I-40 in North Carolina

[74/171FAN]

NCDOT has posted a public meeting page for a proposal to convert the current intersection of College Road (U.S. 117/N.C. 132) and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (U.S. 74) into a grade-separated intersection with a bridge or overpass and interconnecting ramps or loops, 'similar to an interstate interchange.'
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Pages/U-5792-2026-01-09.aspx

Could this be part of a plan to extend I-40 further east from its current terminus?

It honestly is probably needed whether I-40 gets extended a little further long-term or not.

[CanesFan27]

NCDOT has posted a public meeting page for a proposal to convert the current intersection of College Road (U.S. 117/N.C. 132) and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (U.S. 74) into a grade-separated intersection with a bridge or overpass and interconnecting ramps or loops, 'similar to an interstate interchange.'
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Pages/U-5792-2026-01-09.aspx

Could this be part of a plan to extend I-40 further east from its current terminus?

No, Bob - unless there's also plan to eliminate a handful of at grades to subdivisions, driveway entrances for churches, and a few gas stations that sit between the current end of 40 and 74.

[Plutonic Panda]

NCDOT has posted a public meeting page for a proposal to convert the current intersection of College Road (U.S. 117/N.C. 132) and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (U.S. 74) into a grade-separated intersection with a bridge or overpass and interconnecting ramps or loops, 'similar to an interstate interchange.'
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Pages/U-5792-2026-01-09.aspx

Could this be part of a plan to extend I-40 further east from its current terminus?

No, Bob - unless there's also plan to eliminate a handful of at grades to subdivisions, driveway entrances for churches, and a few gas stations that sit between the current end of 40 and 74.

Oh nice safety downgrades

[The Ghostbuster]

I would imagine they will build an interchange with cloverleaf ramps for the southbound off-ramp, and the northbound on-ramp. They may need to eliminate a bit of parking lot and a northbound driveway to complete the interchange.

[PColumbus73]

NCDOT has posted a public meeting page for a proposal to convert the current intersection of College Road (U.S. 117/N.C. 132) and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (U.S. 74) into a grade-separated intersection with a bridge or overpass and interconnecting ramps or loops, 'similar to an interstate interchange.'
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Pages/U-5792-2026-01-09.aspx

Could this be part of a plan to extend I-40 further east from its current terminus?

No, Bob - unless there's also plan to eliminate a handful of at grades to subdivisions, driveway entrances for churches, and a few gas stations that sit between the current end of 40 and 74.

Oh nice safety downgrades

US 117 and US 74 aren't freeways here, I don't see what's a downgrade.

I don't think a cloverleaf would work here. Given the space, I think a SPUI would be a better fit. US 74 is already an expressway here, so it could take priority for grade separation over US 117. US 117 / College Rd is more of an urban boulevard here.

[Plutonic Panda]

Did you not just say they're taking grade separated, interchanges, and converting them to grade intersections?

[74/171FAN]

Did you not just say they're taking grade separated, interchanges, and converting them to grade intersections?

It is a signalized intersection planned to become a grade separated interchange.

[The Ghostbuster]

Are they more likely to build an overpass or an underpass at the new interchange at US 74?

[Plutonic Panda]

Did you not just say they're taking grade separated, interchanges, and converting them to grade intersections?

It is a signalized intersection planned to become a grade separated interchange.

Ok. I reread it wrong then. So if that's the case, why is this less likely to become an extension of I 40

[jdunlop]

Did you not just say they're taking grade separated, interchanges, and converting them to grade intersections?

It is a signalized intersection planned to become a grade separated interchange.

Ok. I reread it wrong then. So if that's the case, why is this less likely to become an extension of I 40

There's other at-grade intersections between the official end of 40 and this intersection that are tougher to improve.

During the first round of SPOT after the legislature created the prioritization system, the Division that includes Wilmington submitted a lot of "intersection to interchange" projects.  From a pure traffic operations (travel time savings) standpoint, they rose to the top of the list quickly and were funded.  Unfor, they have proven to be difficult to build and the costs have skyrocketed (including a lot more R/W 'cost than the original estimates thought.). IIRC, some have morphed from the original concept (almost all were submitted as SPUIs) and I think one or two have been dropped due to local impacts.

[RoadPelican]

In terms of extending I-40 into Wilmington, there is a project to at least extend the freeway down South College Road to New Centre Drive. It has been on the NCDOT drawing board for at least 20 years though.

Realistically, you really can't extend it much further than that. Maybe to Wilshire Blvd, but after that South College Road trades its grass median for the dreaded center turn lane and the road gets a lot more driveways from businesses.

