Should NC build I-30

[Cybear]

I-30 should have been built in the 60's or 70's. I-40 wasn't completed from Raleigh to Wilmington until the late 1980's. IMO, interstates that connect Charlotte to Wilmington and Raleigh to Wilmington should've been of the highest priority in the state from the inception of the interstate concept.

Why an interstate does not exist from Charlotte to Wilmington is absurd - even though Charleston serves as the major port to the area.

If federal funds did not exist for this project, a state supported toll road should've been built. As a kid, I remember the road trip to Carowinds from the Wilmington area and it was a mess (Rockingham, etc). Portions of the road have been upgraded to interstate status but they've got a long way to go.

I'd venture to say that most people who frequently make that journey would support a NJ style parkway/tollway. A couple of bucks to save an 1 hour or more of driving time is a no brainer.

Eventually, NC will have to institute toll roads to maintain any acceptance of quality considering the unprecedented growth and quirky road development laws.

You make some excellent points, Durhamite; particularly regarding the necessity of toll roads. It's almost as if the Legisalture has regarded toll roads as if it were the state lottery. We finally got the lottery, for good or ill. Why not allow toll roads on an expanded scale? Let's let private contractors bid to construct and to operate the things, subject to state supervision.

Private contractors would build roads where there are markets for them. If we let the legislature decide where to put them, they will continue to look like gerrymandered Congressional Districts, sort of like I-40 does. I absolutely do not begrudge a population center like the Triangle an interstate connection or even two, for that matter. But Wilmington to Raleigh to get to Asheville was a route chosen without reference to much other than politics. It makes about as much sense as Greensboro to Asheville to get to Charlotte.

[Jerseyman4]

According to Mapquest with today's highways; for fun id like to list the mileage and time tables between Charlotte and the beaches:

Mapquest determines the following criteria:

-driving the speed limit

-stopping for gas if necessary

-Shortest Time

-Jerseyman4 rounds the mileage to the nearest whole number

Charlotte to Wrightsville Beach (10-15 miles east of Wilmington)

4 hours and 20 minutes

206 miles

Charlotte to Myrtle Beach

SHORTEST TIME

4 Hours

225 Miles

SHORTEST DISTANCE

4 Hours and 11 minutes

170 Miles

Charlotte to Isle Of Palms (northeast of Charleston)

3 hours and 29 Minutes

218 miles

While the mileage is nearly identical (except the shortest distance between CLT and MB), it all boils down to time. A half hour to an hour would be saved on the Wilmington route if improvements were made:

- between I-485 and the west end of the Rockingham Bypass

- relocations of US 74 between Bolton and Leland

What is currently under construction that will save a good 10-20 minutes is

-the US 74 relocation between the east end of teh Laurinburg-Maxton Bypass to where it rejoins US 74 a couple miles east of I-95. Construction of a new interchange is underway just below the US 74 exit along I-95

What suprised me was the SC Hwy 151 alternative, especially if the person is seeking mileage savings. For a person who drives a 10-15mpg SUV , it is a gas saver at these high gas prices. There are not that many drawbacks to the alternative but worth noting:

- Between I-485 and Monroe will slow you down but thats already given on US 74. When the new bypass is built in the 2010s through the northern reaches of Monroe, it will probably be faster to drive congested future Business 74 instead to get to US 601. While US 601 is currently 2 lane in Union County, it will be four lanes in the 2010s from US 74 HOWEVER, yes.. in South Carolina at the state line, it is four lanes!

- SC 151 is mostly a four lane highway while about 7 miles of it are still two lane. I do not see any projects listed for any future widenings along SC 151.

- SC 151 believe it or not has three bypasses, Pageland (when you depart US 601), Jefferson and Hartsville

- When SC 151 meets at US 1, that will slow you down through the town of McBee. A relocation of SC 151 would be useful unless speeding ticket revenues are a major concern so the judge and prosecutor can still afford there huge F350 pick up trucks and high gas prices.

