Why North Carolina is COVERING the ENTIRE State in Interstate Highways

North Carolina has been on a massive highway building frenzy as of late and on this video we'll go through some of the corridors and new routes planned or under construction around the state.
Cities Explored: www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi...
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Driving Channel:
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Further Reading & Sources:
I-685 Approved
rantnc.com/2021/11/19/infrast...
Wadesboro Bypass:
ansonrecord.com/news/11143/wa...
Garden Parkway
www.bizjournals.com/charlotte...
Garden Parkway Dead
www.southernenvironment.org/n...
I-295 Fayetteville
www.ncdot.gov/projects/fayett...
I-117 Goldsboro
www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-117...
I-685 Wilmington
portcitydaily.com/local-news/...
Wilmington Loses to Myrtle Beach
www.wilmingtonbiz.com/Governm...
NC Top State For Business
www.cnbc.com/2022/07/13/north...
Time Stamps:
Intro: 0:00
Corridor K: 0:47
Asheville to Charlotte Interstate: 2:22
Triad Area: 5:15
Triangle Area: 7:37
Interstate 42: 12:10
Fayetteville: 13:40
Interstate 795: 14:23
Wilmington: 15:28
Conclusion: 16:48

[@jcgrogan7823]

One of the big reasons Wilmingon wants an additional interstate route into the city is to have another route for hurricane evacuation. In 2018, when hurricane Florence came through, flooding cut off the city from the outside road networks for almost 2 weeks. In addition, traffic in an out of the city during recovery efforts was unbelievable. Great video and I hope to see some of these interstates come to fruition.

[@BurstVessels]

As someone who drives in Raleigh traffic every day, I found Wilmington traffic to be much worse. The situation is very bad, and there are no simple solutions. Wilmington needs to proceed with a lot of care if they want to improve things.

[@subtropicalken1362]

I wasn’t in Wilmington during Florence - I was in Holden Beach- but I was in Wilmington during Floyd. Most of eastern NC was underwater and Wilmington was truly cut off from the rest of the state. Interstates, secondary roads, rural roads, you name it. A few days later a road or two north opened.

[@drtee51]

That's a good reason!

[@eeriestare48]

​@subtropicalken1362 i vacation in holden beach a lot 😎

[@andrewdiamond2697]

17:40 Atlanta made a huge effort in the early 1980s with the "freeing the freeways program". Under that program, the downtown connector went from 3 to 6 lanes in each direction, I-85 in Gwinnett went from 3 to 5 lanes in each direction, and I-75 in South Cobb County went from 3 to 6 to 11 lanes in each direction. Speghetti Junction (I-85 and I-285 NE of ATL), which was a basic cloverleaf intersection became what it is. The late 80s and early 90s saw I-675 south of the city and Toll 400 north get completed. Atlanta tried...but...what Atlanta really needed to do was build out MARTA rail, as there is no amount of pavement that will fix Atlanta's problem. Charlotte's probably next. If Charlotte doesn't put down some rails soon, it's going to be Atlanta in a decade.

[@UserName-ts3sp]

or just build denser development and loosen zoning laws. charlotte appears to be trying to build transit though

[@dinordo]

Too bad the EW Lakewood extension to 20 from I-75 and 675 N to 20 extension could not be built. The traffic is horrible but would aid in traffic flow in The Atl SE quadrant

[@MarsJenkar]

@@UserName-ts3sp Yeah, when I lived in the Charlotte area a few years ago, they were extending their LYNX Blue Line (light rail) and were also going to add a streetcar line. These have since opened. The streetcar line is mostly serving the city center and the surrounding area, but the light rail goes from the I-485 beltway in the south (near South Boulevard) up to the UNC-Charlotte campus in the northeast part of the city, passing through the city center. I see by their website that they're extending the Blue Line further, and are looking to add a Silver Line (light rail) and Red Line (commuter rail), as well as extend their streetcar line. They plan to have these additions completed by 2030; considering how things already have gone with their rail planning, I'd say the chances are very good this will actually happen, or at least will have significant progress by then.

