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[bob7374]

I've posted some new photos from David Johnson taken along the rest of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway still under construction, such as this looking east from the new US 311 bridge:


The rest are on the I-74 Segment 4 page below the newly opened section photos: http://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg4.html#photos

I've also posted a link on the page to a video taken driving the newly open section in both directions, direct link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igh5oFk7ius

There are also new photos of construction of the future Beltway/US 52 interchange at:
http://malmeroads.net/i7374nc/i74seg3.html

[architect77]

Probably best to leave NC-74 at 65 mph while it's still unconnected segments.  Maybe when it's complete from US-52 Future I-74 to US-421 Former I-40B would it make sense to raise that connecting to freeways at both ends to 70 mph.  Kind of an argument for 2023 though.

Once the Beltway is complete, the entire length of I-74 / Future I-74 from I-77 near Mt. Airy to I-73 near Asheboro should be posted at 70 mph.

And as I mentioned before, with the exception of through Greensboro, all of I-40 between Winston-Salem and Raleigh, all of I-73 between Asheboro and NC-68, again except through Greensboro, and US-421 southeast of Greensboro, should all be raised to 70 mph.

There's numerous segments of interstates and freeways around the state that still retain 65 mph and could adequately be increased to 70 mph. A system-wide study is warranted though NCDOT continues to raise them at a snail's pace one bite at a time.

I-85 around and south of Greensboro, I-40 west of Winston-Salem, I-73 / I-74 south of Asheboro, and US-29 / Future I-785 north of Greensboro are all currently posted at 70 mph.

Given that up to 10 mph over the posted speed limit is acceptable, do you include that as part of your push for 70 mph postings? Are you only concerned about tickets traveling a little over the limit? For me, I don't have to worry about cops on road trips now because I'm fine doing 8 or 9 mph over the speed limit. I don't want to go faster. Thank goodness Georgia raised the posted speeds for Atlanta freeways, which used to be some of the fastest done by traffic as a whole. They could issue you a super speeder violation for 25 mph over the limit even though you were only going 5-10 faster than every one else. Now they are posted at 65mph at least.

[sprjus4]

Given that up to 10 mph over the posted speed limit is acceptable, do you include that as part of your push for 70 mph postings? Are you only concerned about tickets traveling a little over the limit? For me, I don't have to worry about cops on road trips now because I'm fine doing 8 or 9 mph over the speed limit. I don't want to go faster.

The segments of interstate / freeway I've mentioned have design speeds of 70 mph. Additionally, factoring +10 mph, it's not uncommon to already see people drive around 80 mph on the 65 mph segments I've mentioned, and nearby 70 mph interstates see roughly the same thing, around 80 mph. On I-85 approaching the I-85 / I-40 overlap, the speed limit drops from 70 mph to 65 mph but nobody actually reduces their speed. They just go 15 mph over instead of 10 mph over, keeping with the flow or greater. Having driven on both 65 mph and 70 mph segments in the Triad in fact, quite recently in fact, I don't think increasing the speed limit would make much of an impact, it would simply bring the speed limit closer to reality (75 - 80 mph) and lower the differential between those following the speed limit and those driving reasonable speeds.

There's segments of 65 mph interstates in the Triad I would -not- recommend for 70 mph, given geometry and design overall that keep people generally at or under 75 mph.

After driving the new Winston-Salem beltway segment recently, I concur that it could easily be 70 mph. No sharp curative, relatively straight and wide roadway, easy to hit 80 mph. US-421 Salem Pkwy should also be increased from 60 mph to 65 mph (debatable if I'd go to 70 mph) between east of Downtown and I-40 near Greensboro. Driving that recently, most people were already driving around 75 mph, some even faster.

[LM117]

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-09-25-i-74-eastchester-ramp-closures.aspx

HIGH POINT – Work on the project to improve the Interstate 74 interchange with Eastchester Drive/N.C. 68 will require rerouting traffic overnight next week.

