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Traffic, Freeways and Road Construction

monsoon

By monsoon
in Charlotte

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dubone Megalopolis

dubone

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Well here's the chart from CDOT Transportion Plan, I can't find the link anymore on CDOT's website, but I still got their PDF file saved. I think those values are in 2003 dollars.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Transportation/Pubs.htm

the 2025 plan... i think chapter 5.

also, i think those are in 2003 or so dollars... i saw an NCDOT publication at some point that put it at something like 1.5 or 2 billion, which must have been in 2030 dollars when the work is actually scheduled. But i can't find that one any more.

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NcSc74 Burg

NcSc74

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Does anyone know if there are plans to make 74 a full expressway connector to 485. Looking at the map it seems that the whole south/east side of Charlotte is void of hi speed routes to the other interstates. In my opinion that should be a big priority because as it is 485 is congested already. It dones not make sense to take 485 north/south just to get to 77 if I were wanting to use expressways and not surface streets and boulevards.

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dubone Megalopolis

dubone

Posted
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there are no plans. though, for US 74 to be a full freeway inside 485. It will be the next level down in road standards according to the strategic plan for this area.

However, if Charlotte and Matthews get their act together and slowly reduce the number of driveway openings on 74, then it could be very close to being a freeway.

I just took US 74 to the beaches for vacation... and as we were just north of wilmington, we retrospectively reallized that it would have been faster if we'd gone through greensboro and raleigh. It is just pitiful that even the widened parts of US 74 are still no where near a freeway (except for some sections)... and the part through Union county is absolutely 100% the most congested, sprawly, and unattractive stretch of highway i have seen in a long time. I think it is is more congested than even independence in charlotte. The tollway bypass is definitely needed.

Frankly, I think NCDOT should get organized to label US 74 as an interstate west of Rockingham (where it will be i74). It could follow an upgraded 74 through Anson county, the Monroe Bypass, the southern part of 485, the Garden Parkway and then possibly even the 321 freeway to Hickory. Perhap interstate 174 or our own new 2-digit interstate number.

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NcSc74 Burg

NcSc74

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I just don't get it. NCDOT has been frustrating me for all my life. After visiting various states I would always wonder why NC cannot have roads and corridors like this. Too many projcts that are outdated the minute they are designed and no cohesive effort to construct projects in the same region that common sense. Charlotte should have been the highest priority from the outset. It is shameful.

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dubone Megalopolis

dubone

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I just don't get it. NCDOT has been frustrating me for all my life. After visiting various states I would always wonder why NC cannot have roads and corridors like this. Too many projcts that are outdated the minute they are designed and no cohesive effort to construct projects in the same region that common sense. Charlotte should have been the highest priority from the outset. It is shameful.

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no argument from any of us on that. :).

just a glance at the state transport map makes it clear that charlotte is under funded. The Triad has so many freeways and planned freeways that it is absurd (although from the look of it on the map, it almost looks like they had more money for roads than plans for where to put them).

I think part of the problem they have is that they don't spend the money in places that gets the best economic return.

I'm sure it is hard to piece together political groups to fund roads... but it seems that the most rational policy would be to let each region collect and spend its own money on roads, with a supplemental state fund for major interstate and intrastate highways. That is how most states do it.

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dubone Megalopolis

dubone

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I agree about the Triad, especially the outerbelt Greensboro's getting.. It's not necessary at this point - first finish Charlotte projects.  Greensboro never has traffic jams like Clt

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I'm even okay with Greensboro's outerbelt... but for example, why not have 73 continue to follow 220 to connect to the beltway rather than make all sorts of 90 degree turns. why have a THIRD freeway to connect W-S to Greensboro. Check out the strategic "vision" for the triad:

http://www.ncdot.org/planning/tpb/SHC/pdf/...n_Map_Triad.pdf

http://www.ncdot.org/planning/tpb/SHC/documents/

Why in the world do you need so many freeways on new locations? It just seems so irrational. it seems that every time there has ever been a choice for upgrading an existing corridor vs creating a new bypass location, they have chosen the latter. In many ways, they are probably the "smart" ones, as i believe maintenance money is based on road miles, no matter how wide they are, so the new locations probably award them more maintenance money over time.

The area around kernersville and PTI is so sliced up by freeways and planned freeways it is sad. and it is all a lack of planning. Just look at how us220/73 connects to the beltway, old 85 and old 40 south of. Look at how us311 connects to 40 and 74. Look at how 274 (w-s betway) connects to 40 and us421. Those plans are just so irrational. You can also extrapolate that they'll eventually start drawing in a southern arc of the winston beltway based on the fact that they didn't stop it at us421 or 40.

That map just gives me the chills.

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ChiefJoJo Town

ChiefJoJo

Posted
Posted

^Most of the routes an that map are existing multiplexed freeways or expressways (US 52, 220, 311, 29, etc.) that will be upgraded as a result of the new I-73 & 74 going though the Triad. If there is a confusing "jog" in the route, it is usually because it's cheaper and/or more environmentally feasible to build on new location in certain instances. Another note is that map is a "vision" plan, some of which may never actually be built.

