Interstate 73/74

[Strider]

so i guess I-73 will now end at the 74/74 biz interchange?

Yeah. I-73 will run from near Stokesdale (where NC 68 meets US 220 and I-73 temporarily ended) towards I-74/US74/Business 74 interchange; which is around 105 miles) for a very long time.

I-73 will be built through VA and SC, but many of us will not live to see it happening.

[AlmaPinnix]

I-73 is dead in Virginia, but a new plan for upgrading the existing US-220 to link Martinsville to the economic hub of Greensboro has emerged.

https://cardinalnews.org/2024/09/25/transportation-board-scraps-i-73-and-lawmakers-hope-for-an-alternative-route/

[vdeane]

I-73 is dead in Virginia, but a new plan for upgrading the existing US-220 to link Martinsville to the economic hub of Greensboro has emerged.

https://cardinalnews.org/2024/09/25/transportation-board-scraps-i-73-and-lawmakers-hope-for-an-alternative-route/

Looks like this is about the cancellation of the eastern bypass that had been planned for I-73, not about deciding that I-73 will never happen at all.  Notably:

Though the project has been scrapped, Stanley argued, if Virginia's Department of Transportation were to complete the Southern Connector project, it could become I-73 in the future.

The Southern Connector project isn't exactly new either, so I'm not sure the author of the article knows what she's talking about on this.

[Mapmikey]

I-73 is dead in Virginia, but a new plan for upgrading the existing US-220 to link Martinsville to the economic hub of Greensboro has emerged.

https://cardinalnews.org/2024/09/25/transportation-board-scraps-i-73-and-lawmakers-hope-for-an-alternative-route/

Looks like this is about the cancellation of the eastern bypass that had been planned for I-73, not about deciding that I-73 will never happen at all.  Notably:

Though the project has been scrapped, Stanley argued, if Virginia's Department of Transportation were to complete the Southern Connector project, it could become I-73 in the future.

The Southern Connector project isn't exactly new either, so I'm not sure the author of the article knows what she's talking about on this.

In Sept the CTB rescinded all approvals for the location of I-73, essentially saying because there has been no movement on getting I-73 built, VDOT would have to start over on location approvals if they ever decided to do I-73.

This stemmed from a new policy: On September 21, 2022, the CTB adopted a policy to review location decisions three years after their respective approval date (the Location Decision Policy). The Location Decision Policy specifies that the CTB will undertake reviews of CTB location decisions and requires VDOT to present and recommend, three years after their previous approval date, that location decisions either be affirmed, modified, or rescinded.

In the same meeting they elected to not rescind approvals for the Southern Connector because some funding has been identified.  They changed the routing to reflect some changes that Henry County wanted.
See https://ctb.virginia.gov/media/ctb/agendas-and-meeting-minutes/2024/sept/res/8.pdf

[Strider]

I-73 is dead in Virginia, but a new plan for upgrading the existing US-220 to link Martinsville to the economic hub of Greensboro has emerged.

https://cardinalnews.org/2024/09/25/transportation-board-scraps-i-73-and-lawmakers-hope-for-an-alternative-route/

This article was about the proposed eastern part of I-73 and the other routes considered that were being removed. Don't assume if none of the I-73 projects are being built mean that the future interstate is dead. (There are still Future I-73 corridor signs in VA along US 220 and I-581 in Roanoke to remind you).

They have to start the I-73 study over again over since there were no updates and funding for it and is keeping Southern Connector as an alternative. Southern Connector could still become I-73 in the future.

[Strider]

Trucker streamer BigRigTravels drove on Future I-74/US 52 south going through Triad area earlier today and if you skip the video to 1:28:00, it shows the mostly completed Future I-74 (currently NC 74) interchange with US-52. He is going eastbound in the video. The new temporary overhead signage shows Kernersville on NC-74 EAST (the thru lanes) as the control city while US-52 (Winston-Salem as the control city) splits to the right just before NC-65 interchange. There are some new signages up around the interchange area. It is still partial interchange as they are technically not finished yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5anN8FgWz0s

[cowboy_wilhelm]

There is new Google Street View imagery from November showing progress on the interchanges and overpasses at Boardman and Lake Waccamaw.

[Life in Paradise]

I-73 is dead in Virginia, but a new plan for upgrading the existing US-220 to link Martinsville to the economic hub of Greensboro has emerged.

https://cardinalnews.org/2024/09/25/transportation-board-scraps-i-73-and-lawmakers-hope-for-an-alternative-route/

I'm not sure why besides some hope that multiple states would push construction that this route was ever pursued.  I can understand the possibility of making an interstate up to Roanoke, but it isn't necessarily needed.  The Blacksburg VA through West Virginia to Huntington was basically stupid, although better roads are needed in SW West Virginia.  If someone was actually going towards Myrtle Beach, they could just as well go down I-77 in WV (after coming down either US 35 or I-64) and then going off on I-74to go through the Winston-Salem area.  At least with I-69 there were some reasons for part of the routing and other areas to take pressure off already overtaxed arteries.