To remove portions of the N.C. 68 bridge, contract crews will have to close I-74 East at the interchange and the new loop from southbound N.C. 68 onto I-74 East.

The closures are scheduled to begin each night Sunday through Thursday with a single lane closure on I-74 East at 9 p.m. followed by full closures of the interstate and loop from 11 p.m. until 6 the following mornings.

Eastbound I-74 traffic will be directed up and over the N.C. 68 exit while the closure is in place, while traffic from N.C. 68 will be detoured up I-74 West to the Johnson Street exit to access I-74 East.

Drivers should be mindful of crews working near the flow of traffic in this area and factor the detour into their commute.

[I-55]

Probably best to leave NC-74 at 65 mph while it's still unconnected segments.  Maybe when it's complete from US-52 Future I-74 to US-421 Former I-40B would it make sense to raise that connecting to freeways at both ends to 70 mph.  Kind of an argument for 2023 though.

Once the Beltway is complete, the entire length of I-74 / Future I-74 from I-77 near Mt. Airy to I-73 near Asheboro should be posted at 70 mph.

And as I mentioned before, with the exception of through Greensboro, all of I-40 between Winston-Salem and Raleigh, all of I-73 between Asheboro and NC-68, again except through Greensboro, and US-421 southeast of Greensboro, should all be raised to 70 mph.

There's numerous segments of interstates and freeways around the state that still retain 65 mph and could adequately be increased to 70 mph. A system-wide study is warranted though NCDOT continues to raise them at a snail's pace one bite at a time.

I-85 around and south of Greensboro, I-40 west of Winston-Salem, I-73 / I-74 south of Asheboro, and US-29 / Future I-785 north of Greensboro are all currently posted at 70 mph.

Given that up to 10 mph over the posted speed limit is acceptable, do you include that as part of your push for 70 mph postings? Are you only concerned about tickets traveling a little over the limit? For me, I don't have to worry about cops on road trips now because I'm fine doing 8 or 9 mph over the speed limit. I don't want to go faster. Thank goodness Georgia raised the posted speeds for Atlanta freeways, which used to be some of the fastest done by traffic as a whole. They could issue you a super speeder violation for 25 mph over the limit even though you were only going 5-10 faster than every one else. Now they are posted at 65mph at least.

The reason for speed limit increases is often to reflect the 85th percentile speed of traffic. This is usually to provoke the letter of the law drivers to drive closer to the average traffic speed. For people who don't care about the speed limit, or people who like to travel at particular speeds or to traffic conditions, this does nothing except reduce the difference between their speed and slower drivers by 5-10 mph.

[sprjus4]

^

From my experience, people will drive around 75 - 80 mph along I-40 / I-85 east of Greensboro which is a 65 mph zone just as much as they would drive 75 - 80 mph along I-85 south of Greensboro which is a 70 mph zone. When they increased the speed limit on the southeastern portion of the Beltway years back, speeds didn't change much. Same with I-485 around Charlotte and I-540 around Raleigh which are now both 70 mph.

I find it amusing I-485 around Charlotte is 70 mph, but I-85 north of Charlotte, which was recently reconstructed from 4 to 8 lanes, is still 65 mph.

[bob7374]

Closures on I-74 in High Point related to NC 66 interchange improvements (this is also the AASHTO approved new route for US 70, but is not signed yet) next week:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-09-25-i-74-eastchester-ramp-closures.aspx

[architect77]

^

From my experience, people will drive around 75 - 80 mph along I-40 / I-85 east of Greensboro which is a 65 mph zone just as much as they would drive 75 - 80 mph along I-85 south of Greensboro which is a 70 mph zone. When they increased the speed limit on the southeastern portion of the Beltway years back, speeds didn't change much. Same with I-485 around Charlotte and I-540 around Raleigh which are now both 70 mph.

