Renumbering of I-74 in the Carolinas

[Henry]

I agree, any number from 28 to 38 would be an ideal number, as it lies between I-20 and I-40. I would take 34, 36 or even 38, but then extend it to Charlotte, Asheville and points west.

As for the part that's shared with I-73, call this I-79. It's east of I-77 and will never continue into WV, OH and MI for the same reason that I-74 will never connect to Cincinnati, so I'm all in favor of a southern extension of I-79, long multiplex with I-77 notwithstanding.

[DBR96A]

I'm in the process of doing a fantasy Interstate renumbering. Stay tuned...

[Thing 342]

Since the plans of completing 74 through WV and OH are pretty much dead, the remaining I-74 will mostly be an unnecessary parallel route to I-73.

• The US 52 portion from WS to I-77 in Mt. Airy should be a northerly extension of I-285 (assuming it ever gets upgraded to Interstate standards)
• The US 311 portion around High Point could either remain US 311, or become I-273.
• The I-73/US 220 portion would remain I-73/US 220.
• The US 74 portion could either stay US 74, or become an x73 or x95. (Preferably 473)
• The Carolina Bays Pkwy portion could also be I-173.

[MBHockey13]

Actually, last week, I drove to and from just north of Madison, Wisconsin from my home in Greensboro, NC. I basically followed the I-74 alignment, picking up actual I-74 in both NC and Ohio/Indiana.

I-40 to I-40 BUS/US-421 to US-52 to I-74 to I-74/77 to I-77 to I-64 to KY-9 (AA Highway) to I-275 to I-471 to I-71/75 to I-74 which multiplexes with both US-52 (again) and US-421 on its way to Indianapolis - and then it was I-465 to I-65 to I-90 etc.

On the way back, instead of staying on I-64 to I-77, I actually took US-23 and then cut over KY-40 to US-52 and took that all the way through WV to pick up I-77 just north of the tunnel. So, basically, almost the exact I-74 route.

The whole time, I was thinking about how much sense it made to build the I-74 part that is missing, and how I-74 was the perfect number. Plus, it's interesting how I-74 kind of follows both the US-52 and US-421 corridor in multiple areas in multiple states.

I-74 makes sense to me. Even if WV or OH never builds their portion. I still wonder why Kentucky doesn't get in the act and build I-74 along the KY-9/AA corridor anyway.

[Avalanchez71]

I-99

[rte66man]

I-99

Says the ghost of Bud Shuster......

[Brandon]

I-99

Says the ghost of Bud Shuster......

If that's the case, who you gonna call?

[hbelkins]

The whole time, I was thinking about how much sense it made to build the I-74 part that is missing, and how I-74 was the perfect number. Plus, it's interesting how I-74 kind of follows both the US-52 and US-421 corridor in multiple areas in multiple states.

West Virginia plans to build the route as a surface arterial, much like US 119 between Williamson and Charleston. And really, that's all that's needed. Really no reason to build a full freeway.

I-74 makes sense to me. Even if WV or OH never builds their portion. I still wonder why Kentucky doesn't get in the act and build I-74 along the KY-9/AA corridor anyway.

Because it's not needed. That KY 9 corridor dates back only to the 1980s and is perfectly suitable for the amount of traffic it carries. There are stretches between Vanceburg or Grayson where you could fall asleep in the road and probably not get run over until you got a good nap in.

[Avalanchez71]

Shuster is deceased?

[CanesFan27]

I'm in the process of doing a fantasy Interstate renumbering. Stay tuned...

Oh fun...

[WashuOtaku]

Shuster is deceased?

He's very much still alive, just retired.

[silverback1065]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has said anything about this subject before, but wouldn't it make more sense for AASHTO to give in and use one of the "forbidden" numbers in the interstate numbering system? I mean, a designation of I-36 or something similar would fit in the grid so much more than taking I-74 so far out of the grid. It just makes more sense. Is there a way to contact AASHTO concerning this? This crap with just using any ol' number is ridiculous... like I-99.

What are the forbidden numbers and why are they forbidden?

[rickmastfan67]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has said anything about this subject before, but wouldn't it make more sense for AASHTO to give in and use one of the "forbidden" numbers in the interstate numbering system? I mean, a designation of I-36 or something similar would fit in the grid so much more than taking I-74 so far out of the grid. It just makes more sense. Is there a way to contact AASHTO concerning this? This crap with just using any ol' number is ridiculous... like I-99.

