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[bob7374]

NCDOT has posted the contract documents for the final parts of two I-73 construction projects to be let on June 16. The first will complete work on the I-840/Bryan Blvd interchange at the southern end of the current I-73 PTI Airport to US 220 connector project. The second will remake the current US 220/NC 68 intersection into an interchange at the northern end of the current US 220 widening project. I have posted some of the signage plans for the latter on my I-73 in NC Segment 2 page: http://www.gribblenation.net/i7374nc/i73seg2.html

[jcarte29]

http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/buckle-up-winston-salem-s-northern-beltway-work-picking-up/article_a1cd3495-c2d0-52ad-be7c-a2b6150f8237.html


Latest update from Winston-Salem leg...

[Strider]

NCDOT has posted the contract documents for the final parts of two I-73 construction projects to be let on June 16. The first will complete work on the I-840/Bryan Blvd interchange at the southern end of the current I-73 PTI Airport to US 220 connector project. The second will remake the current US 220/NC 68 intersection into an interchange at the northern end of the current US 220 widening project. I have posted some of the signage plans for the latter on my I-73 in NC Segment 2 page: http://www.gribblenation.net/i7374nc/i73seg2.html

Do you  happen to have access to all signage plans for I-73? I tried clicking on the link you provided, but it won't let me access it.

[bob7374]

NCDOT has posted the contract documents for the final parts of two I-73 construction projects to be let on June 16. The first will complete work on the I-840/Bryan Blvd interchange at the southern end of the current I-73 PTI Airport to US 220 connector project. The second will remake the current US 220/NC 68 intersection into an interchange at the northern end of the current US 220 widening project. I have posted some of the signage plans for the latter on my I-73 in NC Segment 2 page: http://www.gribblenation.net/i7374nc/i73seg2.html

Do you  happen to have access to all signage plans for I-73? I tried clicking on the link you provided, but it won't let me access it.

Plans for the '250' signage at the Bryan Blvd to PTI Airport exits are available here:
http://dotw-xfer01.dot.state.nc.us/DSPlan/2015%20Highway%20Letting/06-16-15/Plans%20and%20Proposals/Guilford%20U-2524BC%20C203290/Standard%20PDF%20Plans/
Plans for future I-73 signage along the Greensboro Loop from I-40 northward are available with the contract for the currently under construction segment from Bryan Blvd to US 220:
http://dotw-xfer01.dot.state.nc.us/DSPlan/2013%20Highway%20Letting/09-24-13/Plans%20and%20Proposals/Guilford%20U-2524C%20C203197/Roadway%20Part%20II/
Signage plans for the rest of the I-73 project northward to US 220 were not available when the contract was let, since it is a design-build project.

[bob7374]

The NCDOT Board has approved the 2016-2025 State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP), the first to be created under the new strategic mobility formula. A quick check of I-73/I-74 projects shows little change from the draft plan released last December. The next segment of the Rockingham Bypass remains unfunded. Work is to start on the W-S Beltway section between US 311 and Bus. 40 in 2022 (the rest, west of US 158, remains unfunded, pending approval of the Governor's transportation bond bill). I-74 east of I-95 will continue to be constructed on a piecemeal basis with upgrades planned to the next two US 74 at-grade intersections east of Lumberton: an interchange for the Broadbridge Rd intersection to start in 2019 and the separate NC 72/NC 150 intersections combined into an interchange to be built starting in 2025. There's also an ongoing feasibility study looking into the cost of upgrading US 74 to interstate standards from the Rockingham Bypass to Robeson County.
What's not in the plan: any work to even study upgrading US 52 north of the future W-S Beltway, nor US 220 north of NC 68 in Rockingham County, nor even to widen the shoulders of the existing route in Montgomery County (or to upgrade US 311 recently signed as I-74 in Forsyth County). Related to other future interstates, there are also 2 feasibility studies being funded which connect to the recent NC congressional delegations bills calling to upgrade US 64 between I-440 and US 17 and US 117 from Goldsboro to I-40 to Interstate routes.