[@andrewdiamond2697]

@@MarsJenkar When I moved to Charlotte in 2005, the Gold Line street car was to have been finished by 2014, along with the Red Line to north Meck. county. It's almost 10 years after that and the Gold Line is maybe half done and there is no Red Line. The plans in the early 2000s would have worked (and might still work) but they needed to be done on the then proposed timetable. We are now in the "better late than never" era of this.

[@Garrettb214]

Atlanta is still missing an outer beltway, particularly a northern arc. There have been many proposed plans, but they never go anywhere. I'd argue for one between Cartersville along I-75 to somewhere near the I-85/I-985 split.

[@itsurboidonnie]

currently at charlotte douglas airport about to leave, but i traveled throughout the state (raleigh, greensboro, winston salem, durham, etc). It is crazy how many highways there are here and a lot of them run concurrently at times. i think the simple answer to the question is that north carolina is growing extremely quickly and population centers are somewhat evenly distributed throughout the state.

[@mw4mpr]

Yeah, and the tertiary roads, at least around Charlotte metro north, are still 2 lane cow paths. Traffic is ridiculous! But they will build those houses and town homes on any blank spot.

[@jsncrso]

NCDOT decided on the I-87 corridor to stimulate economic growth in northeast NC. Also, Your I-74 path around Wilmington is the old original corridor, and has been replaced with I-73 that will break off the current I-73/74 alignment just south of Hamlet (see SCDOT for a detailed map). The Carolina Bays Parkway is a separate superstreet with at-grade intersections that will run to the SC-9/SC-31 interchange. Interesting fact: SC is funding and building the I-73 portion in NC, while NC is funding and building the portion of the CBP in SC. Good video though!

[@georgeselby3376]

I-87 also wouldn't 'kill' the toll road that leads to the Outer Banks from VA, as it would still be significantly shorter than driving down 87 and then turning towards the OBX at Elizabeth City.

[@stephenplatt5048]

@@georgeselby3376 That is correct. The US-17 and US-158 route currently serves as an alternate to the outer banks. However, the City of Chesapeake would likely oppose any expansion of the US-17/Dominion Blvd to an interstate. Just a few years ago, VDOT completed expansion of Dominion Blvd from I-64/I-464/VA-168 to just south of Cedar Rd to an expressway, including the toll Veterans Bridge. I believe a better shot a completing this highway in Chesapeake would be if NCDOT constructed a new interstate highway from the current north end of the Elizabeth City bypass to near Moyock, joining with VA/NC 168, then following the VA 168 Chesapeake Expressway. This would still bring I-87 to the same interchange at I-64/464/US-17. This routing may also avoid possible environmental conflicts with the Great Dismal Swamp, which US-17 runs parallel along the Chesapeake & Albemarle Canal.

[@jsncrso]

Both options are being studied with NCDOT already publishing proposed routes and alternatives. It depends on what VA wants to do, and they are in no rush with the I-64 projects ongoing and the time it will take for NC to even start formal bidding proposals and EIS paperwork. It will most likely be the last part of that corridor built.@@stephenplatt5048

[@NintendoGamer2600]

​@@stephenplatt5048And also having it slightly closer to the coast could make it easier to access during hurricane evacuations.

[@SigmaRho2922]

@@NintendoGamer2600 Speaking of Interstate 87, it would not be environmentally or economically feasible for the highway to exist on the Delmarva peninsula because the area is extremely vulnerable to sea level rise, and the strip of land in some areas may be too narrow to support such a highway. Running the highway from Norfolk to New York City would have involved an alignment close to US 13 before replacing DE 1 in most of Delaware (with the highway following the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel), then following the route of the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 278 through New Jersey and New York City.

[@nathanmohn4272]

From RVA, your right about VA not wanting to upgrade US-58. The road is a notorious speed trap along our southern border. Especially between South Hill (where I-85 meets US-58) and the Hampton Roads. Emporia (Where I-95 meets US-58) is the most famous speed trap town of them all.

