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[cowboy_wilhelm]

Strange because they ground downtown the 1950's slabs back in June, but paving has been spotty since with only the westbound lanes from 119 to 105 completed.  New logo signage and the new sheilded mileposts are up, but I was hoping for new BGS's as well.

I'm sure having one of the rainiest years on record hasn't helped their schedule.

[Beltway]

Very expensive tolls for a freeway that has no river bridges, 20 cents per mile.  Tolls will steadily increase and continue until at least 2051.  Plus there are plans to more than double the length of this tolled freeway, if the southeastern extension is built.   

Excerpts:

Tolls are rising an average of 3.5 percent. Drivers with an NC Quick Pass will pay 12 cents more, or $3.37, to drive the entire 17.4-mile length of the Triangle Expressway between N.C. 147 at Interstate 40 in Research Triangle Park and the N.C. 55 Bypass between Apex and Holly Springs.

Drivers without a pass, who receive a bill in the mail, will pay $5.17, or 20 cents more, to make that trip.

Triangle Expressway tolls inch up every year on Jan. 1.  The N.C. Turnpike Authority Board has set annual toll rate hikes through 2051 to pay off the bonds sold to finance the $1 billion highway.  After three years at 5 percent, the annual rate hike declined to 3.5 percent in 2017 and will go down to 3 percent in 2022 and 2 percent or less from 2036 through 2051.

New Year’s Day brings higher tolls on the Triangle Expressway in Wake County
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article223769275.html#storylink=cpy

[wdcrft63]

NCDOT has announced that the reconstruction of the I-440/US 70/NC 50 interchange at Crabtree Valley in Raleigh is being delayed, with a construction start date now scheduled for 2025 instead of (perhaps) 2020. Cost ($230M is the current estimate) is cited as the reason, but NCDOT is also facing NIMBY problems on this project (everyone in Raleigh is an expert on what to do with this interchange). The delay gives designers more time to find a middle-of-the-road solution that provides as much improvement as possible with a manageable amount of public opposition AND it also guarantees that traffic will get much worse and push up public support for a solution. Here's the press account:
https://www.wral.com/nc-dot-delays-glenwood-avenue-upgrade/18099678/

[D-Dey65]

According to this tidbit in the Rocky Mount Telegram, NCDOT is planning to rebuild the Gold Rock interchange (Exit 145) on I-95.

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2018/12/28/Local-man-keeps-state-board-seat.html

I vaguely remember talk about this a couple of years ago. I don't remember what they were supposed to replace it with, but I wasn't such a big fan of it.

[LM117]

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-01-07-cape-fear-memorial-bridge-lane-closure.aspx

[LM117]

NCDOT has awarded a contract to widen a 2.7-mile stretch of NC-172 in Onslow County between NC-210 and Camp Lejeune. Scheduled completion is May 2021.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-01-08-onslow-county-road-widening-project-awarded.aspx

[bob7374]

NCDOT has released its Draft 2020-2029 STIP document. I quickly perused it for updated construction schedules for Interstate projects. Some of the highlights:
I-73/I-74

R-3421 I-73/74 Rockingham Bypass. Construction from late 2019 to 2023, partly financed by Build NC Bonds to be paid back by 2034, US 1 interchange improvements (I-5979) at US 74 Construction 2022

I-6055 I-74 Upgrade in Richmond and Scotland County, ROW 2025/26 Construction in 2029

I-785
R-5889 Upgrade US 29 to Interstate Standards from Hicone Road to US 29 Bypass in Reidsville, Construction 2027

I-87
R-5869 Upgrade US 17 intersections to interchanges in Perquimans County, Construction 2028
I-6041 and 6046 US 64 Pavement Rehabilitation I-95 to NC 33 in Edgecombe and Nash County, Construction 2020
I-6042 US 64 Pavement Rehabilitation NC 33 to Martin County Line, Construction 2022
U-6149 Upgrade US 64 to Interstate Standards from NC 58 to Thomas Rd overpass in Nash and Edgecombe Counties Construction After 2029

I-587
I-6032 US 264 Pavement Rehabilitation Greene County Construction 2019
I-6035 US 264 Pavement Rehabilitation Pitt County Construction 2019

I-42
I-6002 US 70 Pavement Rehabilitation in Craven and Jones County, Construction 2019
I-6004 US 70 Pavement Rehabilitation in Johnston County from Buffaloe Rd to Wayne County Line, Construction 2019
R-2553 US 70 Upgrade end of Goldsboro Bypass to New Bern Freeway Construction 2025-2028

I-795
U-3125 Extension Goldsboro to I-40 Country Club Rd (SR 1135)to S. Landfill Rd (SR 1129) Construction 2027 Goldsboro Area ROW 2028

