Skip to main content

NCDOT Awards Next I-73 Project

News about I-73 from today's (3/9) NCDOT press release:
https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/pio/releases/details.aspx?r=6158

NCDOT awarded a $96.2 million contract to Tetra Tech Construction Inc. of Mayfield, N.Y. to widen U.S. 220 from Horsepen Creek Road in Guilford County to the intersection of U.S. 220 and N.C. 68 in Rockingham County. The part from the Haw River northward 'will be constructed as a part of future I-73, which is scheduled for availability in April 2014.' This segment of the construction is actually the 3rd part of the contract to build the 'NC 68-US 220 Connector', the rest to be awarded in 2014. The current US 220 will be widened from 2 to 4-lanes with the path of US 220 moved at its southern end to make way for the ramps to the future connector. The current US 220 intersection with NC 68 will be changed so that traffic will not have to take a left turn off the highway to continue on US 220. Instead traffic on South 220 will stay on the mainline and access to NC 68 will be made via (for now) a right hand turn at a signalized intersection. (When or if I-73 is extended north to the VA border this will be made into an interchange).

From my soon to be updated I-73 Segment 2 page, here is a look at one of the future exit signs for the US 158 interchange, from the contract plans:
The exit tabs will not be put up until after all of the I-73 contract is complete. For now, you just have to imagine a I-73 shield in the sign below that will direct interstate traffic off of US 220 South and onto the new Connector:
I-73 will not be signed on this section of US 220 or the Connector until at least 2018 when the connection from Bryan Blvd near the airport interchange to NC 68 is tentatively supposed to be completed.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Abandoned US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon

Within the Truckee River Canyon in the Sierra Nevada range numerous abandoned portions of US Route 40 can be found alongside modern Interstate 80.   This segment of highway was opened during 1926 as a bypass of the Dog Valley Grade which carried the early North Lincoln Highway and Victory Highway. The corridor of the Truckee River Canyon State Highway would be assigned as US Route 40 when the US Route System was commissioned during November 1926. During 1958 the segment of Interstate 80 between Boca, California and the Nevada state line was complete. When Interstate 80 opened east of Boca numerous obsolete portions of US Route 40 were abandoned. Some of these abandoned segments have been incorporated into the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail.  Part 1; the history of US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon The Truckee River Canyon for centuries has been an established corridor of travel known to native tribes crossing the Sierra Nevada range.  The first documented wagon crossi...

Former California State Route 41 past Bates Station

When California State Route 41 was commissioned during August 1934 it was aligned along the then existing Fresno-Yosemite Road north of the San Joaquin River.  Within the Sierra Nevada foothills of Madera County, the original highway alignment ran past Bates Station via what is now Madera County Road 209, part of eastern Road 406 and Road 207.   Bates Station was a stage station plotted during the early 1880s at what was the intersection of the Coarsegold Road and Stockton-Los Angeles Road.   The modern alignment bypassing Bates Station to the east would be reopened to traffic during late 1939.   Part 1; the history of California State Route 41 past Bates Station Bates Station was featured as one of the many 1875-1899 Madera County era towns in the May 21, 1968, Madera Tribune .  Post Office Service at Bates Station is noted to have been established on November 23, 1883 and ran continuously until October 31, 1903.  The postal name was sourced...

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California.  Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada.  The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926.  Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938.  A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947.   Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association.  Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe.   Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the  September 1950 California Highways & Public Works  during its Centennial Edition.  The or...