[bob7374]

Strider was kind enough to forward several photos of I-73 construction on the Greensboro Area. Here's a photo of where I-73 will continue west from Bryan Blvd:


I have posted the rest near the top  of my I-73 Segment 3 page: http://www.gribblenation.net/i7374nc/i73seg2.html#seg3

[Thing 342]

Great photos. Construction seems to be going along nicely.

[Henry]

Seems to me that NC and TX are the two states most serious about Interstate construction! Even if they're stuck with out-of-place routes that may never connect to their original counterparts in our lifetimes.

[wdcrft63]

NC has been aggressive in building freeways for a long time. The state has just under 1400 miles of interstates, and it also has just under 700 miles of non-interstate freeways. Most of the latter fall well short of interstate standards, but that's a large inventory of roads that could be upgraded.

[WashuOtaku]

Seems to me that NC and TX are the two states most serious about Interstate construction! Even if they're stuck with out-of-place routes that may never connect to their original counterparts in our lifetimes.

There is only two I am assuming your talking about, I-73 and I-74.  Never know though, they only need Virginia and South Carolina to do their parts.

[noelbotevera]

  Too bad my family moved out of North Carolina (we lived in Lumberton, BTW). Their reason was that it was too hot, eh? Well, I could be on I-73/I-74 earlier!

[TravelingBethelite]

The thing is, that I-73/74 will be roads to nowhere for a looooong time, if not forever. Any interstate that doesn't connect to any other = What's the purpose? 

[Henry]

Seems to me that NC and TX are the two states most serious about Interstate construction! Even if they're stuck with out-of-place routes that may never connect to their original counterparts in our lifetimes.

There is only two I am assuming your talking about, I-73 and I-74.  Never know though, they only need Virginia and South Carolina to do their parts.

But those two are in NC; add I-2 and I-69 (including the E/C/W branches) to the list. In the case of I-69, LA, AR, MS and TN need to do their parts (KY and IN already are).

[WashuOtaku]

The thing is, that I-73/74 will be roads to nowhere for a looooong time, if not forever. Any interstate that doesn't connect to any other = What's the purpose? 

If we had that attitude, no interstates would have been built.  Stuff takes time to build out and they usually start off as roads to nowhere.  Also, those interstates do connect to other interstates.

[jwolfer]

The thing is, that I-73/74 will be roads to nowhere for a looooong time, if not forever. Any interstate that doesn't connect to any other = What's the purpose? 

If we had that attitude, no interstates would have been built.  Stuff takes time to build out and they usually start off as roads to nowhere.  Also, those interstates do connect to other interstates.

It's not 1960 anymore. The will and funding for new road construction isn't there. Furthermore transportation budgets are allocated to mass transit as well.

[orulz]

Seems to me that NC and TX are the two states most serious about Interstate construction! Even if they're stuck with out-of-place routes that may never connect to their original counterparts in our lifetimes.

The reason for this in NC is two-fold: (1) High gas tax, which means more revenue, and (2) the "equity formula" that until a couple years ago directed much of that revenue towards rural freeway construction, to the detriment of urban areas.

Other stub interstates include I-26. The construction of I-26 over Sams Gap on the North Carolina side really is an engineering marvel: 60mph speed limit, very gradual curves, and SIX LANES through extremely mountainous territory. And 12 years after it opened, it carries something like 9000 cars per day. The Tennessee side was completed earlier but is much curvier, has a 55mph speed limit, and only four lanes wide with no room to widen in a median - and IMO is probably a more appropriate design given the amount of traffic it carries.

Interestingly, I-26 and I-74 both have Columbus, OH as a planned northern terminus, so if I-74 is built as planned, I-26 could connect into it maybe somewhere near Williamson, WV, and travelers could just take I-74 north to Columbus from there.

[Henry]

I had no idea that I-26 was planned to end in Columbus! I thought that was part of the original plans for I-73, before the states north/west of VA said no thanks.

