Segment 1
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Where: US 220, Virginia Border to NC 68, Rockingham CountyLength: 17 MilesNeeded: Upgrade to Interstate StandardsSigned as:
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Segment 1| |
Where: US 220, Virginia Border to NC 68, Rockingham CountyLength: 17 MilesNeeded: Upgrade to Interstate StandardsSigned as:
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Interstate 73 is to cross the Virginia border and enter Rockingham County on US 220. US 220 in this area is a 4-lane expressway (divided highway with at-grade intersections plus some grade-separated interchanges) which was constructed during the mid to late-1990s (the last section to be four-laned, from NC 770 to the Virginia border was completed in 1998).1 For Interstate 73 to be signed the current highway must be converted to an Interstate standard freeway (Interstates have higher specifications than normal freeways, some of specs include (at least) 12' wide lanes, 12 foot wide right shoulders, 10 foot wide left shoulders, 36 foot (in rural areas) or 10 foot medians (urban or mountainous areas), and design speeds of either 60 mph (urban) or 70 mph (rural), for more about interstate standards, go to the AASHTO standards page).
Currently there are no active projects listed through 2033 in NCDOT's Draft 2024-2033 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) to upgrade this highway. As part of the earlier 2020-2029 STIP planning process, two projects to upgrade US 220 to Interstate Standards were included among the projects ranked as to regional importance. The projects, from NC 68 to US 311 North and from there to the Virginia border, did not rank high enough to be automatically included among funded projects through 2029. Nothing has changed under the process to produce the new STIP, meaning no work will begin on this segment is planned to begin until after 2033.3 There was one project in the 2020-2029 STIP (I-5898) to upgrade the US 220 interchange with North US 311/NC 135 and widen the bridge over US 220. Work was to start in 2020.4 That project was later postponed and now shows up in the latest STIP with a start date of 2025, the cost is listed as $17.3 million.5 A public meeting was held on February 21, 2019 in Mayodan to discuss the project, this is a part of the map of the proposed project produced for the meeting:4
In previous STIPs, there was listed as an unfunded project to construct a Welcome Center/Rest Area on southbound US 220 (I-73) at the Virginia border, construction to start after 2023 also.6 This project (K-4404) had been restored after being dropped from 2003 and subsequent TIP documents.7 In the Summer of 1998, at the urging of Rockingham County Economic Development officials, NCDOT put up 2 signs along this stretch indicating the highway was a "Future I-73 Corridor" (see photo below). The signs were put up for primarily economic reasons to serve as an "advertisement, meaning the attraction of (future) businesses."1 In 2016, these signs were replaced by smaller signs northbound in Madison and southbound just over the Virginia border reading "Future I-73," like this one further south on US 220 North near Summerfield, removed when the route was upgraded to I-73 in 2018:
On May 19, 2015 NCDOT let a contract to build an interchange to replace the current NC 68/US 220 intersection at the south end of this segment. In May 2017 the work was completed and US 220 traffic was rerouted along what will be the I-73 North lanes that take a bridge over NC 68 and southbound traffic now uses an off-ramp to access NC 68. Plans for the contract included those for signage that now has been placed for the exit after the project was completed. This is the plan for the 1 Mile advance exit sign along US 220 South, which matches that on a photo of the newly placed sign in the Photos section below.8 Photos of the signage are also in the photo section of I-73 Segment 2:
Because it was assumed the next segment of I-73 would not be completed yet when the signage was put up, the exit number tab was left for a future date. The tabs were put up in April 2018 and the number is 123 (see I-73 Exit List). The only project currently listed for this segment in the 2024-2033 Draft STIP along US 220 is the replacement of a railroad bridge, however no date is provided for the project.