[@prodclueless]

I swear the entire state is funded by the tickets from that one road

[@wesmorgan7729]

As nice as it would be to upgrade 58 to an interstate, there isn't enough volume to make it justifiable

[@wesmorgan7729]

​@@prodclueless mostly just that part of the state lol

[@nathanmohn4272]

@@prodclueless don’t forget about the tolls in NOVA, Hampton Roads, and RVA.

[@prodclueless]

@@nathanmohn4272 I pay the veterans bridge toll twice a day. It's absurd. And they keep building more and slapping a toll on it the new high rise, most if not all tunnels, I-64, etc. Eventually you'll have to pay a toll for anything other than side streets. Sorry for the rant, im very passionate

[@danielcluley870]

I would say completing some of the beltways and then try to do inter-city HSR from Charlotte to Raleigh and toward Greenville/ATL. HSR between Charlotte and Raleigh makes a ton of sense in the long-term. Also agree Wilmington is a priority for multiple reasons.

[@markmoore8399]

US 19/US 74 through the Nantahala River Gorge is one of my favorite drives in the country, and solidified NC as being my favorite state to drive in.

[@megaascension2748]

If you enjoyed that, you should drive SC/GA/NC Hwy 28 from Walhalla SC to highway 28's ending. I lived in that area for two years, and that's the best road to drive on in my opinion.

[@markmoore8399]

@@megaascension2748 It may be a bit too curvy for me, but maybe it will happen long-term.

[@therealpskilla502]

There's a summer camp I used to go to in that area called Soar, where we would go backpacking in nearby Pisgah National Forest and whitewater rafting on the Nantahala River. Driving back through that area really brings back a lot of fond memories.

[@shaunrutherford7764]

I believe part of the justification for I-42 was linking Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station in Havelock, and the Port of Morehead on one interstate-grade highway..

[@eeriestare48]

i get why 42 is being built, but the number should change to 46.

[@michaelpirkey6402]

@@eeriestare48 Yes 46...keep east-west as even numbers.

[@masterhead4888]

The one route that you only mentioned in passing is, for me, the one that makes the most 'nations best interest' road. I-73 into Virginia connecting with I-581 and functioning with I-81. This would give everyone south and east of Greensboro NC another interstate highway to the northeast without ever getting on I-95. That gap, which is now US220 with old 1950's style 4 lane design, would make a huge change in traffic flow. I'm certain of that.

[@loopshackr]

Having grown up in NC in the US 220 "gap", I certainly agree. Over the years, 4-lane stretches crept south from VA. By the '90s, one could drive north to NYC on 4-lane roads, but up until about 5 years ago, getting directly to Greensboro still meant facing an ever-more-congested 15-mile stretch of 2-lane blacktop. Now the completed parts of 1-73 have fixed that, but runs you into the snarl on the west side of Greensboro, near the airport, that you need a pilot car to get out of.

[@rlg1976x]

I'm definitely looking forward to the US74 bypass around Shelby. Currently, it's a pain with all the stop lights and traffic.

[@jcshort31]

Me too, that's the whole reason I watched this video was to get some insight on when it should be completed

[@c.seanholliday3153]

The single biggest need for NC's connectivity is probably in Virginia. Greensboro needs a better connection up to I-81 at Roanoke. US 220 is fine as far as the north side of Martinsville, but that section between Roanoke & Martinsville is in desperate need of a modern freeway.

[@wesmorgan7729]

I'd like to see that too. It'd be a boon for struggling Martinsville and help Roanoke.

[@NintendoGamer2600]

Maybe I should ask my grandmother about this next time I see her, since she lives in Greensboro (very close to I-73 in fact). Not sure if she ever goes to Roanoke (I highly doubt it), but I am curious to see what her thoughts on the matter are.

[@drsysop]

I am hearing I-77 in South Carolina will extend down to I-10 in Florida. Not sure when this will happen but it's a good idea. South Carolina needs to put more Interstates near Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Greenville & Hilton Head Island areas as traffic so messed up.

[@DTD110865]

I can't imagine I-77 going down to Florida. There should be an extension of I-85 down towards US 231 in Florida though.

