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Latest from NCDOT on the East End Connector is that it was 93.88% complete on July 30, 2021, and that their engineers now expect that the route, also to be known as I-885, will be open to traffic by December 2021 and completed by the spring of 2022--just a mere seven years after construction began on the 4-mile highway. So, hooray?
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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Originally Posted by ozmoe571
Latest from NCDOT on the East End Connector is that it was 93.88% complete on July 30, 2021, and that their engineers now expect that the route, also to be known as I-885, will be open to traffic by December 2021 and completed by the spring of 2022--just a mere seven years after construction began on the 4-mile highway. So, hooray?
It would be super embarrassing if the below project gets completed in less time than the connector. A nine mile tunnel in five years in Virginia and a 4 mile connector in 7 years in North Carolina? Terrible look for the state.
It would be super embarrassing if the below project gets completed in less time than the connector. A nine mile tunnel in five years in Virginia and a 4 mile connector in 7 years in North Carolina? Terrible look for the state.
It's embarrassing enough as is and only cements the NCDOT's longstanding reputation of having major projects come in late and over budget. I don't care what any engineer has to say, there's no excuse for how ineptly this has been run, especially in comparison to other bigger projects. Look at the widening of I-40 for 12 miles in southwest Raleigh to Clayton, for example. They broke ground on that in 2018 and it's on schedule to be completed by this time next year. Just pathetic.
NCDOT does a prioritization process every 2 years to update the State Transportation Improvement Program which identifies funding and schedule for projects over a 10 year process (current STIP is 2020-2029). I heard a rumor that they may put the 2023-2032 prioritization process on pause just because the cost of already committed projects has gone up.
NCDOT does a prioritization process every 2 years to update the State Transportation Improvement Program which identifies funding and schedule for projects over a 10 year process (current STIP is 2020-2029). I heard a rumor that they may put the 2023-2032 prioritization process on pause just because the cost of already committed projects has gone up.
Not surprised. NCDOT was already on the ropes from shelling out Map Act settlements before Covid decided to join the party.
I drive 70 right through the connector corridor a few times a month, for work. Watching the 'progress' over the years is like watching paint dry.
Had an attention-getting moment recently at the south end of the corridor: NCDOT got rid of the redlight at the intersection of 70 and Lynn Road...which is nice in theory because it extends the 'freeway' corridor further to the south/southeast --the first redlight after the construction on 70 is now at Pleasant Dr.
Well, a local-traffic flatbed tow truck, towing an addition vehicle behind it crossed 70 at Lynn Road (no redlight, no warning) going south to north in front of me recently- during a rare gap in traffic on 70. NCDOT should probably block Lynn to cross traffic (maybe add a right-turn only island/ barricade for traffic on Lynn, so it's a right turn only from Lynn Rd. onto 70-- there's already an on/run-up ramp in that right lane) or put a light back in, because some speedy drivers on 70 aren't going to know there's a formerly-redlight'ed intersection at the top of that hill just beyond the 885 to 70 southeast/ to Raleigh on-ramp, where local traffic might cut across like in the old days. Here's to doing the speed limit in that area and staying alert.
Lynn doesn't connect to 70 on the east side anymore, right? They routed it south to connect up with Pleasant instead.
But yeah, seems dangerous with folks approaching on Lynn from the west who want to turn left onto an uncontrolled 70.
This is planned to go away when they "expresswayify" the next section of 70 down past Page, but we're probably a decade away from that, if not more.
"Old" Lynn Road next to the Baptist church still had a redlight at 70 up til a few months ago. And the roadway of old Lynn was driveable in both directions across 70 til very recently (last few weeks)... nice that they did re-route Lynn Rd. to Pleasant as you say... I think NCDOT just lagged on shutting off Old Lynn at 70, after Lynn was rerouted.
...with the following update:
I drove 70 southeast through the connector zone and past old Lynn Road today and NCDOT has now put lines on the road at the intersection at old Lynn that form a triangle --so now eastbound cars from 885/70 west of old Lynn can only turn right onto old Lynn, and now (happily) vehicles going north on old Lynn can only turn right onto 70. DOT also installed an orange/white lined stand barricade that wards off vehicles from driving straight across. They can only turn right off old Lynn onto 70 east (toward Raleigh) now. I wonder if they'll put up a more permanent triangle shaped cement island or barricade at some point but this change is good news. Also the north side of old Lynn Road has been torn up now at 70 and grass planted, so southbound'ers on old Lynn will have to go around to get south of 70.
And agreed: that added 'expresswayification' of 70 to Page will be great eventually.
Latest from NCDOT on the East End Connector is that it was 93.88% complete on July 30, 2021, and that their engineers now expect that the route, also to be known as I-885, will be open to traffic by December 2021 and completed by the spring of 2022--just a mere seven years after construction began on the 4-mile highway. So, hooray?
According to the recently posted minutes of AASHTO's spring meeting that was held earlier this year, NCDOT STILL has not requested approval for the I-885 designation.
Given that NCDOT is aiming to open the EEC in December, they better send that request in time for AASHTO's fall meeting, which will be held in October if I'm not mistaken.
According to the recently posted minutes of AASHTO's spring meeting that was held earlier this year, NCDOT STILL has not requested approval for the I-885 designation.
Given that NCDOT is aiming to open the EEC in December, they better send that request in time for AASHTO's fall meeting, which will be held in October if I'm not mistaken.
The possibility that this route might open after nearly 7 years without having its interstate designation ready at the start would be the icing on the cake of ineptitude this project has been. It figures.
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