What are the forbidden numbers and why are they forbidden?

I-50 & I-60 are the only "forbidden" ones that I know of.

[Thing 342]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has said anything about this subject before, but wouldn't it make more sense for AASHTO to give in and use one of the "forbidden" numbers in the interstate numbering system? I mean, a designation of I-36 or something similar would fit in the grid so much more than taking I-74 so far out of the grid. It just makes more sense. Is there a way to contact AASHTO concerning this? This crap with just using any ol' number is ridiculous... like I-99.

What are the forbidden numbers and why are they forbidden?

1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 18, 21, 23, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 42, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 67, 92, 98

I wouldn't call them 'forbidden', they've just never been used. Tend to be lower numbers, due to the fact that they're reserved for roads to the south and west. (Where there are less people)

[Big John]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has said anything about this subject before, but wouldn't it make more sense for AASHTO to give in and use one of the "forbidden" numbers in the interstate numbering system? I mean, a designation of I-36 or something similar would fit in the grid so much more than taking I-74 so far out of the grid. It just makes more sense. Is there a way to contact AASHTO concerning this? This crap with just using any ol' number is ridiculous... like I-99.

What are the forbidden numbers and why are they forbidden?

I-50 & I-60 are the only "forbidden" ones that I know of.

That was based on the old rule of no US highway and Interstate highway having the same number in the same state.  US 50 and US 60 are near the center where those interstates would be.

Now that NC and now WI have set the precedent by breaking that rule, i would say those numbers are back in play.

[mukade]

1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 18, 21, 23, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39, 41, 42, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 67, 92, 98

39 and 41 are used.

[Thing 342]

1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 18, 21, 23, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39, 41, 42, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 67, 92, 98

39 and 41 are used.

Whoops, edited my post.

[silverback1065]

Isn't North Carolina the only state that cares about I-73/74?  Last I heard there are no plans for 73 or 74 in Ohio and WV

[vtk]

I suspect 73/74 might be resurrected in Ohio, after Democrats come back to power... is what I'd be saying if expanded passenger rail weren't at the top of the hip new progressive infrastructure wish list.

[Rover_0]

I agree, any number from 28 to 38 would be an ideal number, as it lies between I-20 and I-40. I would take 34, 36 or even 38, but then extend it to Charlotte, Asheville and points west.

As for the part that's shared with I-73, call this I-79. It's east of I-77 and will never continue into WV, OH and MI for the same reason that I-74 will never connect to Cincinnati, so I'm all in favor of a southern extension of I-79, long multiplex with I-77 notwithstanding.

That's an interesting idea. I-74 becomes I-34 and connects to Charlotte and Asheville while I-79 is extended along I-77 and I-74 down to this new I-34.

[Thing 342]

An I-79 extension would be a good idea if not for the fact that there would be a nearly 175 mile concurrency between I-77 and I-79, along a route that already has a fairly long concurrency with I-64.

[roadman65]

An I-79 extension would be a good idea if not for the fact that there would be a nearly 175 mile concurrency between I-77 and I-79, along a route that already has a fairly long concurrency with I-64.

What about the long I-80/ I-90 concurrency from the Chicagoland area to Metro Cleveland?  Then the three interstate I-90/I-94/ I-39 concurrency along with the future I-69/ I-74/ I-465 three pack around Indy is another three route overlap that  are and will all be in practice.

[CanesFan27]

Ok, shouldn't this thread be moved over to "fantasy land" by now?

[roadman65]

 I think it is known as Alanland by some of the one's here.LOL!

[FightingIrish]

If Ohio or West Virginia were to build their parts of I-74 along the US 52 corridor or near it, then there would really be no issue with the route number. There are quite a few diagonal interstates in the system  (and US 52 is a severe diagonal across the eastern half of the country), and those will never perfectly fit the grid for obvious reasons. But it looks like Ohio has no plans to build it, and West Virginia isn't reconstructing US 52 to interstate standards.

As it looks like right now, I-74 does seem redundant, and I wonder if it will actually be numbered long-term. I don't live there, so I really don't know much about how much is constructed, how much will be constructed and how concurrent it will be with I-73.

I try not to stress too much over numbering violations, since those are bound to happen no matter what. As long as people can find the damned thing, that's good enough.