Then further down South College Road we have the Hundred Million Dollar Elephant know as the College Road/Oleander Drive intersection. 

Which will get upgraded first the Cape Fear River Bridge or the intersection of College and Oleander?

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Repair cost estimates for the Pigeon River Gorge nearly double to $2 billion.

https://wlos.com/news/local/repairs-hurricane-helene-damaged-section-interstate-40-cost-nearly-2-billion-dollars-ncdot-north-carolina-department-transportation-pigeon-river-gorge

[ElishaGOtis]

Repair cost estimates for the Pigeon River Gorge nearly double to $2 billion.

https://wlos.com/news/local/repairs-hurricane-helene-damaged-section-interstate-40-cost-nearly-2-billion-dollars-ncdot-north-carolina-department-transportation-pigeon-river-gorge

Wait where did I see that it was a $12B repair? Was I confusing this with CA-1 or a different washout? lol 

Even still... where are they (NCDOT & Federal Govt) gonna get that kind of cash? Especially with federal dollars of $6B going to Key Bridge... DOGE would pitch an absolutely hissy fit...

[Plutonic Panda]

Repair cost estimates for the Pigeon River Gorge nearly double to $2 billion.

https://wlos.com/news/local/repairs-hurricane-helene-damaged-section-interstate-40-cost-nearly-2-billion-dollars-ncdot-north-carolina-department-transportation-pigeon-river-gorge

Wait where did I see that it was a $12B repair? Was I confusing this with CA-1 or a different washout? lol 

Even still... where are they (NCDOT & Federal Govt) gonna get that kind of cash? Especially with federal dollars of $6B going to Key Bridge... DOGE would pitch an absolutely hissy fit...

I mean, I hate to bring this up on this form because it's been brought up before but they just basically pulled like what was it $250 billion out of a hat for Israel. So you're telling me they can't come up with like $20 billion for some much-needed road projects?

I mean, imagine tomorrow how much of this interstate system like I-69,I-11, I-49 etc. Could get built if they just came out and said we're just gonna infuse $250 billion into the interstate system.

I'm sorry to beat this dead horse, but it's like dude if we just reduced our military budget by like 5% for just a year we could fix so many issues with our interstate system.

[Rothman]

Repair cost estimates for the Pigeon River Gorge nearly double to $2 billion.

https://wlos.com/news/local/repairs-hurricane-helene-damaged-section-interstate-40-cost-nearly-2-billion-dollars-ncdot-north-carolina-department-transportation-pigeon-river-gorge

Wait where did I see that it was a $12B repair? Was I confusing this with CA-1 or a different washout? lol 

Even still... where are they (NCDOT & Federal Govt) gonna get that kind of cash? Especially with federal dollars of $6B going to Key Bridge... DOGE would pitch an absolutely hissy fit...

I mean, I hate to bring this up on this form because it's been brought up before but they just basically pulled like what was it $250 billion out of a hat for Israel. So you're telling me they can't come up with like $20 billion for some much-needed road projects?

I mean, imagine tomorrow how much of this interstate system like I-69,I-11, I-49 etc. Could get built if they just came out and said we're just gonna infuse $250 billion into the interstate system.

I'm sorry to beat this dead horse, but it's like dude if we just reduced our military budget by like 5% for just a year we could fix so many issues with our interstate system.

Unfortunately, we've been trained that every dollar spent by the DoD is a dollar well-spent and accounted for.  Therefore, the budget will never be reduced.

[Plutonic Panda]

Repair cost estimates for the Pigeon River Gorge nearly double to $2 billion.

https://wlos.com/news/local/repairs-hurricane-helene-damaged-section-interstate-40-cost-nearly-2-billion-dollars-ncdot-north-carolina-department-transportation-pigeon-river-gorge

Wait where did I see that it was a $12B repair? Was I confusing this with CA-1 or a different washout? lol 

Even still... where are they (NCDOT & Federal Govt) gonna get that kind of cash? Especially with federal dollars of $6B going to Key Bridge... DOGE would pitch an absolutely hissy fit...

I mean, I hate to bring this up on this form because it's been brought up before but they just basically pulled like what was it $250 billion out of a hat for Israel. So you're telling me they can't come up with like $20 billion for some much-needed road projects?

I mean, imagine tomorrow how much of this interstate system like I-69,I-11, I-49 etc. Could get built if they just came out and said we're just gonna infuse $250 billion into the interstate system.

