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Federal officials approved Interstate 42, a new proposed highway between Interstate 40 and Morehead City, and Interstate 87 along US 64/17 between Raleigh and Virginia.
Gov. Pat McCrory says the roads will improve connectivity with Virginia's Hampton Roads area and connectivity with the 2 military bases.
No timetable has been given for when the roads will be built or how they will be funded.
I'm guessing I-42 would overlay most of the current 70 which has been upgraded numerous times over the past 30+ years to the point several sections are nearly interstate now.
64 is pretty much the same story in that much of it is nearly interstate ready. I have heard of other plans to improve 17 to the point it will the "coastal highway" of NC all the way from Norfolk to Wilmington.
The comment about connecting to "2 military bases" is a bit odd. Military in Hampton Roads includes:
Naval Weapons Station
USCG United States Coast Guard
Langley Air Force Base
Fort Monroe
Little Creek Amphibious Base
Marine Corps Camp Elmore Exchange
Norfolk Naval Base
Fort Story
Camp Pendleton
Dam Neck Naval Base
Northwest Naval Security
Oceana Naval Air Station
US Army Corps of Engineers
Coast Guard Base - Portsmouth
Fort Eustis
If it all comes to pass, towns like Morehead City, Edenton, Elizabeth City and others along the way will most likely endure the explosive growth I-40 brought to Wilmington and Brunswick county.
NCDOT says that they will send more applications to AASHTO requesting sections of US-70 to be added to the Interstate system and signed as I-42. Same with I-87 and it's route. NCDOT's statement can be found on their application to AASHTO on page 22 of this PDF. The Clayton and Goldsboro bypasses are the only two sections that currently meets Interstate standards, so I'm almost positive NCDOT will be sending more applications to AASHTO during their next meeting this fall to have I-42 shields put up in Clayton and Goldsboro. If NCDOT forgets, I'm sure that the Super 70 Corridor Commission will remind them.
Quote:
As individual portions of the proposed alignment are constructed or upgraded to
interstate standards, separate AASHTO applications requesting the addition of those portions to the interstate system will
be submitted for review.
If I were routing Interstate 87, I would seriously look at extending it into Maryland and Delaware. The obstacle is a massive bridge-tunnel project crossing Chesapeake Bay.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carolina Knight
If I were routing Interstate 87, I would seriously look at extending it into Maryland and Delaware. The obstacle is a massive bridge-tunnel project crossing Chesapeake Bay.
The Chesapeake Bay bridge-tunnel has always been expensive. However, it would make a lot of sense to run an interstate up Delmarva. However it couldn't be I 87. It would have to be I 97 or I 99. Even if they don't run an interstate up Delmarva, it could become a viable route to Philadelphia. I hope that Salisbury, MD is cleaned up from what it used to be. It was like driving through a blizzard of chicken feathers, in the 70s.
If I were routing Interstate 87, I would seriously look at extending it into Maryland and Delaware. The obstacle is a massive bridge-tunnel project crossing Chesapeake Bay.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel isn't the biggest obstacle. The biggest hurdle would be the Eastern Shore of VA, Northampton County in particular. It's one of the most NIMBY counties in VA. My dad and his people are from Northampton County, VA and he always joked that they oppose damn near everything except breathing. It's one of the biggest reasons why most businesses that come to the Eastern Shore end up going to Accomack County. There will never be an interstate built on the Eastern Shore, as nice as the idea may be. You can bet your bottom dollar on that.
Good news. I'd love to see that part of North Carolina in between Raleigh and the coast grow again.
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