Interstate 73/74

[Alex]

Brent drove around Winston-Salem two weeks ago taking photos for AARoads. So I went through what he took and added new content to the main site for the first time in over two months. All of the new photos are cataloged on the updates page.

New page for NC 192, signed in both directions:



Updated the page the I-40 West page for Winston-Salem. Overheads for Exit 196 no longer reference I-74:



Updated the I-74 West page coming into Winston-Salem with six photos:



Created pages for both directions of U.S. 421 along Salem Parkway.



U.S. 421 Southbound at I-74.



U.S. 421 Northbound ahead of I-74.

Also created pages for both directions of Interstate 74 on the Winston-Salem Beltway. Eastbound was still shield as NC 74, but westbound was fully posted as I-74 except for the confirming marker posted west of Exit 45, which was covered.



The systems interchange joining I-74 with I-40 from the Glenn Hi Road overpass.




The temporary end of I-74 east at U.S. 421/Salem Parkway.

[yadkinv]

Thanks for the pics. I still do not understand the logic behind signing orphaned I 74 as NC 192. Further, US 421 (old I 40) through W-S should also have some sort of Interstate designations. NCDOT puts Interstates evrywhere in NC but denies them in W-S it seems.

[Mapmikey]

Thanks for the pics. I still do not understand the logic behind signing orphaned I 74 as NC 192. Further, US 421 (old I 40) through W-S should also have some sort of Interstate designations. NCDOT puts Interstates evrywhere in NC but denies them in W-S it seems.

US 421 through Winston-Salem was severely substandard when I-40 was moved to the southern route in 1992.  North Carolina did not want to spend the large sums to make it standard to keep it in the system (same thing happened with I-85 Bus through Spartanburg SC instead of becoming I-685).

It also appears that W-S wasn't keen on retaining through-traffic on that freeway, which almost certainly would've resulted from keeping it in the system. 

W-S has I-40, I-74, I-285, and eventually I-274 and I-777.  Not exactly ignored by NCDOT...

[bob7374]

Another thanks for the photos. Those taken of the I-40 interchange show a minor problem. While the overhead signs appear correct, the gore signs appear to be reversed with Exit 55A shown for the I-40 East exit which is also on the exit tab for the I-40 West exit. Hope they have corrected this by now. Also it appears work was still continuing on the flyover ramps as I assume they would remove the portapotty from the roadway when the ramp was completed.

[yadkinv]

OK, when all of these become established then agreed. I reckon it's just the peculiar situation that it took more than three decades to begin work, and yes, I realize there were a heap of lawsuits, but it does not seem this was high on anyone's list (typical for W-S & Forsyth authorities, it seems) and not pursued properly. Further, it appears that full attention was given to the other four major NC cities. Additionally, AASHTO Interstate naming rules are violated throughout W-S. The W-S Beltway should be I 640 (only number remaining) as Greensboro's is I 840, even with dropping the southern leg of the beltway (one doubts that would have happened in any of the other four cities).

Recall the numbering system, which does not seem to be the case in W-S (rerouting I 40 was likely warranted), but I 74 and I 285 are opposite, but this must be the new system to keep through traffic out of the city-center.

Spur Routes (odd first digit) branch from a parent route and do not reconnect. I 777 will not reconnect with I 77 but will connect two Interstates (I 77 & I 40). Still, it is better to have it than not any Interstate designation. So, there does not seem to be a rule for a route connecting two different Intestates, and so perhaps an example such as I 285 connecting I 85 and I 74 works.

Loop/Beltway Routes (even first digit) connect back to the parent route at both ends, often circling around a city. Last two digits match the parent two-digit interstate number.

It does seem as if W-S is catching-up now.

[jcil4ever]

🤔

Trump pledges federal funding for I-73 during Myrtle Beach visit

[PColumbus73]

🤔

Trump pledges federal funding for I-73 during Myrtle Beach visit

Will believe it when I see construction moving

[The Ghostbuster]

Easy to say, not so easy to do.

[WashuOtaku]

Spur Routes (odd first digit) branch from a parent route and do not reconnect. I 777 will not reconnect with I 77 but will connect two Interstates (I 77 & I 40). Still, it is better to have it than not any Interstate designation. So, there does not seem to be a rule for a route connecting two different Intestates, and so perhaps an example such as I 285 connecting I 85 and I 74 works.

Just to be clear, there is no official request being made to make US 421 into I-777; it was only an idea being pushed by an organization called the Carolina Core back in 2024. I do not see NCDOT wanting to spend money upgrading a highway to Wilkesboro.

[brian440i]

NC DOT has been piece meal improving US421(I-777?) between I-40 and I-95 in Yadkin County and Forsyth County but I agree West of I-95 to Wilkesboro or NC/Boone NC has no justification in our lifetimes, unless Boone/Blowing Rock/West Jefferson continue to grow to the size of Asheville.