I find it amusing I-485 around Charlotte is 70 mph, but I-85 north of Charlotte, which was recently reconstructed from 4 to 8 lanes, is still 65 mph.

I guess you should calculate the traffic volume every day per lane to see if that's behind the lower limit or perhaps all the freight in truck traffic on I-85 which is one of the nation's big industrial corridors.

I-485 on the East side of Charlotte isn't busy and quite tranquil comparatively.

[sprjus4]

I guess you should calculate the traffic volume every day per lane to see if that's behind the lower limit or perhaps all the freight in truck traffic on I-85 which is one of the nation's big industrial corridors.

I-85 seems to operate just fine at 70 mph between Greensboro and Kannapolis, and between Durham and the Virginia state line (the segment north of Henderson recently raised from 65 mph to 70 mph).

In Virginia, virtually all of I-81 is posted at 70 mph, having only 4 lanes and high truck volumes, same with I-95 between Richmond and Fredericksburg having over 100,000 AADT and only 6 lanes. All of I-85 in Virginia is posted at 70 mph except the northern few miles in the Petersburg area where it's 60 mph. I-85 was the first interstate highway approved for a 70 mph posted speed limit in the state back in 2006, nothing else got increased until 2010.

I-485 on the East side of Charlotte isn't busy and quite tranquil comparatively.

How about I-485 on the north and west side? The entire I-485 loop is posted at 70 mph. The entire I-540 loop around Raleigh is also posted at 70 mph, a very busy roadway in areas.


North Carolina has been slowly increasing speed limits here and there from 65 mph to 70 mph, and I think there's some definite candidates in the central part of the state.

[architect77]

I guess you should calculate the traffic volume every day per lane to see if that's behind the lower limit or perhaps all the freight in truck traffic on I-85 which is one of the nation's big industrial corridors.

I-85 seems to operate just fine at 70 mph between Greensboro and Kannapolis, and between Durham and the Virginia state line (the segment north of Henderson recently raised from 65 mph to 70 mph).

In Virginia, virtually all of I-81 is posted at 70 mph, having only 4 lanes and high truck volumes, same with I-95 between Richmond and Fredericksburg having over 100,000 AADT and only 6 lanes. All of I-85 in Virginia is posted at 70 mph except the northern few miles in the Petersburg area where it's 60 mph. I-85 was the first interstate highway approved for a 70 mph posted speed limit in the state back in 2006, nothing else got increased until 2010.

I-485 on the East side of Charlotte isn't busy and quite tranquil comparatively.

How about I-485 on the north and west side? The entire I-485 loop is posted at 70 mph. The entire I-540 loop around Raleigh is also posted at 70 mph, a very busy roadway in areas.


North Carolina has been slowly increasing speed limits here and there from 65 mph to 70 mph, and I think there's some definite candidates in the central part of the state.

It could be an oversight that won't be corrected soon if money is tight. I don't know. Y'all seem to be focused on the posted speeds, but I don't even pay attention anymore. It's a small inconvenience to slow down a tad to avoid a ticket. Now if it was a speed trap being exploited by cops then I'd start getting mad.

Virginia is more concentrated cities and more rural inbetween than NC, also not as industrial. Any posted speed from Durham to the VA line is trivial since you don't really get into populated NC until Durham. I grew up not far from there in Louisburg. Creedmoor is where i exit to go home.

[LM117]

The next section of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway between US-158 and US-311 near Walkertown will open tomorrow evening.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-12-22-winston-salem-beltway-section-opens.aspx

[bob7374]

For those looking for something to do during New Year's Eve 2020, I've posted my annual I-73/I-74 and NC Future Interstates Year in Review on the Gribblenation.org Blog:
http://www.gribblenation.org/2020/12/i-73i-74-and-nc-future-interstates-year.html

[bob7374]

Upcoming closures on US 52 due to Winston-Salem Northern Beltway (Future I-74) interchange construction:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2021/2021-01-13-us-52-nc-65-beltway-detours.aspx