PROJECT START MAY NOT DEPEND ON VIRGINIA
In June 2008 it was reported that NCDOT had acquired the land necessary to upgrade the US 220 highway to interstate standards once Virginia started construction on their portion. Though the routing of I-73 from the NC border to Roanoke has been approved by the FHWA, funding has only been obtained for a short portion of highway near Martinsville but work on that section, originally scheduled for 2011, has been held up, first by a lawsuit from an organization called Virginians for Appropriate Roads that advocated I-73 on a renovated US 220, which was dismissed, and then by a group of Martinsville business owners that recommended VADOT chose a new route closer to Martinsville.9 VDOT approved that new route in 2011, but it must now go through a new round of reports to the FHWA to get their approval and then funds to build it. This is the resulting routing of I-73 around Martinsville (courtesy of the Martinsville Bulletin):
On May 22, 2016, Ronald 'Skip' Russell, President of the I-73 Committee of Martinsville and Henry County in an address to the Henry County Board of Supervisors indicated that the I-73 project was dead and officials should look elsewhere to spend the money allotted them for I-73.10 In a response a few days later, Virginia state senator William M. Stanley stated that nothing could be further from the truth and that he was working with other members of the state legislature to keep funding I-73 related projects.11 In February 2017, the Virginia General Assembly approved a bill to finance I-73 construction from Roanoke to North Carolina but there are a few major catches. First, the bill involves using moneys that currently go to funding US 58 improvements, these moneys would go to I-73 only after all the planned US 58 projects are completed, which may not be until 2030. Second, for the funding to happen both the Virginia Senate and House must approve the bill again in 2018. Third, construction would not start until there would be enough money to complete the project. The US 58 fund produces about $40 million each year, but the total I-73 project cost is estimated at $4 billion.12
New-Regardless of the eventual decision by Virginia, NCDOT has among its preliminary list of 2026-2035 STIP projects, two to upgrade US 220 carried over from projects considered for the current 2024-2033 STIP. The first project would upgrade US 220 to interstate standards from NC 68 to US 311/NC 135 in Mayodan for $367 million (a major increase from the $194 million projected in 2024). The other would upgrade US 220 from US 311/NC 135 to the Virginia border, but only to 'Freeway Standards' for $233.6 million, an increase over the projected cost of $187 million in 2024, but not that substantial.13 It thus appears NCDOT may be willing to build a freeway to the Virginia border, but wait to see if that state commits to I-73 before turning it into an interstate. Their strategic mobility formula scores, however are only 62.4 and 51.7/100, respectively, (slightly lower than their last scores in 2024) meaning they may not make it again onto the priority list of projects to start before 2035.13 A decade earlier NCDOT completed a project in 2012 that added guardrails along both sides of the center median of US 220 from the NC 68 intersection to the VA border, but it did not close of any existing median openings and did not seal off cross traffic at current intersections.14
Most Recent Photos, taken along US 220 South driving from Roanoke to Greensboro, October 14, 2022:
The first Future I-73 sign just across
the Virginia border on US 220 South.
The first Future I-73 exit is for Smith
Road, for northbound photos see below.
The next exit on US 220 South is for NC
770.
The next Future I-73 exit for Business
US 220 South.
The first of two US 311 exits on US 220
South, and the last time these two routes meet up since US 311 now ends
in Winston-Salem.
Both South US 220 and South US 311
reassurance markers.
The next Future I-73 sign on US 220
South in Madison, the last one also.
The next US 311 exit along with NC 704
and Business 220 North on US 220 South.
The South US 311 exit sign on US 220
South in Madison.
The first I-73 exit sign prior to the
start of the freeway one mile away at the NC 68 exit.
One of several US 220 North U-turn
trailblazers due to right turn only intersections between Madison and NC
68.
Earlier Photos
Taken by Site Contributor Strider, December 2020:
Recently
placed blue services sign for the US 311 North/NC 135 exit in
Stoneville.
A blank gas
services sign also on US 311 North/NC 135 exit in Stoneville.
Work has been
completed on replacing the bridge seen up ahead which is now interstate
standard prior to the Business 220 exit in Stoneville.
A new guide
sign on US 220 South prior to the NC 68 exit informs drivers to use I-73
to get to the PTI Airport.
A new I-73/US
220 South pull through sign has replaced the NC 65 1 mile advance sign
previously on this gantry at the NC 68 exit in Stokesdale.
Previous Photos
Taken by Site Contributor, David Andrews in May 2019 along US 220 North:
Trailblazer indicating
place for US 220 traffic to turn around at first intersection after the
end of I-73 in Rockingham County.
Distance sign indicates
its 30 miles to Martinsville, twice the distance of the NC border which
is 15 miles to the south.
First North US 220
reassurance marker after the end of I-73 North.
First Future I-73 Sign
along US 220 in Rockingham County.
First exit sign, 1 Mile
advance for the South US 311/NC 704/North Business 220 in Madison. This
may be the first exit for I-73 when the route is upgraded.
The 1/2 mile advance sign
which is after an intersection that will have to be closed for the
upgrade to I-73.
A reassurance marker and a
left turn intersection proceed the exit with US 311 South/NC
704/Business 220 North.
Overhead signage,
including a North US 220/US 311 pull through sign at the South US 311/NC
704/ North Business 220 exit. This bridge will probably need to be
modernized as part of any project to upgrade the road to I-73.
Reassurance markers
following the South US 311/NC 704/North Business 220 exit with routes
reversed from the pull through seen above.
A second Future I-73 sign
appears along this stretch of US 220/US 311 North.
The 1-Mile Advance sign
for the North US 311/NC 135 exit in Mayodan. Shoulder widening will be
needed in this area to upgrade to I-73.
The view looking down a
hill prior to the North US 311/NC 135 exit in Mayodan.