The Newer Interchanges closer to I-40 have been updated to Interstate Standards...  the last exit to be modernized will be Shallowford Rd Exit and last Grade Separated Bridge <I think> is Reynolds Rd, Hauser Rd  & Scott Rd in Western Forsyth County so maybe when all replaced they could consider all of Forsyth County Portion of US421 could reach Interstate Standards...

But US421 is a IntraState Highway - very little inter-state traffic from other States other than Tennessee. (I-74 to North I-77) and (I-40 West to South I-77)

[Strider]

NC DOT has been piece meal improving US421(I-777?) between I-40 and I-95 in Yadkin County and Forsyth County but I agree West of I-95 to Wilkesboro or NC/Boone NC has no justification in our lifetimes, unless Boone/Blowing Rock/West Jefferson continue to grow to the size of Asheville.

The Newer Interchanges closer to I-40 have been updated to Interstate Standards...  the last exit to be modernized will be Shallowford Rd Exit and last Grade Separated Bridge <I think> is Reynolds Rd, Hauser Rd  & Scott Rd in Western Forsyth County so maybe when all replaced they could consider all of Forsyth County Portion of US421 could reach Interstate Standards...

But US421 is a IntraState Highway - very little inter-state traffic from other States other than Tennessee. (I-74 to North I-77) and (I-40 West to South I-77)

Intrastate? US-421 runs from Michigan City, Indiana to Fort Fisher, North Carolina, and is pretty big deal in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. Not an intrastate highway.

[brian440i]

I meant the Vehicles on the Portion of US421 between Winston Salem and Bristol TN. 

Not much Through Traffic on US421 in Kentucky to Winston Salem those Vehicles connecting to Interstates to Get to their Eastern Destinations (I-75 to I-40)
but Yes Hazard County Kentucky Heading to the Beach are coming down US421...

Just meant the Traffic is fairly Regional on that Portion of US421 we are discussing as a potential I-x77 and not likely to have necessary demand.

[Strider]

I meant the Vehicles on the Portion of US421 between Winston Salem and Bristol TN. 

Not much Through Traffic on US421 in Kentucky to Winston Salem those Vehicles connecting to Interstates to Get to their Eastern Destinations (I-75 to I-40)
but Yes Hazard County Kentucky Heading to the Beach are coming down US421...

Just meant the Traffic is fairly Regional on that Portion of US421 we are discussing as a potential I-x77 and not likely to have necessary demand.

Thanks for clearing that up.

[jcil4ever]

🤔

Trump pledges federal funding for I-73 during Myrtle Beach visit

Will believe it when I see construction moving

Some more context:

Trump Says I-73 Is "All Funded." Four Days Later, Graham Nordone Wins. No Agency Has Confirmed A Dollar.

[bob7374]

Based on the article linked below, the last segment of the I-74 section of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway is to open on Sept. 19, though they're having a ribbon-cutting tomorrow:
https://www.hpenews.com/news/beltway-project-should-have-ripple-effect/article_d2741fb3-b3d5-5501-b6cc-de1ca6d4d2eb.html

[The Ghostbuster]

After the Interstate 74 segment of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway is finished next month, it will be on to constructing Interstate 274! That is, not until the 2030s at the earliest.

[Strider]

Based on the article linked below, the last segment of the I-74 section of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway is to open on Sept. 19, though they're having a ribbon-cutting tomorrow:
https://www.hpenews.com/news/beltway-project-should-have-ripple-effect/article_d2741fb3-b3d5-5501-b6cc-de1ca6d4d2eb.html

Yeah they had a ribbon-cutting this morning. I drove by the I-74 interchange and saw that Exit 198 sign that was covered... they were uncovered and there were two police vehicles parking at each ramp. They were reserved for news media though. When I drove across I-74, I spotted the tents and vehicles parking along the westbound lanes of I-74.

At least this confirms the exit number for I-74 interchange from I-40.

[carbaugh2]

The Winston-Salem Journal has new drone footage taken at the ribbon cutting.

[carbaugh2]

I'm keeping it separate, but here is the footage of the ceremony that WFMY News 2 shared on YouTube.

[bob7374]

I'm keeping it separate, but here is the footage of the ceremony that WFMY News 2 shared on YouTube.

Did anyone notice the comments by the NCDOT Chief Engineer about the I-74 Corridor? He stated that it runs from the VA border to Rockingham, near South Carolina. Perhaps that's why NCDOT is slow to fund portions east of there, they don't know about it. 

Also did anyone catch the gaffe (I assume) by the state senator around 7:15 in? Where she thanks NCDOT for the Beltway since it is more than just cracked bridges and interchanges.