Segment 8 / 
Segment 9 |
Where: US 220 North of Vision Drive in Asheboro, to South of NC 134/US 220 Business near Ulah, Randolph County Length: 8 Miles Status: COMPLETE as of 11/14/2012 Signed As: |
The US 220 freeway through Asheboro received Future I-73 and I-74 signage in 1997 when the new section of I-73/74 freeway south of Asheboro (I-73 Segment 9) was completed. The FHWA agreed to include all of the US 220 freeway from Greensboro to Emery as part of the Interstate system but precluded NCDOT from signing the highway north of NC 134 as a true interstate until five deficient design elements in this section were corrected.1 Among the reasons this segment did not meet current interstate standards are that it featured a narrow median, thin left and right shoulders, short merge lanes and a left-side exit (for NC 42) (see photos below).2
NCDOT revised and then delayed its plans to upgrade this portion of I-73/74 highway to Interstate status from 2007 to 2010, using in part federal funds from the 2005 SAFETEA-LU Transportation Act. Originally project I-4407 covered both freeway improvements to bring the highway up to interstate standards and interchange redesign in this segment. The final project though only fixed five revised design elements the FHWA requested, shoulder widening, median reconstruction, new lighting and exit signage. The project area covered 8 miles between just north of the Presnell Street exit to NC 134/US Bus. 220, where I-73/I-74 officially began from 1997 to mid-2012, for an estimated cost of $22.8 million. The project started August 2, 2010 (work that was originally set to start in 2005) and was officially completed in mid-November 2012.4,5,6 Though deficiencies remained with some of the exit ramps, NCDOT got a waiver from the FHWA in the 1997 agreement to sign this segment as I-73/74 when the I-4407 project was complete. The interchange improvements were made part of a different project, I-5105, covering 10.1 miles, from Business 220/NC 134 to 2 miles further north of Presnell Street, and included 'geometric, operational, and remaining safety improvements.' 7
The completed work in this project widened the shoulders on both sides, and replaced areas with with near non- existent medians with concrete (Jersey) barriers. Work on the right shoulders was largely completed in early 2012, when work shifted to the left shoulders, median barrier and lighting changes (see progress photos below). To prevent traffic problems, most of the work was done at night. The exception was work begun in the summer of 2010 at the southern part of the project, where the road was closer to interstate standards and already has a 65 MPH speed limit. Work in this area took place during the day and were largely complete by the end of 2011. NCDOT signed the highway as Interstates 73 and 74 when the project was completed (the contract plans at the northern most limits of the project have signs at the Vision Drive on-ramp to North US 220 labeled as Interstates 73 and 74 as well).8 The FHWA then allowed I-73 and I-74 to be officially signed along US 220 up to I-85 in Greensboro. The contract to put up the new shields (and new exit signs) was let on December 11, 2012 and work was completed in 2013.
The only significant change to this segment since its completion was the construction of an interchange with the US 64 Asheboro Bypass. Work started on the 14.4 mile highway in June 2015 and was opened on December 18, 2020. The interchange is south of the existing US 64/NC 49 alignment between the McDowell Road and NC 134/Business US 220 exit and was signed as Exit 70.9
Video from Tarheel Travels Starting at new US 64 Bypass interchange on I-73 South (also covers part of Segment 9) (New 12/13/22)
I-73 North/I-74 West Exits 68 to 80 (Includes I-73 Segment 7)
I-73 South/I-74 East Exits 80 to 70 (Includes Segment 7)
I-73 South/I-74 East at Presnell Street: Just
prior to off-ramp
I-73 South/I-74 East from Bus. US 64 East/NC 49 North: At
intersection with South I-73/East I-74 On-Ramp
I-73 North/I-74 West at NC 42: Prior
to Left-Side Exit Ramp
I-73 North/I-74 West from NC 134/Business US 220: On-ramp
from intersection with Alternate US 220
NCDOT has put out an advertisement for a contract to reconstruct the current interchange with Business 64/NC 49 in Asheboro. The project is to reroute NC 49 at the interchange, so as a result, the signage will change. Here are a couple plans for the new signs, first on I-73 North/I-74 West, NC 49 traffic will use Exit 72A for both directions, so the shield appears only on that sign:
One of the signs on I-73 South/I-74 East:
One of the signs on Business 64 East:
Set of To I-73/I-74 and US 220 signs after the Zoo
Connector exit on the newly opened Asheboro Bypass.
View of exit ramps being
constructed prior to crossing of future US 64 Asheboro Bypass from I-73
South/I-74 East.
