Charlotte

[LM117]

It doesn't look like the project page is live yet, but there should be a public hearing coming up in February for the I-85/I-485 interchange improvements.

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/Lists/ProjectsList/DispForm.aspx?ID=181

NCDOT press release:

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-02-02-i-85-i-485-public-meeting.aspx

[CanesFan27]

McAuley Road may be the last dirt road in all of Mecklenburg County.  The 1.5-mile road in the northern part of the county has recently been named a state Byway.

Travel down this road and you'll immediately forget the ongoing growth of the Northern Mecklenburg and Western Cabarrus suburbs.  Over 700 acres of land along McAuley Road has also been preserved by the Catawba Lands Conservancy.

https://www.carolinaxroads.com/2024/02/mcauley-road.html

[LM117]

Bus lanes set to open soon on Independence Boulevard.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-03-01-us-74-bus-lanes.aspx

[wriddle082]

Bus lanes set to open soon on Independence Boulevard.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-03-01-us-74-bus-lanes.aspx

So that large gantry that they took down at the Albemarle Rd split and placed in the bus lanes will finally come back out?  I wonder why it was taken down.  One week it was up, the next it wasn't.  Independence is part of my semi-regular commute whenever I work close to Uptown and stay at my regular hotel in Matthews.

[Third Strike]

Bus lanes set to open soon on Independence Boulevard.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-03-01-us-74-bus-lanes.aspx

So that large gantry that they took down at the Albemarle Rd split and placed in the bus lanes will finally come back out?  I wonder why it was taken down.  One week it was up, the next it wasn't.  Independence is part of my semi-regular commute whenever I work close to Uptown and stay at my regular hotel in Matthews.

A fetal car accident was what took it down, a few weeks ago. It's been sitting in the bus lanes for a few weeks now. Construction has started on reopening the lanes.

[wriddle082]

Bus lanes set to open soon on Independence Boulevard.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-03-01-us-74-bus-lanes.aspx

So that large gantry that they took down at the Albemarle Rd split and placed in the bus lanes will finally come back out?  I wonder why it was taken down.  One week it was up, the next it wasn't.  Independence is part of my semi-regular commute whenever I work close to Uptown and stay at my regular hotel in Matthews.

A fetal car accident was what took it down, a few weeks ago. It's been sitting in the bus lanes for a few weeks now. Construction has started on reopening the lanes.

I was hoping that wasn't the case, but I had a feeling that it might have been, considering how crazy everybody drives through there.  Must have happened over a weekend, or maybe during one week when I happened to not be working in Charlotte.

[74/171FAN]

I think Charlotte is trying to impress Tom958 with these APLs.  (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10220246205985829&set=a.10220246332869001)

[sprjus4]

^ Is the "Exit Only" signage necessary? I feel like it adds unnecessary spacing.

[ran4sh]

It is, but in the MUTCD figure the "exit only" panels are much closer to the arrows than they are on that sign.

[74/171FAN]

I didn't notice this till last night, but there is a sign now for NC 84 east on Rea Road exit on I-485 (exit 59). I checked Google Streetview and it has been there at least since June 2022. That said, there are no signage on Rea Road identifying it as NC 84 nor does any mapping on NCDOT confirms it yet. Anyone have more information on this?

Rea Rd is going to be extended to the current western terminus of NC 84 at NC 16 in Weddington.  Construction was going to start soon but I believe it's been pushed back a year or so.  Either way, the contractor performing the I-485 widening in the area jumped the gun by putting up these BGSs showing NC 84 running along Rea Rd.

Right now construction is expected to begin in 2028 according to the NCDOT Project website. 

For me, this is an example of when I found out that I did my own research.

Anyway I did photograph the I-485 Outer signage when I did my clinching loop last weekend.  (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10220253089037901&set=a.10220253093958024)

[Tom958]

I think Charlotte is trying to impress Tom958 with these APLs.  (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10220246205985829&set=a.10220246332869001)

Ha, just saw this. Hey, the designers know what they're doing. Is there even one rogue APL in NC?

[sprjus4]

I think Charlotte is trying to impress Tom958 with these APLs.  (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10220246205985829&set=a.10220246332869001)

Ha, just saw this. Hey, the designers know what they're doing. Is there even one rogue APL in NC?

