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Interstate quality spur to I-73/74


Cybear

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US74 is 4 lanes from Charlotte to Wilmington now. US74 in now open as a freeway in Roberson County to I95. From Lumberton, speed limit is 60 to Whiteville and 65 around Whiteville and 60 to just pass Bolton. It is much better that it was a year ago.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the speed limit is 70 around Whiteville. I remember being surprised seeing it, because I didn't know that a non-interstate highway (especially one without full, interstate-standard shoulders) could have a speed limit that high.

You mean the Shelby bypass Bypass. :)

Yeah . . . don't even get me started on that.

Something interesting about the new Shelby bypass is that it will include a SPUI! :thumbsup:

A bunch of DOT public hearing maps (including the Shelby bypass) can be seen here.

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  • 1 month later...

US74 is 4 lanes from Charlotte to Wilmington now. US74 in now open as a freeway in Roberson County to I95. From Lumberton, speed limit is 60 to Whiteville and 65 around Whiteville and 60 to just pass Bolton. It is much better that it was a year ago.

Highway 74/76 east of the Highway 87 juncture near Rigelwood has been long overdue with the underposted 55mph speed limit. So ridiculous. Now if only all of Highway 17 south of Wilmington to Little River, South Carolina at the state line can be all 60mph.

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  • 1 year later...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the speed limit is 70 around Whiteville. I remember being surprised seeing it, because I didn't know that a non-interstate highway (especially one without full, interstate-standard shoulders) could have a speed limit that high.

Yeah . . . don't even get me started on that.

Something interesting about the new Shelby bypass is that it will include a SPUI! :thumbsup:

A bunch of DOT public hearing maps (including the Shelby bypass) can be seen here.

I'm joining this party late...what is a SPUI?

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^^ Single Point Urban Interchange. This is a good option when space is at a premium or when traffic is heavy around a particular interchange. Basically, instead of the two traffic lights (one on either side of the interstate/highway) you have only one placed on the overpass centered over the highway. Less stops = less back-ups = improved flow.

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^^ Single Point Urban Interchange. This is a good option when space is at a premium or when traffic is heavy around a particular interchange. Basically, instead of the two traffic lights (one on either side of the interstate/highway) you have only one placed on the overpass centered over the highway. Less stops = less back-ups = improved flow.

Thanks for the explanation.

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  • 1 year later...

In Charlotte they are working on US74 again, to make it a freeway. They do about one mile every 8 years.  The way they are going it will take over 40 years to get to I485 .     You should see rush hour. 

 

The money in North Carolina is not going where the most need is.  Do you hear this Governor Pat?

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an Interstate spur along U.S. 74 (maybe I-474) from downtown Charlotte to I-74 would be a good idea. As far as Greensboro/Triad having both I-73 and I-74, like one person said above, leaders in the area lobbied hard for those interstates and Greensboro is a central junction in the state.

Edited by cityboi
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  • 4 months later...

It looks like several counties have joined together to create an 74 Economic Corridor Alliance, which one of its components is upgrading US 74 to an interstate or interstate quality freeway. The counties that currently support it are Polk, Rutherford, Cleveland, Gaston, Union, Scotland, and Brunswick. Also, Jim Bradshaw, executive director of the Brunswick County Economic Development Commission, has also said he wants I-74 to extend past Bolton to I-140, before turning south towards South Carolina (following US 17). I wonder if it's a good idea to bring up the old I-30 in North Carolina proposal again?

 

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20131012/articles/131019888

 

http://co.union.nc.us/Portals/0/PublicInformation/News/2013/March/Highway%2074%20Resolution.pdf

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It was an old proposal about upgrading US 74 into an interstate, and using the moniker I-30. The interstate wouldn't be connected to the I-30 out west, though, it could be possible in the future, if some of the states wanted to. Here's an old topic on it (the source in the link appears to be dead):

 

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/13254-should-nc-build-i-30/

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The I-30 proposal was a NC businessman's idea. The proposal was to sign I-40 as I-30/40 from their interchange near Little Rock, Arkansas to Asheville, then sign I-26 as I-30/26from Asheville to the US-74//I-26 interchange. From there it would involve upgrading US-74 to an interstate (along with the Shelby bypass) until reaching I-85 in Gaston county where it would follow along I-85 to I-485, follow along 485 to the south and then follow the Monroe bypass. At the terminus of the bypass, 74 was to be upgraded to interstate standards through Anson county with a new bypass around Wadesboro until reaching I-74 where it would share that alignment to West of Wilmington. Basically it was just a moniker given as a blanket, cohesive name to a handful of projects in various stages of planning/construction along the US-74 corridor through NC.

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  • 1 year later...
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The stretch of the U.S. 74/future Interstate 74 corridor between Hamlet and Laurinburg is included in the amended project schedules recently approved by the state transportation board.

This construction dates for this project, among others, moved up because of the 2015 budget passed in September.

The stretch of the U.S. 74/future Interstate 74 corridor between Hamlet and Laurinburg is included in the amended project schedules recently approved by the state transportation board.

This construction dates for this project, among others, moved up because of the 2015 budget passed in September.

https://yourdailyjournal.com/news/local-news-5/20605/state-board-approves-u-s-74-upgrade

 

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Umm, has the final route for 73/74 been approved?  Las t I saw it headed east then takes a dog leg to the south to SC line totally ignoring Wilmington.  Is it me or does SC still influence NC politics?  i don't understand NC thinking.  If there is an opportunity to increase connectivity to your port why turn the interstate away?  

On 10/19/2013 at 10:47 PM, cltbwimob said:

Two more reasons to support the hypothetical extension of I-30:

 

Due to the lack of competing rail services at NC ports, the ports depend heavily on truck traffic. Also, I just read in the bizjournal that Charlotte now ships more goods through Wilmington than any other area in the state.