[orulz]

I don't know if there was ever an officially announced plan to call it I-26 through Kentucky and Ohio, but it was certainly discussed in committees, and US 23 has in fact been partially improved (though mostly not to interstate standard) through Kentucky and Ohio, as a part of the Appalachian Development Highway Corridors B and C.

http://mountainx.com/news/community-news/0716tennessee-php/

[slorydn1]

Seems to me that NC and TX are the two states most serious about Interstate construction! Even if they're stuck with out-of-place routes that may never connect to their original counterparts in our lifetimes.

The reason for this in NC is two-fold: (1) High gas tax, which means more revenue, and (2) the "equity formula" that until a couple years ago directed much of that revenue towards rural freeway construction, to the detriment of urban areas.

Other stub interstates include I-26. The construction of I-26 over Sams Gap on the North Carolina side really is an engineering marvel: 60mph speed limit, very gradual curves, and SIX LANES through extremely mountainous territory. And 12 years after it opened, it carries something like 9000 cars per day. The Tennessee side was completed earlier but is much curvier, has a 55mph speed limit, and only four lanes wide with no room to widen in a median - and IMO is probably a more appropriate design given the amount of traffic it carries.

Interestingly, I-26 and I-74 both have Columbus, OH as a planned northern terminus, so if I-74 is built as planned, I-26 could connect into it maybe somewhere near Williamson, WV, and travelers could just take I-74 north to Columbus from there.

Kinda scratching my head at the detriment comment. That equity formula was put in place precisely because the urban areas had been getting all of the money for years, much to the detriment of the rural areas.


I've lived in eastern NC for 25 years, and I don't believe I have ever been to Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, or Charlotte and not seen orange and white construction barrels littered pretty much everywhere in those cities. New freeways sprouting up everywhere, added lanes to existing freeways, more interchanges than one can shake a stick at, all of which was done even with the "detrimental" equity formula. How much more do the cities need?


The running joke when I first moved here was that the official state flower for NC was the construction cone, yet for years I never saw one outside of an urban area. We are finally getting some of our long sought after projects started here in the east-some of these projects have been discussed longer than I have lived here.

[iBallasticwolf2]

Seems to me that NC and TX are the two states most serious about Interstate construction! Even if they're stuck with out-of-place routes that may never connect to their original counterparts in our lifetimes.

The reason for this in NC is two-fold: (1) High gas tax, which means more revenue, and (2) the "equity formula" that until a couple years ago directed much of that revenue towards rural freeway construction, to the detriment of urban areas.

Other stub interstates include I-26. The construction of I-26 over Sams Gap on the North Carolina side really is an engineering marvel: 60mph speed limit, very gradual curves, and SIX LANES through extremely mountainous territory. And 12 years after it opened, it carries something like 9000 cars per day. The Tennessee side was completed earlier but is much curvier, has a 55mph speed limit, and only four lanes wide with no room to widen in a median - and IMO is probably a more appropriate design given the amount of traffic it carries.

Interestingly, I-26 and I-74 both have Columbus, OH as a planned northern terminus, so if I-74 is built as planned, I-26 could connect into it maybe somewhere near Williamson, WV, and travelers could just take I-74 north to Columbus from there.

I-74? I-74 is supposed to go to Cincinnati to meet up with the existing section of I-74. If you mean I-73 last I heard I-73 is supposed to end at I-81 in Roanoke, VA because OH and MI put their parts of hold and WV is building there part as a corridor.

[hbelkins]

I had no idea that I-26 was planned to end in Columbus!

It isn't. US 23, as is, is perfectly adequate for traffic in Virginia and Kentucky. There will never be an I-26 in the Bluegrass State.

Interestingly, I-26 and I-74 both have Columbus, OH as a planned northern terminus

No it doesn't.

[hbelkins]

I-74? I-74 is supposed to go to Cincinnati to meet up with the existing section of I-74. If you mean I-73 last I heard I-73 is supposed to end at I-81 in Roanoke, VA because OH and MI put their parts of hold and WV is building there part as a corridor.