The sign for the North US
311/NC 135 exit in Mayodan. The now very short US route, US 311 heads
off for its northern terminus in Virginia.
The 1-Mile advance sign
for the Business 220 exit, notice it does not have "Exit" among the text
on the bottom meaning it is ready for a US 220, or I-73 exit, number.
Road construction advisory
signs seen approaching the Business 220 exit in Stoneville, the bridge
prior to the exit is being upgraded to modern standards.
Closer look at view
heading toward bridge construction project and Business 220 exit in
Stoneville. The intersection will need to be removed prior to I-73
signing.
Ground mounted 1/4 mile
advance sign for NC 770 exit in Stoneville. This sign does have exit in
text.
The North US 220
reassurance marker following the NC 770 exit in Stoneville.
Ramp sign for Smith Road
in Price, the last exit on US 220 North in North Carolina and probably
the last for I-73 too.
Last distance sign in
North Carolina after the Smith Road exit indicating only 2 miles to the
border.
Earlier Photos, Taken by Site Contributor, Strider on April 15, 2018:
New along this segment are
blue services signs for the US 311 North/NC 135 exit, this one for
camping.
And this one awaiting
restaurant logos, the final one is for gas stations, in distance.
Previous Photos, also taken by Strider on December 29, 2017:
View from US 220 North at
end of US 220 widening project beyond NC 68 showing first left turn only
lane after end of freeway.
Heading south on US 220
prior to NC 68 South exit (sign can be seen in distance) with US 220
North U-Turn trailblazer for left lane turn lane prior to start of I-73
freeway.
Previous Photos Taken by Strider on May 11, 2017:
Newly placed 1-Mile
Advance Exit Sign for opened off-ramp to NC 68 South from US 220 South,
this matches (with the exception of the missing Exit tab, that in the
sign plan above.
The next new exit sign for
NC 68, 1/2 mile before the new interchange. Taken at the same place as
the fifth photo from March 30, showing the progress in constructing US
220 prior to the new exit.
View on US 220 using newly
opened Future I-73 lanes approaching the new NC 68 interchange.
Recent Photos taken by Webmaster, March 30, 2017:
Signage at the intersection
of US 311 and US 220 near Mayodan. US 311 signage is new after extension
first north to Eden then to US 58 Business in VA in 2015. This bridge is
to be reconstructed in the early 2020s.
Reassurance markers on US
220/US 311 highway, US 311 recently added due to extension north into
Virginia.
Future I-73 Sign placed in
2016 by NCDOT along US 220/US 311 South.
Exit signage for US 311
South/NC 704 on US 220 South in Madison, this was the original northern
end of US 311 prior to its extension to Virginia.
View of US 220 South
approaching NC 68 and construction zone for building new interchange.
View from US 220 South
overlooking Future I-73/US 220 lanes carrying traffic over NC 68 and
newly placed exit signage.
US 220, NC 68 and To
I-40 trailblazers ahead of current intersection with new I-73/US 220
lanes and bridge to the right. Signs date to when US 220 traffic had to
make a left turn. Currently, US 220 traffic proceeds straight ahead of
temporary traffic light and NC 68 goes right.
NC 68 South traffic using
future Northbound I-73 on-ramp to go under completed bridge that will
carry I-73 and US 220 South traffic to Greensboro.
Previous photos:
Former I-73 Corridor sign along US 220 North near Madison, replaced in 2016. Photo courtesy of Chris Curley (via Adam Prince). (2/19/2000)
Here are some photos taken along the corridor in April 2013 by Site Contributor, Strider:
This is recent exit
signage along US 220 north near Mayodan. NCDOT put up these new signs in
2012 to account for the US 311 extension then to Eden, NC (now further
extended to Business US 58 in Virginia). (4/7/13)
NCDOT overhead signage
near Madison also now accounts for the US 311 extension then to Eden, NC
(and along US 220 North). (4/7/13)
Another new sign put up
in 2012 to account for the US 311 extension. US 311 formerly ended at US
220 Business. (4/7/13)
Here are some other photos taken along the corridor by the Site Webmaster in February 2009:
This is the previous exit sign seen in the
first photo above. NCDOT added a'To US 311' sign stuck on top to account
for the US 311 extension. The sign was replaced in 2012.
This is what US 220 mostly
looks like in Rockingham County. Further south near NC 68 there are many
businesses which will either have to be taken down or the roadway
rearranged to include a frontage road.
This sign for NC 135 was
also changed to include US 311 as well.
Approaching the Business
US 220 exit northbound in Stoneville. Notice the left hand turn lane
before the exit that will have to be removed during the conversion to a
freeway.
Smith Road, the last exit
in North Carolina. The Virginia border is about 3 miles north of here.
If anyone has any other photos of the current US 220 along this segment, feel free to E-mail me.