I'm sorry to beat this dead horse, but it's like dude if we just reduced our military budget by like 5% for just a year we could fix so many issues with our interstate system.

Unfortunately, we've been trained that every dollar spent by the DoD is a dollar well-spent and accounted for.  Therefore, the budget will never be reduced.

I know this horse has been beaten 100 times on this form but it's so frustrating to see these projects that seem like they're super expensive that are in the billions of dollars but in reality for pennies compared to what we just spend on other stuff without even having a public hearing.

[ElishaGOtis]

Repair cost estimates for the Pigeon River Gorge nearly double to $2 billion.

https://wlos.com/news/local/repairs-hurricane-helene-damaged-section-interstate-40-cost-nearly-2-billion-dollars-ncdot-north-carolina-department-transportation-pigeon-river-gorge

Wait where did I see that it was a $12B repair? Was I confusing this with CA-1 or a different washout? lol 

Even still... where are they (NCDOT & Federal Govt) gonna get that kind of cash? Especially with federal dollars of $6B going to Key Bridge... DOGE would pitch an absolutely hissy fit...

I mean, I hate to bring this up on this form because it's been brought up before but they just basically pulled like what was it $250 billion out of a hat for Israel. So you're telling me they can't come up with like $20 billion for some much-needed road projects?

I mean, imagine tomorrow how much of this interstate system like I-69,I-11, I-49 etc. Could get built if they just came out and said we're just gonna infuse $250 billion into the interstate system.

I'm sorry to beat this dead horse, but it's like dude if we just reduced our military budget by like 5% for just a year we could fix so many issues with our interstate system.

Unfortunately, we've been trained that every dollar spent by the DoD is a dollar well-spent and accounted for.  Therefore, the budget will never be reduced.

I know this horse has been beaten 100 times on this form but it's so frustrating to see these projects that seem like they're super expensive that are in the billions of dollars but in reality for pennies compared to what we just spend on other stuff without even having a public hearing.

Just to think... something like the Interstate system would never be built in today's society. NCDOT even mentioned that given today's technology, they wouldn't have built I-40 where it currently is, if at all...

[sprjus4]

With proper funding, there wouldn't be $2 billion in I-40 repairs... it would be a $10-15 billion proper reconstruction and relocation of I-40 with significant bridging and tunneling involved.

This is just a band-aid that will need to be addressed for some more billions in the future.

[The Ghostbuster]

Where are you going to find the money for such improvements? Adding more tolls to North Carolina's highway system?

[ElishaGOtis]

With proper funding, there wouldn't be $2 billion in I-40 repairs... it would be a $10-15 billion proper reconstruction and relocation of I-40 with significant bridging and tunneling involved.

This is just a band-aid that will need to be addressed for some more billions in the future.

That's an expensive band-aid...

[Beltway]

With proper funding, there wouldn't be $2 billion in I-40 repairs... it would be a $10-15 billion proper reconstruction and relocation of I-40 with significant bridging and tunneling involved.
This is just a band-aid that will need to be addressed for some more billions in the future.

The relocations that I proposed would be 10 to 20 miles in length.

The total cost to fully rebuild I-40 through the gorge is projected to be $2 billion, and a large part will have to be funded by the state.

The current alignment is a wasting asset.

[Henry]

With proper funding, there wouldn't be $2 billion in I-40 repairs... it would be a $10-15 billion proper reconstruction and relocation of I-40 with significant bridging and tunneling involved.
This is just a band-aid that will need to be addressed for some more billions in the future.

The relocations that I proposed would be 10 to 20 miles in length.

The total cost to fully rebuild I-40 through the gorge is projected to be $2 billion, and a large part will have to be funded by the state.

The current alignment is a wasting asset.

If this gets abandoned, maybe we ought to turn it into a walking/biking trail, like the Penna Turnpike   

[architect77]

Where are you going to find the money for such improvements. Adding more tolls to North Carolina's highway system?

You make it sound like the existing highways that are tolled use the money for other things around the state. They don't. They pay for the construction cost of the road tolled.

You could have asked, "Are you proposing that I-40 be tolled through this section to raise money to pay for its rebuilding cost?"

[The Ghostbuster]

It was my intention to ask if Interstate 40 would be tolled to pay for the improvements suggested. Sorry I wasn't more specific.

[sprjus4]

Tolling I-40 might not be a popular option, but it is worthwhile considering. Especially for a full reconstruction / realignment. Introduce a local discount program that has a significant discount for frequent trips, similar to the West Virginia Turnpike.