(i know that town is bad for speed traps [never been pulled there YET] but now they at LEAST warn you about the speed reduction rather than a random 35mph limit popping up out of nowhere. Yep, only in SC)

- It joins US 52 along the Darlington 4 lane Bypass which does have some traffic signals but hey, its a bypass

- FLORENCE will slow you down through the I-95 juncture and then getting to US 76 eastbound by downtown. This is by far the biggest drawback of this way

- Once US 501 rejoins US 76 (quick detour along SC 576) around Marion, its almost smooth sailing except a few slowdowns around Aynor and Galivants Ferry where its 45mph

[dubone]

If the Garden Parkway connected to US 74 headed toward shelby on the west side of Gastonia it would make alot more sense. Can anyone explain why they won't be connected if the Garden Parkway is built?

I agree with you there. The main reasons that I can gather are that there are no good routes to do this because of Crowders State Park. Also, this is a route for trucking freight from the 321 corridor to the Charlotte Airport, so it basically turns north and connects to that corridor.

[Creasy336]

I agree with you there. The main reasons that I can gather are that there are no good routes to do this because of Crowders State Park. Also, this is a route for trucking freight from the 321 corridor to the Charlotte Airport, so it basically turns north and connects to that corridor.

I see what you mean, but there are a few alternatives that run close to US 74 where it splits off from I-85

[||Softee||]

I see what you mean, but there are a few alternatives that run close to US 74 where it splits off from I-85

I don't think thats a goo alternative. Any better ideas?

[Durhamite]

Well, it seems as though the NC legislature is on the same page as my thinking to improve roadways using the NJ turnpike concept.

Here is the link:

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/14984003.htm

I think this will benefit the urban areas, allowing critical roadways to be built a lot sooner.

[Jerseyman4]

I hope the toll roads in NC are built like the ETR is in the Toronto metro area where there is NO need to build toll plazas and hire personnel at the plazas.

[flith]

What I meant was the only people that go are those who havent been. Southern Wilmington is a lot nicer than anywhere around Myrtle. Myrtle is way overcrowded with tourists, has too many small roads, their beaches are way overrated, and the mall there is turing into hangout for thugs and hoods. Sorry about Wilmington comments, most of my fuss is about Myrtle. Wilmington southern near the aquarium and Kure Beach is atually quite nice.

I love the Ft. Fisher area. Especially the 4X4 beach. Even though you have to buy a permit these days.

[davidals]

I-30 should have been built in the 60's or 70's. I-40 wasn't completed from Raleigh to Wilmington until the late 1980's. IMO, interstates that connect Charlotte to Wilmington and Raleigh to Wilmington should've been of the highest priority in the state from the inception of the interstate concept.

Why an interstate does not exist from Charlotte to Wilmington is absurd - even though Charleston serves as the major port to the area.

If federal funds did not exist for this project, a state supported toll road should've been built. As a kid, I remember the road trip to Carowinds from the Wilmington area and it was a mess (Rockingham, etc). Portions of the road have been upgraded to interstate status but they've got a long way to go.

I'd venture to say that most people who frequently make that journey would support a NJ style parkway/tollway. A couple of bucks to save an 1 hour or more of driving time is a no brainer.

Eventually, NC will have to institute toll roads to maintain any acceptance of quality considering the unprecedented growth and quirky road development laws.

The idea (not that specific numbering) for an interstate-grade highway came up a few times during the 60s and 70s; various money issues, politics and the 70s energy crisis derailed it.

The alignment for I-40 east of Raleigh was undetermined through the 60s and most of the 70s. Initially 40 was to end at I-85 in Greensboro ("Death Valley" interchanges); it was extended to Raleigh on the old Raleigh-Durham Freeway in the early 70s, and the Greensboro-to-Hillsborough stretch of 85 was re-signed (multiplexed) as I-85/40 around 1990 when the Chapel Hill/S. Durham stretch of 40 opened. East of Raleigh, 40 was to follow US 70 to Smithfield, and end at I-95, with occasional proposals for an extension down US 70 to New Bern or Morehead City.