I can't defend alot of what NCDOT does, but if you much of the background to the planning of these projects (ie, long range vs. project planning), you'd understand why things are the way they are. I do agree, Charlotte, like most urban areas in NC, should get more road $.

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monsoon Gigalopolis

monsoon

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What has happened in Charlotte?

I make the rare trip into town on Tuesday around 11am and I was flabgerghasted at the amount of backed up traffic.

It was backed up on East Blvd, South Blvd, Tyron in downtown, and I-77 in the DT area was stopped in both directions and forget getting on the Brookshire Freeway.

I had to conduct some business on East Blvd and then Tyvola and it literally took me an hour go get from I-277 to East to Tyvola, (and I know all the short cuts)

Has it the problem grown that much in the last 6 months or was this unusual?

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Miesian Corners City

Miesian Corners

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South Blvd has three lanes closed for the construction of a new water main just south of the Central YMCA. Brookshire is having broken concrete repaired and is down to one lane on north-bound NC-16 (I-277). Intermittent lane closings further down South Blvd for LRT construction. It's been hell of late trying to get into town.

Water main should be done by late August, but don't you know it'll be a pavement nightmare; those of us who drive it daily will need to get new fron-end suspension systems in our vehicles. The Park Road water main project was finished two years ago and the city still has not repaved the section between the Kenilworth/Scott split and Woodlawn.

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UptownGrrl Whistle-Stop

UptownGrrl

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Yeah, there was some major work on the Brookshire that bottled things up - and downtown around the OCC has been a bit of a nightmare this week with the clean-up operations. At one point incoming 4th street was one lane and I sat through 4 light cycles just to make a right turn on a green arrow. I think those two things made for some troublesome traffic issues in and around the center city this week.

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monsoon Gigalopolis

monsoon

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...and huntersville keeps "sticking it to charlotte" at mumpo ;).

an hour seems unheardof for an uptown to tyvola trip, though.

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It took 20 minutes just to get through the woodlawn and tyvola intersection at lunch time. It was backed up South Blvd all the way to SouthEnd. When I finally go to the light, there was no reason for the backup except heavy traffic. Beyond Woodlawn the traffic all of a sudden got better.

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Miesian Corners City

Miesian Corners

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Woodlawn and Tyvola don't intersect. You must mean Tyvola and South.

No doubt it's because of the "traffic cop" that Wendy's pays to shut down one of the city's most heavily traveled intersections so it's patrons can get a double combo with cheese and a diet coke. That makes my blood boil!!! Ugh!

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monsoon Gigalopolis

monsoon

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Woodlawn and Tyvola don't intersect.  You must mean Tyvola and South. 

No doubt it's because of the "traffic cop" that Wendy's pays to shut down one of the city's most heavily traveled intersections so it's patrons can get a double combo with cheese and a diet coke.  That makes my blood boil!!! Ugh!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Opps my slip up. Indeed thats what I meant. See what the horrible experience did to my memory :silly:

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dubone Megalopolis

dubone

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i'll add it to my calendar :).

with all the politicians realizing they can get $$$ for the "wasted" land, i'm sure these changes will are an inevitability. It will still be good to hear how long they think things will take, etc.

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luckeyx Crossroads

luckeyx

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I've been looking at this thread and have a couple of suggestions to throw in as well. Something I have not seen mentioned on the I-485 project in the Northwest is the easy connection/bypass of the city that is created for people traveling on 85 with the completion of the loop. Folks traveling on I-85 through town would be able to take this and bypass driving through the commuter nightmare through the city. Wouldn't that make a significant impact on some of the traffic issues that this city faces right now?

Also, I'm happy to see the HOV lanes for I-77, but wonder why there wasn't a plan for a connector from the HOV lanes directly to I-277?? I have traveled on this from the north and you have to go from the far left lane to the far right lane to get on 277 after the 77 interchange. I would have suggested sinking the extra money to connect to 277 from these lanes to actually encourage people to use them to get to uptown.

Just a couple thoughts.

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f0xym0p Hamlet

f0xym0p

Posted
Posted

Also, I'm happy to see the HOV lanes for I-77, but wonder why there wasn't a plan for a connector from the HOV lanes directly to I-277??  I have traveled on this from the north and you have to go from the far left lane to the far right lane to get on 277 after the 77 interchange.  I would have suggested sinking the extra money to connect to 277 from these lanes to actually encourage people to use them to get to uptown.

Just a couple thoughts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have also done that and it can be quite miserable. You don't have very much time to get from the far left to the far right and if there is any traffic it is nearly impossible. I wonder if allowing the HOV lane access to 277 would be feasible. I don't necessarily think it would encourage people to go downtown, but it certainly would make it easier for those of us who do. We just stay out of the HOV lane as it is.

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