I-20 to Wilmington Idea being Revived?

I was sent the above title link from a contact in the Myrtle Beach area. It was about information in a question and answer column that says there's been a revival of talks from local officials about bringing I-20 to Wilmington. Since SC has been against upgrading US 76, the new proposal would send I-20 north on I-95 to I-74 near Lumberton then east on an upgraded US 74, so SC wouldn't have to do anything but put up a few signs:

"Transportation planners say connecting Atlanta with Wilmington with one interstate number (I-20) would create the perception that it's easy to travel between the two cities, even if no new roads are built. That could help the N.C. State Ports Authority - and perhaps other businesses in the region - by allowing it to market the fact that two interstates serve the Wilmington area. A great deal of ocean cargo to and from Atlanta goes to ports in Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, Ga., both of which have limited capacity.

The idea would be to add the I-20 designation from Interstate 95 in Florence to its intersection with [I-74/]U.S. 74 near Lumberton, just by adding I-20 signs. Then, I-20 could run concurrently with U.S. 74 into the Wilmington area.

U.S. 74 would have to be upgraded to interstate standards, making it I-74. But that would be expensive. All of the at-grade intersections on U.S. 74 would either have to be closed or modified by creating interchanges or flyovers.

There's also concern about the fact that heavier trucks are allowed on U.S. highways than on interstates, so converting U.S. 74 to I-74 could affect some truck traffic.

A movement has begun on the local level to encourage the N.C. Department of Transportation to begin discussions about the I-20 idea with the S.C. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration."

For the entire article, click the blog title. The I-20 question is about halfway down.

Commentary: Apparently having I-20 go to Wilmington is more sexy to Wilmington officials than I-74 (hey 2 major interstates (I-20, I-40) end in our city, we have to be important). They may also be assuming that I-74 is still going to Myrtle Beach, as planned in former Governor Easley's SE Transportation initiative. However, there is a new administration and a new effort at NCDOT to prioritize road projects. Currently, there are two unfunded interstate projects in SE NC on the table: Upgrading US 74-76 to Interstate standards from Whiteville to Wilmington, estimated in 2001 to cost $160 million (obviously, more now) and the building of I-74 from Whiteville to the SC border, estimated in 2005 to cost $641 million, and deemed not viable as a toll road by the NC Turnpike Authority. Which project do you think would be the higher priority? It certainly makes more sense then financially to send an interstate to Wilmington, the question what number would be on the shield?

I don't know if bringing US 74 up to interstate standards is as hard or expensive as the columnist suggests. Currently, NCDOT has already 3 projects funded to start next year or already underway to upgrade at-grade intersections on US 74 between NC 41 and NC 211. They are holding a public hearing in a couple weeks about closing off another intersection near the western junction with US 76. If Google maps are correct this leaves only about 5 other intersections to deal with between Lumberton and Whiteville, including an interchange(s) with NC 72 and NC 130. There are certainly more issues between Whiteville and I-140 in Wilmington, but the section of I-140 that would intersect US 74/76 is to be built next and upgrading of US 74/76 around the interchange is undoubtedly part of that project. The overall question then is if the upgrading of US 74 east of I-95 to Wilmington to an interstate is assured to happen some time in the future. Is it worth that much more to the economy to have this route signed as (or with) I-20 than just as I-74?