[PColumbus73]

I-73 is dead in Virginia, but a new plan for upgrading the existing US-220 to link Martinsville to the economic hub of Greensboro has emerged.

https://cardinalnews.org/2024/09/25/transportation-board-scraps-i-73-and-lawmakers-hope-for-an-alternative-route/

I'm not sure why besides some hope that multiple states would push construction that this route was ever pursued.  I can understand the possibility of making an interstate up to Roanoke, but it isn't necessarily needed.  The Blacksburg VA through West Virginia to Huntington was basically stupid, although better roads are needed in SW West Virginia.  If someone was actually going towards Myrtle Beach, they could just as well go down I-77 in WV (after coming down either US 35 or I-64) and then going off on I-74to go through the Winston-Salem area.  At least with I-69 there were some reasons for part of the routing and other areas to take pressure off already overtaxed arteries.

I've been saying the same for a while. I think I-73 may have some value between Roanoke and I-95 by forming a long bypass of the Northeast with I-81... assuming that's more appealing that using I-26-77-81. Everything north of I-81 doesn't make a whole lot of sense compared to I-77 / WV Turnpike. The whole Michigan segment is redundant with I-75.

[Henry]

I-73 is dead in Virginia, but a new plan for upgrading the existing US-220 to link Martinsville to the economic hub of Greensboro has emerged.

https://cardinalnews.org/2024/09/25/transportation-board-scraps-i-73-and-lawmakers-hope-for-an-alternative-route/

I'm not sure why besides some hope that multiple states would push construction that this route was ever pursued.  I can understand the possibility of making an interstate up to Roanoke, but it isn't necessarily needed.  The Blacksburg VA through West Virginia to Huntington was basically stupid, although better roads are needed in SW West Virginia.  If someone was actually going towards Myrtle Beach, they could just as well go down I-77 in WV (after coming down either US 35 or I-64) and then going off on I-74to go through the Winston-Salem area.  At least with I-69 there were some reasons for part of the routing and other areas to take pressure off already overtaxed arteries.

I've been saying the same for a while. I think I-73 may have some value between Roanoke and I-95 by forming a long bypass of the Northeast with I-81... assuming that's more appealing that using I-26-77-81. Everything north of I-81 doesn't make a whole lot of sense compared to I-77 / WV Turnpike. The whole Michigan segment is redundant with I-75.

I tend to agree with this as well. Even the nonexistent I-83 to Greensboro proposal seems to be a better way around the Northeast megalopolis than I-73 ever will be, because IMHO, it would've made an even more appealing alternative, and stays close to the region without getting too far into it (with the exception of I-495/US 29/I-70/I-695 between DC and Baltimore). While I-785 (alas) will be the only Interstate along that part of US 29, at least that is much better than no Interstate at all, and the freeway bypasses further north, plus the four-lane surface sections in between, help even more.

[Strider]

I-73 is dead in Virginia, but a new plan for upgrading the existing US-220 to link Martinsville to the economic hub of Greensboro has emerged.

https://cardinalnews.org/2024/09/25/transportation-board-scraps-i-73-and-lawmakers-hope-for-an-alternative-route/

I'm not sure why besides some hope that multiple states would push construction that this route was ever pursued.  I can understand the possibility of making an interstate up to Roanoke, but it isn't necessarily needed.  The Blacksburg VA through West Virginia to Huntington was basically stupid, although better roads are needed in SW West Virginia.  If someone was actually going towards Myrtle Beach, they could just as well go down I-77 in WV (after coming down either US 35 or I-64) and then going off on I-74to go through the Winston-Salem area.  At least with I-69 there were some reasons for part of the routing and other areas to take pressure off already overtaxed arteries.

I've been saying the same for a while. I think I-73 may have some value between Roanoke and I-95 by forming a long bypass of the Northeast with I-81... assuming that's more appealing that using I-26-77-81. Everything north of I-81 doesn't make a whole lot of sense compared to I-77 / WV Turnpike. The whole Michigan segment is redundant with I-75.

I have been saying this for years. I'd rather to see I-73 built between I-81 in Roanoke and I-95 (or down to Myrtle Beach). I never liked the idea of I-73 going past Roanoke up to Michigan. I-73 should just be a regional interstate that serves three states (NC, SC, VA) while forming a "bypass" for I-95 traffic.

I-74 can be a lengthy interstate whenever it wants to be.

[english si]

I don't get the hate for I-73 in Michigan. Sure, it doesn't need that number, but it's already a freeway north of Jackson because it's a useful and trafficked route even without the magic blue-and-red signs. Giving Lansing, Grand Rapids, etc a more direct freeway route to Ohio and places east by completing the corridor with about 50 miles of new freeway is not something unreasonable. You could argue that the 'bypass Detroit' function of it is covered by the US23 freeway, I guess, but it's definitely doing other stuff that I-75 doesn't do - not too dissimilar to how I-73 between I-81 and I-95 is doing different things to the other interstates in the area.


