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Raleigh-Charlotte expressway considered for Chatham County

CapeFearRiver10

By CapeFearRiver10
in North Carolina

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davidals Hamlet

davidals

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Can't happen fast enough; upgrades to 64/49 have been discussed for decades. I think the current discussion sprang from an editorial in the N&O about a year ago; I saw the feature in today's paper. Hopefully planners in the counties along the way - Cabarrus, Stanly, Randolph, Chatham and Wake - can all get on the same page quickly and make a push for this to happen.

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avery Hamlet

avery

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I think this would be good as it would free up some of the traffic on 40 and 85. Most people in the Triangle and areas from the east would take a 64 expressway to Charlotte. It seems like it would be quicker and more direct.

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Jerseyman4 Burg

Jerseyman4

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This is all inevitable. Between Harrisburg and the NC 73 exit, a couple former at-grade intersections are now being converted into interchanges, hinting what the article is talking about. While there is so much say about the US 64/NC 49 corridor, this is a corridor that deserves highway funding before an I-95 widening or resurfacing project. This is a project that connects two of the state's largest metro areas and could ease off some congestion along I-85 between Charlotte and Lexington.

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orulz City

orulz

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I think this project is inevitable too, but I don't think it should be a priority. There should be a phased approach to construction over a decade or two. The I-85 / I-40 connection works well as it is. With recent improvements to I-40 traffic moves smoothly between Raleigh and Greensboro; with in-progress improvements to I-85, the whole route will eventually move smoothly as well.

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Creasy336 Hamlet

Creasy336

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I think some of the project should be on new location adjacent to NC 49 from Harrisburg to the US 64/Ashboro Bypass. This strectch could be a tollway and speed up progress on this route. The Triangle will see tons of growth in eastern Chatham county and Johnson county. These will be the people who use this road the most when going to Charlotte. I-85/I-40 WILL be bad traffic jam throughout the whole route by 2025 and there are no alternatives between Raleigh and Greensboro. I expect the worst section will be from Mebane Oaks Road (exit 154) to I-840 (exit 131).

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redjeep77 Whistle-Stop

redjeep77

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I don't think that it's dumb. Having a more direct link to charlotte could possibly increase the shipping to charlotte (a huge distribution center). As it stands now, charleston port is closer, so most of the goods sitting in charlotte warehouses comes in from SC. A faster connection (assuming the load travels on road instead of rail) would far benefit the state and especially wilmington. Not only that, i could get the beach much faster :)

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sax184 Hamlet

sax184

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I don't think that it's dumb. Having a more direct link to charlotte could possibly increase the shipping to charlotte (a huge distribution center). As it stands now, charleston port is closer, so most of the goods sitting in charlotte warehouses comes in from SC. A faster connection (assuming the load travels on road instead of rail) would far benefit the state and especially wilmington. Not only that, i could get the beach much faster :)

With peak oil arriving soon, being overly dependent on road for shipping goods is a recipe for economic disaster. One of the longest stretches of straight railway track in America lies between Wilmington and Charlotte. We should be investing in that instead.

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CarolinaDaydreamin Burg

CarolinaDaydreamin

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With peak oil arriving soon, being overly dependent on road for shipping goods is a recipe for economic disaster. One of the longest stretches of straight railway track in America lies between Wilmington and Charlotte. We should be investing in that instead.

Oil Prices alone are not enough to stop highway projects. In fact it could save wasted gas while sitting in traffic between Clt and Monroe.

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sax184 Hamlet

sax184

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Oil Prices alone are not enough to stop highway projects. In fact it could save wasted gas while sitting in traffic between Clt and Monroe.

Where do you think asphalt comes from? Given a steadily declining resource, light sweet crude, and a more abundant resource (heavy crude, which makes asphalt) that takes more time/energy/$$ to refine to convert to gasoline, which use do you think will be given a higher value in the US- gasoline or new pavement?

I think we both know the answer.

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sax184 Hamlet

sax184

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Actually, while I was in New York last fall and it was great, I don't think of New York as my favorite city prototype- it's just too megascale, as is much of Chicago's Loop area. I'm more of a fan of London, DC and Boston, and cities where there are a host of 3-5 story buildings, and fewer skyscrapers.

I know my ideas aren't particularly popular with some folks, and that's okay with me. I guess that I look at most of what's going on in NC in terms of development, and very little of it is "urban."