[@ozmoe]

Excellent summation on the interstate boom in my native state. I hope the Asheville-Charlotte-Wilmington interstates will become a reality during my lifetime, as all three are booming cities that need the transportation links between them improved. Closer to where I live, I-42 would be a great addition between the Triangle and the coast and cut off at least a half hour in drive time between Raleigh and Morehead City when finished.

[@TheLokibringer]

I think both of those pathways are fine as is, 40 runs from Asheville to Wilmington, and I think I had to make one turn onto 77 from 40 to get to Charlotte the last time I drove down. Can Asheville get amtrak first?

[@sgordon57xx]

Hwy 70 turning to 42 (I think that's what it's turning into) is exciting for me being in Eastern NC! Will be nice to get rid of the miles of traffic lights finally lol

[@voidfilan5055]

Same for me in Atlantic Beach 👍

[@snapmalloy5556]

I drive it each week from New Bern to Clayton. Will be nice to all those lights gone

[@sgordon57xx]

@@snapmalloy5556 it makes EVERY trip take soooooo much longer for no damn reason!

[@jeffreycoon9634]

@@snapmalloy5556 how long does it take you to make that trip and around what time of day do you go? Thinking of taking a job in Selma but don’t want to move there. Thanks!

[@snapmalloy5556]

@Jeffrey Coon It takes me 1:40 to go from a Wild birds unlimited in New Bern to a Wild Birds unlimited in Clayton. This is in a Semi. I usually am on that route around 7PM...I begin my trip from New Bern. And most of that is on 70 as both stores aren't far off of 70

[@matt_the_trucker]

I completely agree with NC wanting to future proof I think that's how you put it lol itself for business and like you said the glaring example nearby is a very unpleasant place to drive through... I cite another city further west which saw it coming but did not improve the infrastructure that's Denver... Omg such a freaking nightmare to drive through and I'm a a truck driver and it's I dread going there... But while agreed with you on some of the signage numbers especially 87... That one never made any freaking sense... They've got the future in mind and it got to give the leaders politicians and whatnot credit for looking ahead and while I look forward to it being mostly completely interstate stamped I enjoyed driving 64 from Asheboro all the way to Nags Head and if it could be assigned an interstate number that's great but again it's already pretty much an interstate as it is... Thanks for these videos again my man I really enjoy them keep them coming

[@timsimmons5190]

Well north Carolina as well as South Carolina has a lot of military bases. A big reason for the more highways and understandable

[@jeffarmfield2346]

I grew up just outside of Greensboro in Jamestown, NC and went to college in Wilmington, NC. They've been working on gettin Interstates 73 and 74 since at least 2004.

[@cartercarpenter6948]

I work in North Carolina a lot and have to travel back and forth from Charlotte to the Raleigh area and I wish there was a direct interstate from NC largest city to its capital. Going up and around Greensboro is terrible most times of day.

[@ronniesouthern7829]

You think that be a no brainer. I’m curious to the reason it’s never been done.

[@timjones9128]

The Triad would definitely lobby against that because it would take reroute traffic that brings business to the area away from Greensboro and Winston-Salem

[@TheTruth27536]

Whenever possible, I take NC-49 in Charlotte up to Asheboro and then take US-64 in Asheboro to Raleigh and vice-versa. I go back and forth between this route and 85, depending on time of the day and anticipated traffic.

[@fishingthelist4017]

Two metro areas with populations of over two million people should have a connection that does not involve driving through a third metro area that has a population of almost two million people.

[@therrendunham5594]

Having grown up in Fayetteville, I've always found it criminal that there was never a direct route from Wilmington to Charlotte (with Fayetteville as a hub via NC 24). Even bringing the traverse between both 'Villes (Fayetteville to Jacksonville), or designating US 13 from North Fayetteville to Goldsboro, would make so much more sense if you considered the need to transport military personnel.

[@rileysmith9843]

14:52 Jacksonville is on the future I-99 corridor, if they opt for the US 17 corridor to run from Charleston, South Carolina to Christiana, Delaware, which would include Jacksonville, however, they appear to have chosen to run it down US 258 to I-95 at Wilson, but no progress has been made on this planned Interstate.