In 1978 or '79 an idea resurfaced to build an interstate to Wilmington, with proposals that has been on the table for several years (Options #1 and #2 were initially part of a 'proposed expansion of the interstate highway system' bill worked on in 1969-70; nationally only 1/3 of which were ever built, I-82 in Washington, I-49 in Louisiana and I-27 in Texas among them):

1. An Asheville-Charlotte-Lumberton-Wilmington route, along US 74.

2. A Greenboro-Sanford-Fayetteville-Wilmington route, mostly along US 421.

3. A Raleigh-Wilmington route, partially along US 117.

As Wilmington was the largest city in these discussions NOT on any interstate, a poll was taken there, and option #3 got the vote, and that became the eastern route for I-40; and the other options pretty much died at the time. That option was a geographical Frankenstein - it didn't make much geographical sense (I-40 making a sudden turn to the south) or have much logic behind it, but there was political and popular support, at the time at least, and as we see with I-74 and 73, geographical logic is the least of concerns when routing these things now.

[Jerseyman4]

2. A Greenboro-Sanford-Fayetteville-Wilmington route, mostly along US 421.

As always, you provide good historical information

US 421 is not a bad road between Greensboro and Wilmington. Improvements have been made over the years along the western half of the roadway. The eastern half shadows I-40 which does not warrant the need to widen the highway. The Sanford bypass, last i drove through the area is about halfway completed from the looks of it at the US 1 exit. There are plans to widen the 2 lane portion of US 421 through Goldston which is between Siler City and the Lee County line.

[DarkStrider]

I completely disagree with the NC building I-30. it was already planned for an extension in the AR region upwards to I-57 (or I-57 downwards to Little Rock).. I dont think NC would have money for that. What I think TN should do is EXTEND I-24 East to the NC line (from Chattanooga to the NC line is around 55 miles) via US 64/74. from the NC line, the I-24 should just follow US 64/74 (by upgrading) then when it hits the US 64/74 split, I-24 should just follow US 64....(on an new alignment) until it hits Brevard, then it will split from US 64... build a straight route to meet up with I-26 at the I-26/US 74 split (creating a full access interchange) then, I-24 will pick up US 74 again, following it all the way to I-85. It will either follow I-485 South until the new US 74 bypass (Monroe Connector) OR follow the toll road (Garden Parkway until I-485, then route it south with the I-485 to the Monroe connector) Either way, I-485 WILL have to be widened for that to happen. Then I-24 will pick up US 74 once again, running to Southeast and end it in the I-73/74 interchange in Rockingham. it will save up more money for both states (TN will have the shortest money since it will just route it east to the NC line)... It will eliminate the 700 mile multiplex with I-40 and vice versa.

[dubone]

I'm fine with the number being 24 rather than 30. The real issue is getting an interstate between Asheville, Charlotte, and Wilmington to shave significant time off a major route.

[DarkStrider]

I-24 being extended east to the I-26 will do... (It will give Chattanooga a direct interstate to NC) since we already have I-40 in the northern (West NC)... and with I-24 being so close to NC line, we will have I-26 for Asheville... suppose I-24 (or I-30, whatever) is extended to Charlotte, then when it ends at I-73/74, we will have interstate between Asheville, Charlotte and Wilmington (All served by I-30 (I-24), I-26 multiplex, I-485 multiplex and lastly I-73/74.

Money MUST be saved for other purposes instead of just building more more and more new roads..

[cowboy_wilhelm]

I still can't believe the I-26/U.S. 74 interchange in Columbus isn't a full interchange and that the Shelby bypass (R-2707) is no where near being constructed. Only one over-burdened interstate across this whole damn state!