The complete document is at: https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/stip/development/Pages/draft-stip-highlights.aspx

[Mapmikey]

This link will show changes from the last STIP to this draft STIP:  https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/stip/development/Documents/2020-2029-stip-changes.pdf

Highlights include:
Failure to fund conversion of US 17 to interstate standard from north of Elizabeth City to VA
Upgrade US 70 to freeway btw La Grange and Dover segments - one phase added and one delayed
Failure to fund NC 11 conversion to interstate from end of Greenville Byp to future NC 148 Kinston
UPgrade US 70 to freeway in a segment near the upcoming Havelock Byp
Upgrade US 13-258 to freeway btw NC 91 and US 258 split
Failed to fund US 74-76 interchange with NC 87
New Cape Fear Crossing btw US 17 and 421 (construction after 2029)
New Interchange at south end of Shalotte Byp
A segment for widening I-95 to 8 lanes btw Exit 56 and Exit 81 was placed in here to start construction in 2020
A segment for widening I-95 to 8 lanes btw Exit 22 and Exit 40 was scheduled for construction 3 years earlier to 2026
NC 540 extension from I-87 to I-40 delayed a yr
Widen I-87 to 6 lanes from Wendell Blvd to US 264
New interchange US 64 and NC 751
Convert US 74 to interstate btw NC 41 and US 76, construction 2029
PArt of the Wadesboro Freeway bypass added
Boone Southern Bypass Freeway added
Extending NC 73 to US 321
I-26 segments on new location in Asheville delayed 4-5 years
Corridor K (US 74) segments delayed 3 yrs

[Roadsguy]

I-785
R-5889 Upgrade US 29 to Interstate Standards from Hicone Road to US 29 Bypass in Reidsville, Construction 2027

Is the section around Reidsville and up to Virginia already Interstate standard? If so, does that make this the last project before I-785 is signed in its entirety?

New Cape Fear Crossing btw US 17 and 421 (construction after 2029)

Does the wording of the entry (US 17 to US 421/Independence Blvd intersection) imply the alternative that extends from the end of I-140? The only other alternative that goes to Independence Blvd is the one that ends at I-140 further north.

[LM117]

I-785
R-5889 Upgrade US 29 to Interstate Standards from Hicone Road to US 29 Bypass in Reidsville, Construction 2027

Is the section around Reidsville and up to Virginia already Interstate standard? If so, does that make this the last project before I-785 is signed in its entirety?

Yes on both accounts. VA’s section of I-785 is a different story...

[LM117]

This link will show changes from the last STIP to this draft STIP:  https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/stip/development/Documents/2020-2029-stip-changes.pdf

Highlights include:

Failure to fund NC 11 conversion to interstate from end of Greenville Byp to future NC 148 Kinston

I don’t think NCDOT was ever really interested in that anyway, so that comes as no surprise. That project was a proposal that was heavily pushed by Kinston and Greenville. However, over the last couple of years, there has been zero talk about it among locals and the two mayors that pushed for that project, BJ Murphy and Allen Thomas, are no longer in office. Their successors haven’t mentioned a peep about it.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Still no funding for what will eventually be the last at-grade intersection on US 74 between I-26 and I-85 (R-4045).

Overall it seemed like there were a lot of delays included in the draft STIP. Perhaps the coffers aren't as full as NCDOT thought they were going to be....

[Cemajr]

This link will show changes from the last STIP to this draft STIP:  https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/stip/development/Documents/2020-2029-stip-changes.pdf

Highlights include:

Failure to fund NC 11 conversion to interstate from end of Greenville Byp to future NC 148 Kinston

I don’t think NCDOT was ever really interested in that anyway, so that comes as no surprise. That project was a proposal that was heavily pushed by Kinston and Greenville. However, over the last couple of years, there has been zero talk about it among locals and the two mayors that pushed for that project, BJ Murphy and Allen Thomas, are no longer in office. Their successors haven’t mentioned a peep about it.

I honestly don’t see a need for NC 11 to be interstate quality between Greenville and Kinston. Since the speed limit was raised to 60 a few years back I’ve found it to be a pretty smooth ride for the most part except right as you approach Winterville coming from Kinston.