Never happen.  Do you really think SC would introduce competition to its port by adding another interstate connection to Wilmington.  ne thing I will say about SC, they know how to stick together for the good of the whole state.  That and its easy to do so when the state is small and doest have as many mouths to feed.   

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45 minutes ago, NcSc74 said:

Umm, has the final route for 73/74 been approved?  Las t I saw it headed east then takes a dog leg to the south to SC line totally ignoring Wilmington.  Is it me or does SC still influence NC politics?  i don't understand NC thinking.  If there is an opportunity to increase connectivity to your port why turn the interstate away?  

Never happen.  Do you really think SC would introduce competition to its port by adding another interstate connection to Wilmington.  ne thing I will say about SC, they know how to stick together for the good of the whole state.  That and its easy to do so when the state is small and doest have as many mouths to feed.   

Don't really know what SC has to do with it...The hypothetical scenario for I-30-and realize it was never a serious proposal, but rather a few people promoting an idea-is that it would be extended from its current terminus in Arkansas to Asheville as a shared facility with I-40, then in Asheville it would split off and continue to Charlotte and Wilmington via a shared facility with US-74.  At no point would the route ever cross into SC.  So aside from maybe objecting to the interstate designation in the US Congress, which I wouldn't see as a likely scenario anyway, SC would have little input on the hypothetical I-30.  Besides there are already plans to upgrade the entire corridor to freeway standards anyway, so the competition-to the extent that you can call it competition-will eventually be in place whether SC likes it or not.

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  • 4 weeks later...

i73 will go from just east of rockingham down through the sandhills region of SC, cross 95 near florence, and then head into myrtle beach. SC has refused to allocate ANY money for it and federal won't cover it 100% (or something like that). So, the i73 section in SC hasn't had a single shovelfull of dirt moved. However, new studies are being done for land studies. Mostly about disturbing wetlands and all that.

i74 is over 90% limited access (essentially interstate) from winston to wilmington. The connection around rockingham is well underway and there are other sections under construction along the way along the coastal plain section. Rockingham to winston is fully finished now.

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  • 4 weeks later...

The US 74 corridor is currently undergoing some major improvements across the state, with more to come in the next several years. Going from west to east: 

  • Parts of the Shelby Bypass (R-2707) are currently under construction. Construction of the last two sections (D and E) should begin in either 2018 or 2021 and take three years to complete. The 2018-2027 Draft STIP has 2021 as the start date, but the amended 2016-2025 STIP has been updated to show construction starting in 2018 with GARVEE Bond funding. Constructing the final interchange and upgrading one mile of US 74 to freeway in Mooresboro is not funded (R-4045). 
  • The Monroe Expressway is under construction, with completion scheduled for 2018-2019.
  • No major improvements (i.e. freeway) are currently funded between Marshville and Rockingham. A median will be constructed through Wadesboro from Graham St. to Allen Pond Rd. to eliminate the continuous center turn-lane. Construction is scheduled for 2020 (R-5798).
  • To the north, the last section of I-74 between Ellerbe and the Rockingham Bypass has been scheduled for construction to start around 2026.
  • A Feasibility Study (FS-1508A) is in progress to analyze upgrading the section between Hamlet and Laurinburg to Interstate standards.
  • Several grade separation projects between Lumberton and Bolton are scheduled in the 2018-2027 Draft STIP. With the exception of one or two at-grade intersections, US 74 will be up to freeway standards from Laurinburg to Bolton within the next five to six years.
    • R-5752: N/S Broadridge Rd. interchange (Orrum) – Construction 2018-2019
    • (No STIP number): N/S Creek Rd. grade separation or interchange (Orrum) – Not funded
    • R-5751: NC 72 and NC 130 interchange (Orrum) – Construction 2022-2023
    • R-5797: Old Boardman Rd./Macedonia Church Rd. interchange (Boardman) – Construction 2021-2022
    • W-5518: Old US 74 grade separation (Evergreen) – Under construction, 2018 completion
    • R-5749: N/S Hallsboro Rd. interchange (Hallsboro) – Construction 2018-2019
    • R-5820: Chauncey Town Rd. (Lake Waccamaw) interchange – Construction 2022-2023
    • R-5819: Old Lake Rd./Fire Tower Rd. grade separation (Lake Waccamaw) – Construction 2022-2023
    • R-4462: NC 87 interchange (Delco) – Construction 2027+

NCDOT Planning

NCDOT Draft STIP Map

Edited by cowboy_wilhelm
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Interesting that a state leader is proposing another interstate being routed to Greensboro. It would connect I-95 to Piedmont Triad International Airport/I-73 via Hwy 421. It would be a 3 digit spur called I-X95 or I-X85. The purpose is to provide interstate access to the industrial mega sites along 421 in an attempt to attract big manufacturers.

Here is a list of current and future interstates in Greensboro. 

I-40, I-85, I-73, (I-74 near Greensboro), I-785, future I-840 (loop), 

So an I-95 spur connecting to I-73 in Greensboro would give the city seven interstate designations. In fact there would be a rare scenario where a section of the southern loop would have three interstates on the same stretch.

Edited by cityboi
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Construction of Interstate 73 to Myrtle Beach has widespread support among key players in Washington, D.C., and is favored for financing when President Trump introduces an infrastructure package to Congress, according to U.S. Rep. Tom Rice....

The plan is to use existing S.C. 22 as the link on the Myrtle Beach end, and connect it with Interstate 95. However, Rice said he wants to take it further and connect with Interstate 74.

“I think it opens up the Charlotte market, which should be our biggest market, and it has a lot of other potential for the entire Southeast,” Rice said.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/article178764236.html

 

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