Closer look at C/D ramp
being constructed alongside I-73 South/I-74 East.
Closer view of new US 64
Bypass bridge being built over I-73/I-74.
Construction continues on
C/D lanes beyond future US 64 Bypass bridge.
I-73 South mile marker
helps confirm that the future exit number for the US 64 Bypass will be
70.
View of bridge being built
across I-73/I-74 as part of US 64 Asheboro Bypass project.
Closer look at bridge
being built over I-73 North/I-74 West for US 64 Bypass.
Further image of
construction zone with area for future US 64 on-ramp to I-73 North/ I-74
West being cleared north of bridge.
Exit signage for US 64/NC
49 on I-73 South/I-74 East. US 64 is to be re-routed on a Bypass to the
south in a couple years (see below).
View of bridge being built
over I-73/I-74 as part of US 64 Asheboro Bypass project, as can be seen
by the mile marker, this will be near I-73 Mile 70.
View
of overhead signage approaching the NC 42 exit on I-73 South/I-74 East
in Asheboro. (6/30/13)
Some
of the New Auxiliary Signage approaching the NC 42 Exit. (6/30/13)
Overhead
signage
at the NC 42 left-side exit on I-73 South/I-74 East. (6/30/13)
New Interstate shields have replaced the previous future
I-73 and I-74 signs at the interchange with US 64/NC 49 in Asheboro.
(6/30/13)
Heading south, the view approaching the exit for
Presnell Street (Exit 75) in Asheboro. (4/6/13)
The first overhead sign for the NC 42 Exit (Exit 74),
still a left exit despite all the work to improve the Asheboro segment
of US 220. (4/6/13)
The overhead signs at the NC 42 Exit on I-73 South/I-74
East showing the US 64/NC 49 exit is 1 1/2 miles in the distance.
(4/6/13)
This photo shows the new design of
I-73/I-74 through this segment with lanes now separated by a substantial
median barrier. (4/6/13)
The overhead signage at the US 64/NC 49
interchange with I-73 South/I-74 East in Asheboro. (4/6/13)
Now heading back north, here's the
new standard reassurance marker assembly for I-73/I-74 and US 220
through the Asheboro area, and presumably for the rest of the US 220
corridor. (4/6/13)
The overhead signs for the US 64/NC 49
Exits going in the northerly direction. (4/6/13)
The overhead signs for the left
hand NC 42 exit on I-73 North/I-74 West. (4/6/13)
A closer look at the overheads at the NC 42
exit itself. Though the ramps were not changed, lighting was added in
the median for increased safety. (4/6/13)
Back at the start of the tour approaching the
Presnell Street Exit on I-73 North/ I-74 West. (4/6/13)
Work began to upgrade the US 220 roadway in July 2010 with construction signs placed ahead and at the work zone:
The first sign of
construction ahead, going southbound just before the Speed Limit dropped
from 65 to 55 miles per hour. (7/25/10)
Approaching the Vision
Drive Off-ramp (with sign installation proceeding) on US 220 South, June
2012. (6/10/12)
The work zone before the
Fayetteville Street/Vision Drive Exit in July 2010, no construction had
started at that time. (7/25/10)
Approaching the Pineview
Street Exit Off Ramp on US 220 South in June 2012, Most of the median
work has been completed in this section. (6/10/12)
Similar view heading south
on US 220 at Pineview Street Exit back in October 2011. The guardrail
placements on the shoulders were new, work on the widening of the
northbound on ramp to the left continues, new posts for the new exit
gore sign on the right. (10/13/11)
View from
I-73 North/I-74 West on-ramp of completed overhead signage for NC 42.
Photo courtesy of J. Austin Carter (10/21/12)
Proceeding under the
Presnell Street bridge on US 220 Southbound in June 2012. Median work
almost complete, support posts for overhead signs for the NC 42 exit had
recently been installed. (6/10/12)
Approaching the left-hand
NC 42 Exit on US 220 South. The travel lanes will shift slightly to the
left when work is completed on the left side. As will the overhead
signage to what was depicted in the plans above. (6/10/12)
Earlier closeup (I
almost drove too close) view of new wider shoulders and guardrail
installation along US 220 South before NC 42 exit in October 2011.
(10/13/11)
The view between NC 42
ramps on US 220 SB in June 2012, not as much progress along the left
shoulder here. (6/10/12)
Progress on widening the
right shoulder along US 220 South between the NC 42 ramps in October 2011.