The urban city is a complicated, organic, sometimes awe-inspiring and sometimes less than neat and tidy enterprise that juxtaposes people and ideas in close quarters in a way that brings about new interactions as citizens and neighbors. It is a place experienced on foot and eye to eye with strangers and friends alike.

The suburban metropolis is a bland, uncomplicated repetition of formula- never unitdy, never disorderly, never adventurous and consistently placeless landscape that separates people using asphalt, steel and glass to prevent anything unanticipated ever from happening so that they can fulfill their roles as docile consumers of mass-marketed goods sold in warehouses masquerading as stores.

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Rickydavisfan21 Hamlet

Rickydavisfan21

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The urban city is a complicated, organic, sometimes awe-inspiring and sometimes less than neat and tidy enterprise that juxtaposes people and ideas in close quarters in a way that brings about new interactions as citizens and neighbors. It is a place experienced on foot and eye to eye with strangers and friends alike.

The suburban metropolis is a bland, uncomplicated repetition of formula- never unitdy, never disorderly, never adventurous and consistently placeless landscape that separates people using asphalt, steel and glass to prevent anything unanticipated ever from happening so that they can fulfill their roles as docile consumers of mass-marketed goods sold in warehouses masquerading as stores.

Wow, can I put this on my bottom quote please? time to retire graydogs quote

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JDC Burg

JDC

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I like that quote too.

Charlotte is not an urban city. It's just a conglomeration of skyscrapers surrounded by parking lots, sprawl, empty space, sprawl, and some more sprawl. I think it's rather depressing.

I'm all for an impressive skyline, but street-level atmosphere is what's important.

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ncwebguy Burg

ncwebguy

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I think this article only talks about where 64 and 49 share the same road, from Ashboro to somewhere in Chatam County (Siler City?)

When I drive from my home in downtown Raleigh to my dad's place southwest of Ballentine in Charlotte near the SC line, I vary between the I-85/I-40 route and US 64/NC 49/I 485. They are about the same time wise, but 64/49 is shorter distance wise, since I don't have to go all the way to G'boro. The difference is made up in time by no traffic lights, though parts of 85 south of Greensboro seem to have been under construction forever...

The 49 to 64 corridor is fine as is, except maybe some loop around Ashboro. I hate to add to the local traffic along that road, but I don't know of any other options. From seeing other car's back windows, it seems there are a lot of State, Carolina, and Duke students that make this trek from Charlotte on a somewhat regular basis. I imagine there is some traffic going the other way, from the triangle to UNCC, Johnson and Wales, Davidson, etc. This by itself does not justify an expressway, but the zoo is in ashboro, a short drive from charlotte, the triad and the triangle, but there is no mass transit way to get there now.

And if some event (natural disaster, bridge bombed out, etc) took out a chunk of 40/85, NC 54 could not handle the added load.

I don't like adding to the traffic of Siler City, Ramseur, and the other small towns along that stretch, but I don't mind slowing down vs. the free for all that is 85/40 through Burlington. If I need to, I try to buy gas or a drink through there to help the local economy.

Things were a lot worse before the Pittsboro bypass and other places where 64 was only one lane in each direction. There are parts of 49 that could use four lanes, but a lot of that is through the Uwarie (sp?) mountains and park. And they are not seeing the growth (for better or worse) that Chatam County sees.

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Jerseyman4 Burg

Jerseyman4

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I think this article only talks about where 64 and 49 share the same road, from Ashboro to somewhere in Chatam County (Siler City?)

NC 49 departs in Ramseur, Randolph County.

The 49 to 64 corridor is fine as is, except maybe some loop around Ashboro. I hate to add to the local traffic along that road, but I don't know of any other options........... This by itself does not justify an expressway, but the zoo is in ashboro, a short drive from charlotte, the triad and the triangle, but there is no mass transit way to get there now.

Theres a bypass being planned for AshEboro towards the south. It will provide an exit for the NC Zoo.

I don't like adding to the traffic of Siler City, Ramseur, and the other small towns along that stretch

I dont care if i add traffic to anywhere i go, im passing through. Just like the tens and thousands of out of stater's that pass thruogh NJ to go to NYC or Philadelphia. Its no big deal.

There are parts of 49 that could use four lanes, but a lot of that is through the Uwarie (sp?) mountains and park. And they are not seeing the growth (for better or worse) that Chatam County sees.

The NCDOT is planning to four lane all of NC 49 between Asheboro and NC 73 TRUCK. Parts of 49 are already four lanes in SW Randolph County.

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