[@kellymclean1189]

Of I-99 Goes To Wilson It Would Follow U S Hwy 13-11 Through Bethel And Would Overlap Or Eliminate I-587 From Greenville To Wilson And 99 To Extend To U S Hwy 64/I-87 In Zebulon Otw To Raleigh

[@garretyoung2173]

I-840 in the Greensboro area just finished up across northern beltway

[@deanchapman1824]

I-87 already exists in New York State. It goes from the Bronx where it's the Major Deegan Expressway, to when it becomes the NYS Thruway. After Albany, it becomes the Adirondack Northway where it ends at the Canadian border, 35 miles from Montreal.

[@mutated__donkey5840]

Numbers can be repeated if they’re far enough apart such that they won’t be confused.

[@drtee51]

Yes, that redundancy was metioned in this video. I agree with the idea that the use of 87 as a number for the Raleigh-Norfolk route is unfortunate. It duplicates the New York Thruway unnecessarily, AND it is mostly an east-west route, which should have an even number. Why not I-38?

[@HSstudio.Ytchnnl]

​@@drtee51I think I-46 is the better name since there's I-40 & future I-42 in the state, plus it's in between I-40 & I-70

[@drtee51]

@@HSstudio.Ytchnnl Yeah, you're right.

[@gigabyte9584]

@@drtee51Right. It truly lacks a true north-south route.

[@michaelreed4584]

I live in Greensboro and the interstate/freeway network is amazing here and I did take note of the two more future interstates they’re adding through the city. I also know in the triad that the DOT remove business 40 and now currently removing business 85 through the city. Your video definitely explains why those business routes are unnecessary nowdays. I know its not the video for this question, but Does anyone knows why DOT doesn’t have street lights on the interstates throughout Raleigh and Durham on 40. And it is very busy with traffic and are two pretty large cities 😅 I am a city infrastructure nerd lol.

[@danielbelisle2817]

AGREED!

[@wriddle082]

I want to see I-87 extended to the SW along US 1 to Camden, SC. That would create an alternate route to I-85 towards Atlanta, when combined with I-20.

[@chrisalley6282]

Bypass Charlotte and Greenville/Spartanburg. That would be nice.

[@eth39232]

When we moved from Asheville NC to Virginia Beach in 1981, I remember thinking it was strange we had to be on US 58 for such a long time and that there was no interstate directly into the beautiful Hampton Roads area. We lived in Asheville before I-240 was built and the open cut went through Beaucatcher Mountain.

[@nathanmohn4272]

US-58 is not a freeway because it is a huge speed trap. The counties that police the area don’t want that to change or they will lose all of their money.

[@danielbelisle2817]

My uncle helped build the beaucatcher tunnel.

[@quincymckoy2001]

Jacksonville in Onslow County would benefit I 685 from Dunn in Central NC instead of going to Wilmington down at the coast it have to go almost along US 421 to US 13 in Sampson County near Spivey's Corner to almost Clinton to hit NC Highway 24

[@marcusamspaugh1504]

Columbus, Ohio is also growing quite rapidly. The metro population went over 2,000,000 about 15 years ago. They were talking about a super-outerbelt (I-470) since the late '70s, now the plan has been revived, especially in the Northeast

[@hornetsnationcharlotte5694]

Durham now also technically has a freeway loop. I-40 to the south, I-885 to the east, I-85 to the north and US15/501 to the west (where much of it is a limited access freeway). The loop would be in scale closer to the size of Raleigh's first loop the I-440/I-40 Capital Beltline.

[@davidtosh7200]

I also heard that I-274 is on the western loop of Winston-Salem in North Carolina has been mentioned. Since I-274 is the auxiliary route of I-74.

[@mattywanders]

Great video. It's getting hard to keep up with all these new interstates and road name changes here. Cheers from Raleigh.

[@504ever4]

There are some states where I will NEVER be able to make sense of their interstate systems. North Carolina is one of them. I get to some extent that they have to go around mountains and have lots of populations centers. But I can understand the interstate systems of larger states, like California (outside of LA area), Texas, Florida, Georgia. I'm glad I'm not the only person to take note of it! Btw, the other states I just CAN'T follow are Pennsylvania, New York (even discounting NYC), Ohio, and Wisconsin (they have a concurrency fetish).

