Interstate 73

Interstate 73

I-73 and I-74 were introduced as future routes for the Tar Heel state in 1995. Interstate 73 was first planned as a route between Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Charleston, South Carolina. Subsequent revisions revised the south end location to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and left the north end uncertain. Within North Carolina, I-73 was first signed alongside Interstate 74 between Candor and Ellerbe along the preexisting U.S. 220 freeway. Future I-73 shields coincided with U.S. 220 north from Asheboro to Greensboro until upgrades to Interstate standards were made.

Additional sections of Interstate 73 were added in 2008 from Candor south to Ellerbe (initially signed as Future I-73/74) and in Greensboro, where I-73 overtook the southwest portion of the Greensboro Urban Loop from I-40, nine months after its completion, to Bryan Boulevard alongside Future I-840. The succeeding section of I-73 constructed extends 9.4 miles north from Bryan Boulevard and PTI Airport to U.S. 220 in southern Rockingham County. This stretch opened fully on July 3, 2017.

Interstate 73 North Carolina Guides

North

South

An additional 3.7 miles of I-73/74 were completed south of Ellerbe in June 2018. Representing the northern section of the overall 10.5 mile Rockingham bypass, construction upgraded U.S. 220 to Interstate standards and built frontage roads. A folded diamond interchange (Exit 23) with Dockery Road (SR 1306) west and Haywood Cemetery Road (SR 1446) north and a portion of the trumpet interchange that joins I-73/74 with U.S. 220 south to Rockingham were also built during the project. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved a 2.91 mile extension of I-73/74 south as an addition to the Interstate System on September 27, 2018.

Work on the remainder of the Rockingham Bypass continues in three sections to Spring 2024.1 However an update to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Rockingham Bypass (Future I-73/74) project web page shows the completion date of June 2025.

References:

  1. I-73 Segment 11/I-74 Segment 12. MalmeRoads.Net.

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Page Updated Monday January 30, 2023.