I-74 in Virginia or North Carolina will never be extended to Cincinnati. What gets built in West Virginia will be built as a surface route, and Kentucky already has a perfectly good route linking I-64 to Cincy. It's called the AA Highway. As for WV, the US 35 to OH 32 corridor works pretty well to move traffic from the I-77/Charleston area to Cincy. US 35 is finally going to be completed in WV.

[iBallasticwolf2]

I-74? I-74 is supposed to go to Cincinnati to meet up with the existing section of I-74. If you mean I-73 last I heard I-73 is supposed to end at I-81 in Roanoke, VA because OH and MI put their parts of hold and WV is building there part as a corridor.

I-74 in Virginia or North Carolina will never be extended to Cincinnati. What gets built in West Virginia will be built as a surface route, and Kentucky already has a perfectly good route linking I-64 to Cincy. It's called the AA Highway. As for WV, the US 35 to OH 32 corridor works pretty well to move traffic from the I-77/Charleston area to Cincy. US 35 is finally going to be completed in WV.

I know at one point KYDOT considering combining the AA Highway upgrade proposals and the I-74 corridor into one road but eitherway I-74 doesn't need to be extended past Cincinnati. It is just fine ending in Cincinnati. Half of the NCDOT I-74 is concurrent with I-73 it seems. There is no point to connect the two segments together. Just finish up surface road projects like US 35 and US 52 in WV.

[Mileage Mike]

Seems to me that NC and TX are the two states most serious about Interstate construction! Even if they're stuck with out-of-place routes that may never connect to their original counterparts in our lifetimes.

The reason for this in NC is two-fold: (1) High gas tax, which means more revenue, and (2) the "equity formula" that until a couple years ago directed much of that revenue towards rural freeway construction, to the detriment of urban areas.

Other stub interstates include I-26. The construction of I-26 over Sams Gap on the North Carolina side really is an engineering marvel: 60mph speed limit, very gradual curves, and SIX LANES through extremely mountainous territory. And 12 years after it opened, it carries something like 9000 cars per day. The Tennessee side was completed earlier but is much curvier, has a 55mph speed limit, and only four lanes wide with no room to widen in a median - and IMO is probably a more appropriate design given the amount of traffic it carries.

Interestingly, I-26 and I-74 both have Columbus, OH as a planned northern terminus, so if I-74 is built as planned, I-26 could connect into it maybe somewhere near Williamson, WV, and travelers could just take I-74 north to Columbus from there.

Kinda scratching my head at the detriment comment. That equity formula was put in place precisely because the urban areas had been getting all of the money for years, much to the detriment of the rural areas.


I've lived in eastern NC for 25 years, and I don't believe I have ever been to Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, or Charlotte and not seen orange and white construction barrels littered pretty much everywhere in those cities. New freeways sprouting up everywhere, added lanes to existing freeways, more interchanges than one can shake a stick at, all of which was done even with the "detrimental" equity formula. How much more do the cities need?


The running joke when I first moved here was that the official state flower for NC was the construction cone, yet for years I never saw one outside of an urban area. We are finally getting some of our long sought after projects started here in the east-some of these projects have been discussed longer than I have lived here.

A good example of it was US 64 and US 264 getting built as freeways through lightly traveled parts of Eastern NC.  Especially 64.  I'd even venture as far as to say 73/74 being built while I-77 and I-85 remained inefficient for their traffic volumes in Charlotte was one as well.  Another good example was the absence of funding to complete 485 in Charlotte, while 295 was being built in Fayetteville instead.

Thankfully they've adjusted accordingly and the Triangle and Charlotte get more of the funding they need.

[hbelkins]

I'd say that 64 was improved to funnel vacation traffic to the Outer Banks. I have faint memories of driving across 64 a couple of times as a very young kid, and it seemed like it took forever. Back then, a trip to the Outer Banks took a good two days, and that was with us leaving around 4 or 5 in the morning (via KY 11, US 25E, I-81, I-40 and various US routes where 40 wasn't built yet, NC 98 and US 64). Now it could easily be done in a day's drive.