[orulz]

This link will show changes from the last STIP to this draft STIP:  https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/stip/development/Documents/2020-2029-stip-changes.pdf

Highlights include:
Failure to fund conversion of US 17 to interstate standard from north of Elizabeth City to VA
Upgrade US 70 to freeway btw La Grange and Dover segments - one phase added and one delayed
Failure to fund NC 11 conversion to interstate from end of Greenville Byp to future NC 148 Kinston
UPgrade US 70 to freeway in a segment near the upcoming Havelock Byp
Upgrade US 13-258 to freeway btw NC 91 and US 258 split
Failed to fund US 74-76 interchange with NC 87
New Cape Fear Crossing btw US 17 and 421 (construction after 2029)
New Interchange at south end of Shalotte Byp
A segment for widening I-95 to 8 lanes btw Exit 56 and Exit 81 was placed in here to start construction in 2020
A segment for widening I-95 to 8 lanes btw Exit 22 and Exit 40 was scheduled for construction 3 years earlier to 2026
NC 540 extension from I-87 to I-40 delayed a yr
Widen I-87 to 6 lanes from Wendell Blvd to US 264
New interchange US 64 and NC 751
Convert US 74 to interstate btw NC 41 and US 76, construction 2029
PArt of the Wadesboro Freeway bypass added
Boone Southern Bypass Freeway added
Extending NC 73 to US 321
I-26 segments on new location in Asheville delayed 4-5 years
Corridor K (US 74) segments delayed 3 yrs

Adding the US64 interchange at NC751 is a welcome change, but I can't understand how this would cost $67 million when the project to add interchanges at Laura Duncan, Lake Pine, and Edinburgh, and make a superstreet out of the rest of the corridor, and widen it to six lanes (U-5301), is projected at $117 million. Either the NC 751 interchange project (R-5887) has more scope beyond just that, or one of the estimates must be way off.

[Mapmikey]

Still no funding for what will eventually be the last at-grade intersection on US 74 between I-26 and I-85 (R-4045).

Overall it seemed like there were a lot of delays included in the draft STIP. Perhaps the coffers aren't as full as NCDOT thought they were going to be....

They added numerous new projects entirely and are paying for those by delaying existing projects-essentially they are re-prioritizing stuff

[D-Dey65]

I don't know if the subject has been brought up before, but why isn't there a north-to-south connecting road between US 301 and NC 48 in Pleasant Hill, NC?  Something like that would eliminate sharp turns between the two roads.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Still no funding for what will eventually be the last at-grade intersection on US 74 between I-26 and I-85 (R-4045).

Overall it seemed like there were a lot of delays included in the draft STIP. Perhaps the coffers aren't as full as NCDOT thought they were going to be....

They added numerous new projects entirely and are paying for those by delaying existing projects-essentially they are re-prioritizing stuff

The majority of the new projects that were added are all scheduled for construction in the mid to late 20's. Many of the delays are for projects that were scheduled for construction in the early part of next decade and shouldn't be affected by those newly added projects.

Some notable delays:

• I-85 widening south of Gastonia delayed (decade before widened to SC)
• I-26 connector and future I-26 improvements delayed (only been planning for 30 years, why not wait a little longer?)

Triangle

• US 64 improvements west of US 1 delayed 2 years
• US 70 improvements delayed (Miami Blvd freeway conversion delayed 3 years and one section now unfunded; Glenwood Ave superstreet delayed five years and a decade away; I-440/Glenwood interchange delayed three years)
• US 1 freeway conversion north of I-540 delayed 3-4 years
• Wade Ave widening delayed 2 years

[architect77]

Bridges have certainly come a long way in Eastern NC.  I think the only drawbridge left on the NC Coast is the one at Wrightsville Beach and I would not expect that to be replaced any time soon, if ever.
I know there is a drawbridge in Manteo, but I really don't count that one because thru traffic can take the 4 lane US 64 bridge around that.

"Movable bridges are classified by the way they are raised, turned, or lifted.  All of North Carolina's surviving examples are swing spans or bascules, two of the most common types.   North Carolina's Historic Bridge Inventory includes eleven movable bridges with dates of construction from 1928 to 1960."

https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/bridges/historic-bridges/Pages/movable-bridges.aspx

There's a drawbridge over the Port of Morehead City isn't there?

[sprjus4]

Failure to fund conversion of US 17 to interstate standard from north of Elizabeth City to VA

I'm mixed on this one. I can understand why it wouldn't be funded for logical reasons, the existing corridor is a perfectly fine limited-access 4-lane highway, but at the same time with the big push for "I-87", I could see this project jumping around in the next few years.

My suggestions for them to get it funded would be to do spot improvements, such as building interchanges at select locations as different projects, similar to what's happening on US 74 outside Wilmington. The Morgan's Corner traffic signal on US-17 needs an interchange first, then the other few should get funded after that. At the end, then the shoulders can be widened and eventually signed as I-87 once the designation slowly creeps up from the south (or north if VA builds out their part).