[@UserName-ts3sp]

eh ohio’s mostly make sense. then again im from ohio. guess you can say 76/80/90 are weirdly close but they all have important connections to the east. 76 to PA, 80 to NYC and 90 to buffalo. outside of that i don’t see how ohio’s is weird

[@penguinsfan251]

@@UserName-ts3sp Ohio's i nterstates are not wierd. The Ohio Turnpike began planning before the Interstate Highway System began. Pennsylvania....well, the Turnpike was initally opened in 1940, connecting Carlisle with Irwin. Everything else was built later. I-70 between New Stanton and "Little Worshington" was originally Route 71 and built before the Interstate Highway System. The one interstate that goes through Pittsburgh, I-376, has had numerous designations. It is hard to build roads around Pittsburgh because of the hills and abandoned coal mines. Rail has the same problem.

[@UserName-ts3sp]

@@penguinsfan251 yeah i agree. just explained why they aren’t even if they might look weird to someone not familiar. PA is very weird and their roads are terrible too

[@504ever4]

@@UserName-ts3sp I think the issue is that there are several cities in Ohio that have two or three interstates and all of them are close in number. There's I-70, I-71, I-74, I-75, I-76, I-77. It's just all a lot to keep track of.

[@carlthoresen3232]

@@penguinsfan251 I’d argue that the stretch of I-70 between Washington and New Stanton is the worst stretch of highway in the entire interstate system. It’s flat-out dangerous and nerve wracking to drive it. It can’t possibly be up to standards, but they seem not to be concerned about it, even with the high volume of traffic.

[@mityace]

Toll roads CAN be added to the interstate system but it must be done via congressional action. There are two examples in Pennsylvania. The Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and was completed in 1957. It had no number until 1974 when it became PA 9, In 1996, it became I-476! I-376 originally ran between the turnpike on the east side of Pittsburgh to I-79. It was extended over PA 60 all the way up to I-80 in 2009. This includes a 16 mile toll section which is signed I-376. But, this designation was set in congressional action

[@jamesglenos3174]

In the triangle area, I-885 flows into the Triangle Expressway toll road, which is being completed as part of the Complete 540 project

[@JohnWilson-wg4gk]

Well, I'll be damned ! In PA, 376 DOES intersect with 80 ! Back in the day, if you were in DuBois and wanted to go to Pittsburgh for a concert at the Civic Arena ( I won't tell you how old I was until I figured out that " Civic Arena " was actually 2 words ), you drove down to Monroeville where 376 begins. Once you got headed west, you looked for the Grant Street exit. Going home, you got back on 376 going west again and you'd go over a really kick-assed bridge and tunnel. Then you'd start looking for 79 north to get to 80 east. If you were the driver and you started seeing " Pittsburgh International Airport " signs, all you could do was admit, " Shit, man...I'm fuckin' lost..."

[@ChristopherBerrios]

When I was at Geneva College in the late 90's I used to fly up PA-60 now I-376 from Pittsburgh and occasionally could get back to Philly on the Turnpike in about 5 hrs.. Now I'm in Gastonia, NC praying for a wider I-85.. lol

[@aimenfarhan1224]

Also Future I-576

[@firesandflowers]

I live in South Asheville and good heavens the I26 construction feels neverending. My parents now live in Wilmington, so I look forward to the Asheville-Charlotte-Wilmington upgrades being completed someday. I grew up in Durham and the few times I've gone the route on I40 on my way to Wilmington have been worse though. I always either go through Charlotte or down through Columbia SC (extra 30 miles, but same amount of time usually). Great video!

[@idriveastationwagon1534]

6:40 kinda wish I-685 would go to Fayetteville too. Then they could build a freeway between Wilmington and Fayetteville

[@idriveastationwagon1534]

I wish they would rename I-87 to something else. Is it too late?