(10/13/11)
New sign posts but
remaining median work along US 220 SB 1/2 mile south of NC 42
interchange in June 2012. (6/10/12)
Median work is closer to
completion approaching US 64/NC 49 interchange on US 220 in June 2012.
(6/10/12)
View approaching US 64/NC
49 interchange on US 220 South in June 2012. Median work close to
completion, lighting installed, posts for exit signs up. (6/10/12)
View approaching US 64/NC
49 interchange in October 2011. The supports for overhead signage in the
median, plus support poles for new exit gore and informational signage
on the right had been installed. The tall pole is a new light structure.
(10/13/11)
Final placement of
overhead signage for the US 64/NC 49 exit on now I-73 North/I-73 West in
October 2012. (10/21/12) Photo courtesy of J. Austin Carter.
Remaining median work is
needed south of the US 64/NC 49 interchange on US 220 Southbound in June
2012. The construction area ends 1/2 mile further south after McDowell
Rd. Most of this work had been completed by July. (6/10/12)
Scene along US 220 South
of McDowell Road exit in October 2011, most of the work has been
completed south of here to the Business 220/NC 134 Exit. There still
needed new signage to complete the project. (10/13/11)
This was the first
official I-73 sign north of Exit 51 (now Exit 68). Unfortunately, it was
wrong for two reasons, I-74 on top and West I-74? (6/10/12) *For a
better photo of a new correct assembly, see the next segment. This was
corrected by August 2016.
Photo showing installation
of new I-73 mile markers along the northern section of the construction
area at the project's conclusion in October 2012. (10/21/12) Photo
courtesy of J. Austin Carter.
The new I-73 mile markers,
here southbound at mile 71, began to appear by June 2012. (6/10/12)
Along with new I-73 mile
markers come new I-73 exit numbers* on the new exit signs in June 2012.
This was Exit 51 for Bus. 220/NC 134. (6/10/12)
Example of
new Interstate 73 and 74 shields replacing Future shields at southbound
on-ramp for new Exit 68 (only the shields on the left needed to be
changed, however, it appears the entire assembly was replaced.
(10/21/12) Photo courtesy of J. Austin Carter.
New shields for I-73
North and I-74 West (and US 220) heading under the bridge toward the
Exit 68 northbound on-ramp. (10/21/12) Photo courtesy of J. Austin
Carter.
A couple miles further down
South US 220 showing similar progress completing the southern section in
October 2011. The construction signs indicate a lane closure at a bridge
over the roadway. (10/13/11)
Lane closure
approaching the Business 220 Exit Southbound, shoulder certainly is wide
enough here now. (10/13/11)
The photos below are of the US 220 freeway through Asheboro while it was signed Future I-73 and I-74 beginning in 1997. In 2001/2002 NCDOT also put up Future Interstate 73/74 sign assemblies near US 220 (see photo below), both near on-ramps and, in the case of US 64, at the intersection with Business US 220, a mile east. These signs, within the construction zone were updated with Interstate shields at the project's conclusion. The original first sign assembly going northbound on US 220 after the NC 134/Business 220 jumped the gun, from 1997 to 2012 it read North Interstate 73 and West Future Interstate 74 (:
Here's the long promised
photo, taken 1/28/09. This was replaced by an official I-73/74 assembly
in the spring of 2012)
Intersection of US 64 West
and US 220 (Future I-73/74), Asheboro. (Revised photo 6/26/09)
The overhead
signs were not changed, still indicating only US 220, until the
reconstruction project was finished in the fall of 2012. (6/25/09)
The deficiencies of the US
220 freeway in this area were characterized with the NC 42 Exit, which
is a left lane exit going both directions.
These are construction
plans for the signs put after work was completed. The replacement of the
interchange will have to wait for another contract. From NCDOT Project
I-4407, Contract C202422 plans, Released 5/18/10.8
*Prior to October 2012 exit numbers for this segment where based on US 220 mileage, here are the former exit numbers going north to south:
|
Interchange |
Old (US 220) Exit Number |
(I-73) Exit Number |
|
Vision Drive |
-- (59)** |
76 |
|
Presnell Street |
-- (58)** |
75 |
|
NC 42 (Left Exit) |
-- (57)** |
74 |
|
US 64 West/ NC 49 South |
--(55B)** |
72B |
|
US 64 East/ NC 49 North |
-- (55A)** |
72A |
|
McDowell Rd/Randolph CC |
-- (54)** |
71(updated 5/2012) |
|
US 220 Business/ NC 134 |
51 |
68 (updated 5/2012) |