They do exist. Here's just a few:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/UuWxZ39H3JSNyPN36?g_st=ic
https://maps.app.goo.gl/i5UJS8wm4pA2uqPbA?g_st=ic
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AQgaVo4xEBdZhEMfA?g_st=ic
https://maps.app.goo.gl/y8PMM7LgETTRzuR19?g_st=ic
https://maps.app.goo.gl/n4NLXembxcvRc79JA?g_st=ic
https://maps.app.goo.gl/bvimMPz6cuosXn2y5?g_st=ic
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ugcCxzavU2y3MMd99?g_st=ic
https://maps.app.goo.gl/pAu3gbzHLa2Pyz3H7?g_st=ic
https://maps.app.goo.gl/tktM1k5UWHaQy2ok6?g_st=ic

[LM117]

NCDOT is holding a public meeting on July 23 to discuss proposed improvements to Independence Boulevard between I-277 and I-485.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-07-17-independence-boulevard-meeting.aspx

[Plutonic Panda]

Some news covering various highway projects, including new express lanes in Charlotte: https://www.worldhighways.com/wh10/news/us346-million-charlotte-nc-highway-works

[Henry]

I wouldn't be surprised if the new southern toll lanes on I-77 are elevated, a la the Katy Freeway in Houston. That is because there isn't any free land to acquire like there was when the northern toll lanes were built.

[WashuOtaku]

I wouldn't be surprised if the new southern toll lanes on I-77 are elevated, a la the Katy Freeway in Houston. That is because there isn't any free land to acquire like there was when the northern toll lanes were built.

No, that would be even more expensive. They would be widen I-77 the normal way by removing the embankments and rebuilding of interchanges. There is always land available for roads.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Elevated lanes were reviewed in a feasibility study completed in 2015. The elevated lanes option was more than twice as expensive as the other alternatives.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://thebharatexpressnews.com/the-charlotte-city-council-supports-exploring-new-toll-lanes-along-i-77-through-a-private-partnership/

A vote is coming up on whether the CRTPO continues the work to add toll lanes on the southern part of I-77 in the Charlotte area...

"If approved, the group will work with NCDOT to prioritize the plan over the next eight to 10 months before developers issue a request for bids. If the CRTPO votes against pursuing a public-private partnership, NCDOT has said the toll lane project would be put on hold indefinitely."

[RoadPelican]

I guess something is better than nothing in terms of adding toll lanes to I-77 from SC to Charlotte.

[Henry]

One of the I-277 exits is notoriously bad enough to have a video game based on it:

https://www.thedrive.com/news/this-interstate-exit-is-so-dangerous-its-getting-its-own-video-game

Then again, it looks like at least half of the exits are like this, although the one depicted here gets the spotlight all to itself.

[wriddle082]

One of the I-277 exits is notoriously bad enough to have a video game based on it:

https://www.thedrive.com/news/this-interstate-exit-is-so-dangerous-its-getting-its-own-video-game

Then again, it looks like at least half of the exits are like this, although the one depicted here gets the spotlight all to itself.

This one is particularly bad because N. Davidson St. leads to NoDa, a notable hipster enclave and general "it" part of town that's home to a locally popular microbrewery.  And the I-277 traffic trying to get to that exit has to cross traffic merging in from US 74 Independence Freeway, the primary inbound freeway for the entire southeast side of town.

[fillup420]

If i need to get to NoDa from 74 west, I just exit at Charlottetowne Ave, turn right on 7th, then right on N Davidson. Avoids that entire mess of an interchange.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.wfae.org/charlotte-area/2025-04-04/i-485-toll-lanes-delayed-again

The toll lanes along I-485 has been delayed again to "late-summer, 2025"...

It was supposed to be completed in 2022!

Also... Independence tolls pushed back, too

The delay comes as NCDOT is also anticipating pushing back plans to add toll lanes on Independence Boulevard:

Widening Independence between Idlewild Road and I-485 to add toll lanes was expected to start in 2027, but the latest draft of the state's road-building plan now lists that project as "not funded."

Converting the bus lanes on Independence between I-277 and Idlewild Road, a project that was expected to start in 2029, is now expected to start in 2033, according to the draft plan.

Many state road projects are being pushed back as the state grapples with rising costs.

"We've seen substantial cost estimate increases in the last few years, mainly due to inflation, improvements to cost estimating processes and project scope changes," Hodges said in the email.

[architect77]

US1 North of Raleigh is still only 4 lanes. It can take 45min-1hr. to travel 10 miles with 10-14 traffic lights.

This highway's improvements have been delayed until 2030 to begin construction.

They said costs have risen 67% for highway construction in the last 7-8 years. This project was estimated initially to cost $350 million. Now the price has risen to $1.3B and therefore it won't be finished for another 10 years.

But I-85 between Charlotte and Gastonia is getting another lane in each direction and that project begins this year 2025.

[fillup420]

US1 North of Raleigh is still only 4 lanes. It can take 45min-1hr. to travel 10 miles with 10-14 traffic lights.

This highway's improvements have been delayed until 2030 to begin construction.

They said costs have risen 67% for highway construction in the last 7-8 years. This project was estimated initially to cost $350 million. Now the price has risen to $1.3B and therefore it won't be finished for another 10 years.

But I-85 between Charlotte and Gastonia is getting another lane in each direction and that project begins this year 2025.

I-85 is the busiest road in the state by a long shot. Of course it is getting priority.