[@ChristopherBerrios]

Another great video, Mike, I started out as a Civil Engineering major because I wanted to build highways, but ended up working on the information super highway in telecom instead.. I grew up in South Jersey, went to college near Pittsburgh, lived in Philly for 10 years before I moved to Charlotte 7 years ago. So having traveled a good portion of the roads in this video and a few of your others. I'm looking forward to hitting the new ones once they are completed. Obviously growing up in NJ I don't have a disdain for toll roads but an upgrade to Passenger Rail here would be amazing. Keep up the good work!

[@Theel25]

I've seen 295 grow over the years massively. I remember the original road connection of 295 that originally was just a straightshot road to 95 grow to eventually loop around half the town, and still has areas cleared out. Took a decade or so to complete, but it's definitely been interesting to see it flourish. I don't know if I'll be around to see it fully built up, but it progressing in front of my eyes has been really neat. Also cool to see more Interstates being built in NC as well. Not just a vanity project here, but for the state as a whole. Excellent video.

[@jimcolhouer7642]

Love your videos!!!! I’m not a trucker and don’t have to travel for work any longer but would love to see a video like this for the Baltimore, DC, Northern Virginia corridor! We’re all small cities but our metropolitan area is huge and traffic is always an issue!

[@penguinsfan251]

Agreed. Baltimore City stopped the construction of I-70 and I-83. However, I-70 never destroyed Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City or Denver. Washington stopped I-95...it is I-395 and terminates at New York Avenue. I hate driving in DC.

[@nicklove3963]

Small cities?? those are considered big cities

[@brianleeper5737]

Here's all you need to know about roads in Virginia: If the road didn't exist in 1865 and it's not an Interstate, it's most likely a dead-end road.

[@kingpin1118]

In charlotte, we are watching our public highways get private toll lanes added. It's been fun

[@KaileyB616]

If they had some sense, they'd have widened I-77 between the Lake Norman area and Charlotte. Instead, they added 2 express lanes that you have to pay a LOT to use, plus there's barriers that divide the express lanes from the regular lanes with few exits. Unsurprisingly, traffic on 77 hasn't improved... at all. It's infuriating.

[@mw4mpr]

What a racket, right?? The company running the toll lanes went and bid for a 50 YEAR contract!!! Horse manure!!!! I have to trudge from Mooresville to Huntersville every day in the evening and it sucks dog balls!

[@cgpxae2119]

1-77 north is 10x better than 77 south tho so I mean the toll lanes did help

[@mw4mpr]

@@cgpxae2119 I drive them both NB and SB daily. All the toll lanes did was separate rich from poor people.

[@cgpxae2119]

@@mw4mpr I drive it frequently too infect at my last job I was as on 77south daily and it’s night and day the difference in traffic. I-77 north is better

[@charlespletzke8311]

As an nc resident, the widening of 440 and the completion of its connection with wade avenue would be nice. Maybe 440 will become 540 if current 540 becomes 640 and if it spurs down us 1 potentially all the way to the new i74 by rockingham

[@vinceangelo8184]

Great channel! Just subscribed. I live in Raleigh and can’t until 540 is complete.

[@billsmith5593]

Thanks for the update

[@penguinsfan251]

Toll roads can be made into interstates. Pennsylvania Route 60, the Beaver Valley Expressway, was changed to Interstate 376. It took an act of Congress to make it happen, but happen it did. The final portions of Route 60 were finished by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, financed by bonds backed by tolls. U.S. Representative Melissa Hart got the bill.passed and Bush signed it. I would like for you to come to Pennsylvania to examine the disasterville of highways. You would have to do separate videos on Philly and Pittsburgh, with a special segment on the lunacy that is the Breezewood interchange.

[@evanjones6365]

Finally someone else says it I live in Ohio 40 minutes from Pittsburgh and it's the most dreaded part of my summer because of concerts lmao

[@deeznutz32108]

@@evanjones6365 East Palestine?

[@evanjones6365]

@@deeznutz32108 Steubenville, about 40 minutes from East Palestine as well

[@deeznutz32108]

@@evanjones6365 Oh ok

[@UserName-ts3sp]

i love pittsburgh but driving through there is an absolute nightmare

[@deviouslaw]

I really can't wait for the I-42 to be complete further east. I'll be happy when I don't have to stop at every light trying to get through Havelock.

