Brian and I took a nice trip down to Fayetteville with the hope to see the new NC 162. Well more on that later.
Route: I-440, I-40, US 421, NC 82, US 13, I-295, US 401, US 401 Business, NC 87, US 301/Business I-95, Elk Road, NC 162 (for the 1/8th a mile it was open), more Fayetteville surface streets to NC 59, NC 162 to Camden Road then turned around again on NC 162 to Bingham Road, US 401, US 401 Business, Owen Drive, NC 87, I-95, US 301, NC 50, NC 210, I-40, I-440.
Accomplishments: NC 82 clinched and clinched what pretty much is opened of NC 162 along with what will become NC 162.
Notes: Past signage in Erwin lead to speculation whether or not NC 82 ended at NC 217 or was multiplexed with it to NC 217's Northern Terminus at US 421/NC 55. Well NC 82 West does end with NC 217 North at US 421/NC 55. New signs put up since I last went through the area in May 2006 reflect this.
NC 82 actually has a unique alignment. It has a handful of turns onto different roads making the drive not as boring as one would think. NC 82 also travels through the Averasboro Battlefield. The battlefield museum is located right one NC 82. This stretch of NC 82 is part of the NC Scenic Byways and also NC 82 may have the most historical markers per mile of highway for a primary route. The battlefield grounds are small and being the history buff that I am, I plan on doing a Averasboro and Bentonville Battlefield tour sometime in the future.
Near the eastern end of NC 82 there are two NC 82 shields that are recycled shields of another route. On one, the number '2' covers up another designation. And on US 13 South, the '82' completely covers up a different number. Here's a close up of the '82' cover up.
We both noticed something on NC 82 and later on NC 71 that we've never seen before. At intersections with secondary routes, there were actually numbers for the primary route on the small blocks of wood that are frequently found on the back of Stop Signs.
Now for NC 162, NC 162 will not start as I-95 Business/US 301 as previously thought. First, Elk Street which the Hope Mills Bypass ties into runs about 200 feet shy of I-95 Business/US 301 ending at a frontage road. However, there is grading for an eventual tie into Green 95/US 301 at some future date.
As of today, the Hope Mills Bypass is not completely open. At Legion Road and Elk Street, NC 162 begins. But right now it runs about an 1/8th of a mile to a subdivision entrance.
NC 162 begins again at Camden Road. It is fully signed. It is also signed where it crosses NC 59 and beyond that. However, there are no signs beyond Fisher Road where a new four lane bridge is being constructed over Beaver Creek. From then NC 162 will go on what is currently Bingham Drive, which is currently being widened.
About a 1/3 to 1/2 a mile south of US 401, Bingham Drive leaves 'Future' NC 162. NC 162 will end about 1/4 mile west of where Bingham Drive intersects US 401. (It will end opposite of where Bunce Road ends at US 401.) The new alignment end of NC 162 still has a little bit to go as it is not painted and appears one more layer of asphalt is necessary.
Route: I-440, I-40, US 421, NC 82, US 13, I-295, US 401, US 401 Business, NC 87, US 301/Business I-95, Elk Road, NC 162 (for the 1/8th a mile it was open), more Fayetteville surface streets to NC 59, NC 162 to Camden Road then turned around again on NC 162 to Bingham Road, US 401, US 401 Business, Owen Drive, NC 87, I-95, US 301, NC 50, NC 210, I-40, I-440.
Accomplishments: NC 82 clinched and clinched what pretty much is opened of NC 162 along with what will become NC 162.
Notes: Past signage in Erwin lead to speculation whether or not NC 82 ended at NC 217 or was multiplexed with it to NC 217's Northern Terminus at US 421/NC 55. Well NC 82 West does end with NC 217 North at US 421/NC 55. New signs put up since I last went through the area in May 2006 reflect this.
NC 82 actually has a unique alignment. It has a handful of turns onto different roads making the drive not as boring as one would think. NC 82 also travels through the Averasboro Battlefield. The battlefield museum is located right one NC 82. This stretch of NC 82 is part of the NC Scenic Byways and also NC 82 may have the most historical markers per mile of highway for a primary route. The battlefield grounds are small and being the history buff that I am, I plan on doing a Averasboro and Bentonville Battlefield tour sometime in the future.
Near the eastern end of NC 82 there are two NC 82 shields that are recycled shields of another route. On one, the number '2' covers up another designation. And on US 13 South, the '82' completely covers up a different number. Here's a close up of the '82' cover up.
We both noticed something on NC 82 and later on NC 71 that we've never seen before. At intersections with secondary routes, there were actually numbers for the primary route on the small blocks of wood that are frequently found on the back of Stop Signs.
Now for NC 162, NC 162 will not start as I-95 Business/US 301 as previously thought. First, Elk Street which the Hope Mills Bypass ties into runs about 200 feet shy of I-95 Business/US 301 ending at a frontage road. However, there is grading for an eventual tie into Green 95/US 301 at some future date.As of today, the Hope Mills Bypass is not completely open. At Legion Road and Elk Street, NC 162 begins. But right now it runs about an 1/8th of a mile to a subdivision entrance.
NC 162 begins again at Camden Road. It is fully signed. It is also signed where it crosses NC 59 and beyond that. However, there are no signs beyond Fisher Road where a new four lane bridge is being constructed over Beaver Creek. From then NC 162 will go on what is currently Bingham Drive, which is currently being widened.About a 1/3 to 1/2 a mile south of US 401, Bingham Drive leaves 'Future' NC 162. NC 162 will end about 1/4 mile west of where Bingham Drive intersects US 401. (It will end opposite of where Bunce Road ends at US 401.) The new alignment end of NC 162 still has a little bit to go as it is not painted and appears one more layer of asphalt is necessary.
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