I274 in Winston Salem. (BTW I-274 will increase demand on US421 in Yadkin County once you have full movement between US421 and I-40 for Residential)

Personally - Before any dollar for Shoulders on US421 - I'd rather see a NC16/US421 Interchange and Frontage Roads to lock in the Wilkesboro sprawl to the West of Wilkesboro.

While I don't think an interstate designation is necessary, I don't hate the idea of paving the shoulders as a safety feature. Then again, this can be done with routine resurfacing activities.

Not to mention the NCDOT design standards for all freeways.

[fillup420]

i drove the 421 corridor between Forsyth and Wilkes regularly for several years, while at App State and after. There is nowhere near enough consistent traffic between the two to justify an interstate upgrade. Its not just the shoulders that would need work, there are several substandard ramps and low clearance bridges that would need improvements.

NC DOT would be wise to not waste all that money they don't have to do menial upgrades to a road that doesn't really need it.

[PColumbus73]

US 421 is fine as is. There is no rational to be upgraded to interstate.

One must duisagree, courteously. This is the problem that has gotten W-S into its complacent status, which is to say horse-and-buggy thinking by city and county officials.

What do you mean by that?

I think Greensboro is in a better position to capitalize on I-40, 85 and now I-73. Once I-74 is fully open between I-77 and I-95, Winston-Salem will be able to siphon traffic away from Greensboro.

Only if traffic is heading southeast (Asheboro, Rockingham and points south). Most traffic will still go to Greensboro and points east (Burlington, Mebane, Durham, Raleigh, etc.)

I-74 consolidating tourist traffic from the Midwest to Wilmington and Myrtle Beach will benefit Winston-Salem. Especially when the missing link on the W-S Beltway finally opens. Maybe even encourage an informal bypass of Columbia and Charlotte between the Midwest and I-95.

[Strider]

US 421 is fine as is. There is no rational to be upgraded to interstate.

One must duisagree, courteously. This is the problem that has gotten W-S into its complacent status, which is to say horse-and-buggy thinking by city and county officials.

What do you mean by that?

I think Greensboro is in a better position to capitalize on I-40, 85 and now I-73. Once I-74 is fully open between I-77 and I-95, Winston-Salem will be able to siphon traffic away from Greensboro.

Only if traffic is heading southeast (Asheboro, Rockingham and points south). Most traffic will still go to Greensboro and points east (Burlington, Mebane, Durham, Raleigh, etc.)

I-74 consolidating tourist traffic from the Midwest to Wilmington and Myrtle Beach will benefit Winston-Salem. Especially when the missing link on the W-S Beltway finally opens. Maybe even encourage an informal bypass of Columbia and Charlotte between the Midwest and I-95.

Oh, it will bypass Columbia and Charlotte. Poor I-95 is going to get crowded.. especially in South Carolina at least until they widen I-95 to six lanes.

[sprjus4]

US 421 is fine as is. There is no rational to be upgraded to interstate.

One must duisagree, courteously. This is the problem that has gotten W-S into its complacent status, which is to say horse-and-buggy thinking by city and county officials.

What do you mean by that?

I think Greensboro is in a better position to capitalize on I-40, 85 and now I-73. Once I-74 is fully open between I-77 and I-95, Winston-Salem will be able to siphon traffic away from Greensboro.

Only if traffic is heading southeast (Asheboro, Rockingham and points south). Most traffic will still go to Greensboro and points east (Burlington, Mebane, Durham, Raleigh, etc.)

I-74 consolidating tourist traffic from the Midwest to Wilmington and Myrtle Beach will benefit Winston-Salem. Especially when the missing link on the W-S Beltway finally opens. Maybe even encourage an informal bypass of Columbia and Charlotte between the Midwest and I-95.

Oh, it will bypass Columbia and Charlotte. Poor I-95 is going to get crowded.. especially in South Carolina at least until they widen I-95 to six lanes.

Until I-73 is built in SC and VA, I don't expect any major traffic shift.

I also don't expect either to be built any time soon.

[Strider]

US 421 is fine as is. There is no rational to be upgraded to interstate.

One must duisagree, courteously. This is the problem that has gotten W-S into its complacent status, which is to say horse-and-buggy thinking by city and county officials.

What do you mean by that?

I think Greensboro is in a better position to capitalize on I-40, 85 and now I-73. Once I-74 is fully open between I-77 and I-95, Winston-Salem will be able to siphon traffic away from Greensboro.