The I-77 to I-64 bit of I-73/74 is the useless bit for traffic (it exists as an economic development booster) - constructing in difficult terrain and not serving anywhere large. It doesn't even cut off distance - from the VA line on I-77 to the OH line on I-64, the I-73/74 corridor route is 172 miles, but it's 161 miles on existing interstates.

[PColumbus73]

Assuming it goes all the way to Canada like the I-73 supporters promise it will, it'll be overlaid with I-75 for almost 150 miles. If there does come a time where they want to create an interstate, it might be better to designate it as something else, like I-67. I don't think it's 'hate' toward the Michigan routing specifically. But I think I-73/74 are about 4 or 5 separate highway projects frankinsteined together under one number.

[The Ghostbuster]

If Interstate 73 ever exists in Michigan, maybe it would be more practical for it to follow US 23 from the state line all the way to Flint, rather than follow US 223 and US 127. Given a freeway along 223 will never be built, and the western Interstate 94/US 127 interchange is now a diverging-diamond service interchange, it would be a tougher sell to run 73 along 127 between Jackson and Lansing.

[bob7374]

Trucker streamer BigRigTravels drove on Future I-74/US 52 south going through Triad area earlier today and if you skip the video to 1:28:00, it shows the mostly completed Future I-74 (currently NC 74) interchange with US-52. He is going eastbound in the video. The new temporary overhead signage shows Kernersville on NC-74 EAST (the thru lanes) as the control city while US-52 (Winston-Salem as the control city) splits to the right just before NC-65 interchange. There are some new signages up around the interchange area. It is still partial interchange as they are technically not finished yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5anN8FgWz0s

I took some screen grabs from the video, including of the new APL signs approaching the Beltway:


and added them to my I-74 Segment 3 and I-74 Segment 4 pages.

[wdcrft63]

Kernersville seems an odd choice here, instead of Greensboro. There's room for both on the giant BGS. Also at 74 and 421 the sign for 421 East says Greensboro, not Kernersville.

[nerdom]

In the classic style of NCDOT control cities, I figured High Point would have been more appropriate.

[bob7374]

In the classic style of NCDOT control cities, I figured High Point would have been more appropriate.

High Point is to be a control city on the future signs when the Beltway is completed and I-74 is signed along it. Here's future sign plans for the US 421 exits:


Perhaps they will add some auxiliary signage indicating traffic heading to Greensboro should use NC 74 East. Though they still haven't updated signage on US 421/Salem Parkway indicating NC 74 West could be used to bypass W-S for traffic heading to US 52 North more than a year after the connecting Beltway segment opened. This was touted as one of the benefits of constructing the highway in the first place. Guess they figure at least those with GPS will use the new route.

[OracleUsr]

Wytheville?  Interesting choice, also a bit overly optimistic.

[bob7374]

Google Maps Street View has updated coverage of US 74 east of I-95 to this past November. I have taken screen grabs from their travels through the NC 130/72 interchange construction area:


and the newly opened Lake Waccamaw interchange on US 74/76:


More images can be found at my I-74 Segment 17  and  Segment 18 pages.

Update on 12/17: I added additional Street View images to the I-74 Segment 18 page of the Old Lake Road bridge, then still under construction. NCDOT posted a press release today indicating the bridge will open, and the intersection with US 74/76 will close, on Thursday, Dec. 19:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2024/2024-12-17-old-lake-road-overpass-opens.aspx

[carbaugh2]

Speaking of the Old Lake Rd bridge, this report states that Old Lake Rd is about to lose its connection to US 74/76.

https://www.wect.com/2024/12/17/old-lake-road-lose-access-us-7476-this-week/

[bob7374]

As for other parts of I-74 under construction, a frequent visitor to my website indicates it appears the I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass is close to opening. He indicates that uncovered I-74 ramp trailblazers have been placed at least as far east along US 74 as the NC 38 exit. He expects the Bypass to be open by the end of the year (though there has been no official announcement as of yet).

[brian440i]

On Rockingham Bypass - it has been quiet....  Maybe they want to wait for your Year In Review and then Open It.

Local Report October 29th, stated opening in a few weeks, though that was the Reporter and not a direct quote in the interview.
https://abc45.com/news/local/ncdot-nearing-completion-of-rockingham-bypass-hoping-to-ease-congestion-in-the-city

[bob7374]

While we're waiting for the opening of the Rockingham Bypass, a check of traffic cameras north of Winston-Salem this morning revealed that the ramp from US 52 North to NC (Future I-) 74 / Winston-Salem Northern Beltway East has been opened. Don't know if this also means the ramp from the Beltway west to US 52 South is open as well. It was still closed when Big Rig Travels made their video 2 weeks ago.

[RoadPelican]

I drove south thru Rockingham last night. NW Bypass still not open. Looks ready to drive on. Saw a huge overhead sign signing I-74 East for Lumberton. And US 220 for Rockingham.