Skip to main content

I-74/US 311 Freeway Progress for August, Part 1

Image
By
I traveled Sunday 8/29 to view the latest progress on the I-74/US 311 Freeway between Business 85 in High Point and US 220 in Randleman, plus check up on the new construction project along 220 in Asheboro. During the visit from Cedar Square Road south I followed along with Bill Travers, a local resident who has been helping me keep up to date on area construction projects. Part 1 will describe progress on Phase 1 of the project from Business 85 to Spencer Road, while Part 2 will describe progress and new locations to view Phase 2 to US 220 and remark about changes in plans for this part of highway since the Design-Build section was let.

Part 1 - Business 85 to Spencer Road
A. Baker Road
As seen in the photo below, the last grading of the temporary road has been completed, the ground now needs seeding and wet weather for something to grow on it:
The views to the south and north actually look less complete than last month due to landscaping work covering up the completed asphalt roadway. Here's a view to the north:
They also seem to be laying cable along the side of the roadway. The view to the south:
shows the need for more landscaping toward the bridge and covers for the median catch basins.

B. Jackson Lake Road Bridge
Some changes here, beginning with the landscaping around the bridge. The former truck entry road has been graded over and become a grassy area:
This is a definite sign construction is wrapping up in this area, another sign are signs, or structures to hold them placed in both directions west of the bridge:
The left gantry is for the I-85 exit, the one on the left Business 85. Remaining landscaping has to be completed as well as sign placement. Looking east also shows some landscaping work remains...
Plus catch basin work. Though there is an addition of shoulder guard rails and median guide wires.

C. Kersey Valley Road Bridge
Major progress in this area on guard rails, as one can see in the photo below:
The truck access road, seen in the foreground, is still being used. Looking south reveals more guardrail progress as well as successful landscaping that almost needs to be mowed...
They also need to put up another sign gantry, I assume this is the 2 mile sign for the Business 85 Exit. Successful landscaping along the eastbound roadway has been mixed:
You would think more effort would be made to get the slope to look good, because the Blythe Construction contractor offices are located at the top of the hill. Looking at the I-85 interchange from Dresden Road...
It appears most of the work has been completed, though this is from some distance away.

D. NC 62, Tuttle Road, and Poole Road showed little change with similar need for completing some landscaping, adding some guardrails, and completing catch basins.

E. Cedar Square Valley Bridge and Interchange
Most of the remaining paving needed to open the road has been completed, as seen looking north from the Cedar Square Road Bridge back toward the Poole Road bridge...
The eastbound off ramp is completed as well as the westbound lanes back to the Cedar Square on ramp. The view below is of the completed on ramp intersection with Cedar Square Rd...
The construction equipment in the distance is grading the remaining roadbed toward Spencer Road. This is what it looks like from the bridge:
The paving of this section has been transferred to the Barnhill Construction, the firm doing the design/build phase 2 of the project. The contractor for Phase 1, Blythe Construction was having trouble this spring purchasing enough asphalt for its many projects. The equipment seen in the distance is actually on the other side of Spencer Road. Construction from there to US 220 will be the subject of the second part of this report.
Labels:

Comments

Bob Malme said…
An update as to completion progress. According to the NCDOT Construction Progress Report, the Business 85 to Spencer Road portion was 93.56% complete as of the end of August.
11:32 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2018 Mojave Road Trip Part 2; The deadly desert highway (California State Route 127 and Nevada State Route 373)

By
After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley.  To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker.   Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa.   The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language.  The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246.  CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County.  CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward.  South of CA 127 ...
4 comments
Read more

Finding the Pre-Emption Road of New York State

By
  The Pre-Emption Road (or rather a series of roads named Pre-Emption Road) follows a survey line called the Pre-Emption Line, drawn in the early days of the United States. The story begins with Massachusetts and New York having competing land claims to modern day Western New York State that have their roots in colonial charters granted by the British. After the Revolutionary War ended, this land became the frontier of the nation and its settlement became a priority for the new American government. During this era, there were a lot of competing land claims that needed to be settled. It was no different with the land claims between New York State and Massachusetts. On November 30, 1786, Massachusetts and New York sent representatives to Hartford, Connecticut to resolve their competing land claims. In less than three weeks, the representatives had reached a compromise. Massachusetts would receive pre-emption rights, meaning the right to sell the land after the Indian title ...
Post a Comment
Read more

What's In a Name?: When the Roads Really Do Tell a Story

By
  Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...
Post a Comment
Read more