I-87
R-5869 Upgrade US 17 intersections to interchanges in Perquimans County, Construction 2028

Again, I think they're trying to hard on this one. They need to do what they currently have funded, and that's the two interchanges. The rest of the project to upgrade the 4 mile stretch ($130 million??) needs to wait. My question is, do they plan on replacing the bridges? I remember reading those would be retained. What would cost $130 million after the interchanges are built on that limited-access stretch?

[Revive 755]

Bridges have certainly come a long way in Eastern NC.  I think the only drawbridge left on the NC Coast is the one at Wrightsville Beach and I would not expect that to be replaced any time soon, if ever.
I know there is a drawbridge in Manteo, but I really don't count that one because thru traffic can take the 4 lane US 64 bridge around that.

"Movable bridges are classified by the way they are raised, turned, or lifted.  All of North Carolina's surviving examples are swing spans or bascules, two of the most common types.   North Carolina's Historic Bridge Inventory includes eleven movable bridges with dates of construction from 1928 to 1960."

https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/bridges/historic-bridges/Pages/movable-bridges.aspx

When was the vertical lift bridge at Wilmington on US 76 over the Cape Fear River replaced?  Streetview.  Or is it just not in operation anymore?

[TimQuiQui]

Overall it seemed like there were a lot of delays included in the draft STIP. Perhaps the coffers aren't as full as NCDOT thought they were going to be....

Tarriffs are driving the price of steel higher, there's uncertainty about the federal government's ability to distribute money, and the promised infastructure push from the '16 election has yet to come to anything. Compared to other states, NC's still in relatively good shape - just fighting the political headwinds everyone's fighting right now.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Overall it seemed like there were a lot of delays included in the draft STIP. Perhaps the coffers aren't as full as NCDOT thought they were going to be....

Tarriffs are driving the price of steel higher, there's uncertainty about the federal government's ability to distribute money, and the promised infastructure push from the '16 election has yet to come to anything. Compared to other states, NC's still in relatively good shape - just fighting the political headwinds everyone's fighting right now.

I found these snippets from the NCDOT/CAGC Joint Cooperative Committee meeting while searching for info on a project today:

Financial Update
Evan stated that the Department has been working over the past several years to deploy its cash and not bank it through acceleration of projects. Construction expenditures in the last completed fiscal year were up 25% and lettings up 39% from the previous year. The first quarter in the new SFY is showing an increase in construction spending of 19% and lettings up 351%. Maintenance spending and lettings also saw strong increases over the same period.

Cash over the last 16 months have decreased from just under $2.1 B in SFY 2016-2017 to $736 million at the end of October 2018 which is below the legislative threshold of $1B. NCDOT expects to stay below this threshold in the foreseeable future. With that, the Department is letting its first Build NC project in May 2019. Formal requests have been made to the Legislature as well as the Treasury Office.

The Secretary thanked everyone for responding to the advertisements and stated that the Department is within $100 million off of where we thought we would be 14 months ago and this is due to the hurricanes. The Secretary also mentioned that we have bonds up to $1 B if we need them next year. The plan is to hold the lettings between $2.5 B and $3 B per year. The industry appreciated this consistency in the lettings since they are investing in resources at that level.

[...]

Letting Projections
Mr. Davenport provided a handout outlining the proposed Letting Projection Chart and the Let Summary Projections for the next 12 months (December 2018 through November 2019). In the next 12 months, $3.9 billion in projects are currently scheduled for let including Design Build, TIP, TIP Bridge Replacement and Preservation, Division and Rail projects.

The following 12 months (December 2019 through November 2020) was also handed out. In that 12-month period $3.5 billion in lettings is shown. Industry asked if the Design Build projects could be spread out so over $1 billion will not be let in one month.

[...]

Tarriff Impacts
Mr. Hancock stated that they are continuing to monitor the prices of steel. Industry mentioned that they have seen a slight increase in the price, but more is the ability to get the material. Availability is slow and there is a need for more of a lead time. This is a little more challenging on design build contracts.

[Roadsguy]

Has NCDOT ever confirmed the designation of the Greenville Southwest Bypass? Logically it would be either a rerouted NC 11 or a new NC 11 Bypass (which would follow 264 north around the city).

[sprjus4]

Has NCDOT ever confirmed the designation of the Greenville Southwest Bypass? Logically it would be either a rerouted NC 11 or a new NC 11 Bypass (which would follow 264 north around the city).

I had wondered about that before, but I do not know. I tried hunting around for signage plans which usually indicate the shields used, basically what designation it'd be, but was not able to find anything.

[Mapmikey]

NCDOT route changes page has a diagram that refers to the bypass as NC 11-903 bypass.