Only if traffic is heading southeast (Asheboro, Rockingham and points south). Most traffic will still go to Greensboro and points east (Burlington, Mebane, Durham, Raleigh, etc.)

I-74 consolidating tourist traffic from the Midwest to Wilmington and Myrtle Beach will benefit Winston-Salem. Especially when the missing link on the W-S Beltway finally opens. Maybe even encourage an informal bypass of Columbia and Charlotte between the Midwest and I-95.

Oh, it will bypass Columbia and Charlotte. Poor I-95 is going to get crowded.. especially in South Carolina at least until they widen I-95 to six lanes.

Until I-73 is built in SC and VA, I don't expect any major traffic shift.

I also don't expect either to be built any time soon.

The comments were talking about I-74. You know I-74 meets I-95 in NC, right?

[sprjus4]

US 421 is fine as is. There is no rational to be upgraded to interstate.

One must duisagree, courteously. This is the problem that has gotten W-S into its complacent status, which is to say horse-and-buggy thinking by city and county officials.

What do you mean by that?

I think Greensboro is in a better position to capitalize on I-40, 85 and now I-73. Once I-74 is fully open between I-77 and I-95, Winston-Salem will be able to siphon traffic away from Greensboro.

Only if traffic is heading southeast (Asheboro, Rockingham and points south). Most traffic will still go to Greensboro and points east (Burlington, Mebane, Durham, Raleigh, etc.)

I-74 consolidating tourist traffic from the Midwest to Wilmington and Myrtle Beach will benefit Winston-Salem. Especially when the missing link on the W-S Beltway finally opens. Maybe even encourage an informal bypass of Columbia and Charlotte between the Midwest and I-95.

Oh, it will bypass Columbia and Charlotte. Poor I-95 is going to get crowded.. especially in South Carolina at least until they widen I-95 to six lanes.

Until I-73 is built in SC and VA, I don't expect any major traffic shift.

I also don't expect either to be built any time soon.

The comments were talking about I-74. You know I-74 meets I-95 in NC, right?

Yes, but no one is following I-74 to I-95 South.

[Strider]

US 421 is fine as is. There is no rational to be upgraded to interstate.

One must duisagree, courteously. This is the problem that has gotten W-S into its complacent status, which is to say horse-and-buggy thinking by city and county officials.

What do you mean by that?

I think Greensboro is in a better position to capitalize on I-40, 85 and now I-73. Once I-74 is fully open between I-77 and I-95, Winston-Salem will be able to siphon traffic away from Greensboro.

Only if traffic is heading southeast (Asheboro, Rockingham and points south). Most traffic will still go to Greensboro and points east (Burlington, Mebane, Durham, Raleigh, etc.)

I-74 consolidating tourist traffic from the Midwest to Wilmington and Myrtle Beach will benefit Winston-Salem. Especially when the missing link on the W-S Beltway finally opens. Maybe even encourage an informal bypass of Columbia and Charlotte between the Midwest and I-95.

Oh, it will bypass Columbia and Charlotte. Poor I-95 is going to get crowded.. especially in South Carolina at least until they widen I-95 to six lanes.

Until I-73 is built in SC and VA, I don't expect any major traffic shift.

I also don't expect either to be built any time soon.

The comments were talking about I-74. You know I-74 meets I-95 in NC, right?

Yes, but no one is following I-74 to I-95 South.

Try again, mister.

[nerdom]

I mean. The more I drive through Charlotte, lately. The more inclined I'd be to take 74 to avoid 77 and 26 between Columbia and the 95 junction. Sure, It would be straighter with 73 shooting south to 95 via Bennettsville. But, when factoring OH to FL distance, the difference is negligible. In the meantime, 77 is only getting worse and nobody is driving on 74, except Myrtle traffic.

[sprjus4]

I mean. The more I drive through Charlotte, lately. The more inclined I'd be to take 74 to avoid 77 and 26 between Columbia and the 95 junction. Sure, It would be straighter with 73 shooting south to 95 via Bennettsville. But, when factoring OH to FL distance, the difference is negligible. In the meantime, 77 is only getting worse and nobody is driving on 74, except Myrtle traffic.

You can still take I-74, NC-38 is a pretty straight shot down from Rockingham to I-95 - it's about half 2-lane, half 4-lane.

It's around 20 minutes faster than following I-74 to I-95 at Lumberton.

I've done I-74 from I-77 to Rockingham, NC-38, then I-95 down to the I-26 junction once. It was around 45 minutes slower, but certainly a more relaxing drive.

I-77 is a headache through Charlotte unless you pay $30+ or have 3 people.