[@geographyamir7983]

I would most like to see I-685 from N.C. 16 to U.S.74/U.S.76 as I-46 with auxiliary routes: I-146 as a spur to Apex, and I-346 as a spur to Jacksonville.

[@kiefferciullo8561]

There is a lot of development between Dillsboro and Whittier on the Smoky Mountain Expressway between exits 74 and 81. They would have to move all of those businesses before making it an interstate highway.

[@mikenixon7791]

Very informative video, thanks! A pet peeve, in Nantahala the 1st A is short, like banana, and the 3rd A is long like stake.

[@danielponder690]

Hello Mike! I live in NC and was wondering the same thing. Just seems ridiculous at times and all the dang exits were renumbered in Durham and Winston Salem which really confuses me. Thanks for the informative video!

[@garand70]

Currently living in Western NC. People have been fighting for and against upgrading corridor K for decades. Also still waiting for the new portions of US19 to receive official I26 designation. Still signed as Future I26. Tennessee fought hard for that section to be built. Then again, Raleigh seems to think NC ends at I77

[@willn703]

I remember when I795 opened and was being worked on. My dad's family is in the New Bern/Havelock area, so we drive on it when traveling to and from.

[@Dragonwolf920]

I-87 is doing wonder for my home town of Elizabeth City, we have a lot of new building being bulit because of it and finally got a new hospital being built to replace our old one from the 60s, it use to be that any from northeastern MC would have to be flown to VA for advanced treatment but we are finally get our one facility. Between 2003 to 2017 there was little being built but once they announced the interstate the town is booming. They are building it mainly to facilitate economic growth for our smaller towns, and to give a more direct path to the smaller areas from the ports of norfolk

[@chriswill6322]

First time hearing about the proposed 685. That's gonna be interesting.

[@chrisalley6282]

It should follow 421/87 from Greensboro through Sanford, Ft Bragg, and Fayetteville down to Wilmington

[@dinordo]

Great video.

[@VinsonMusic]

17:20 The map from 1962 is fascinating. Imagine Atlanta with only 20 west and 75 and 85 north, but nothing to the south and east. That would be absurd, but that’s what this map has for Charlotte. Here’s my speculation. While Georgia had one clearly dominant city in the center of the state, at this point did NC have several equally powerful urban centers vying for resources?

[@willp.8120]

Atlanta isn't in the center of the state. It's in the northern half.

[@Mike-rx5uu]

Even weirder, Raleigh didn't have an interstate at all!

[@KryptekTomahawk]

I along with others in my firm are currently designing portions of a few of these routes!

[@tomasmowery164]

I wrote an I 87 concept with converting the Garden State Parkway to I-87 in New Jersey with the existing Route in Manhattan to become I-387 and building a massive bridge over the Delaware Bay like Lake Pontchartrain but have a section in the middle to be a wider Chesapeake Bay Bridge so ships can pass through. Then linking the Route to US 113 South for 27 miles before building it parallel to US 13 until 6 miles from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Then it will use the existing I-64 before turning on US 17 and keep using US 17 with a couple of bypasses that NCDOT either is building or have build and have the interstate end with I-95 in Savannah, Georgia.

[@Loki1701e]

I remeber the i73 and i74 corridors from nc to sc changed every few years untill it stopped completly at the wierd brunswick alingment proposal. Goes to say north carolina has given up on a interstate connecter from SE NC to charleston/myrtle beach.

[@1979RoadFan]

My dad was stationed at Camp LeJune from 1986-1991. I remember well our family going to Raleigh, going through every small town along the way. NCDOT finished I-40 from Raleigh to Wilmington, which was great. I have been back to NC in recent years, and I like the progressive view of building infrastructure before the population increases.

[@EricMauney900]

Great video!!!

[@reginaldoppenheimer334]

885 in Durham was Manna from Heaven ! Love your videos Mike !

[@pancake7408]

I live in between Clayton/Smithfield and frequently use I-42. NC has a lot of construction, they're widening 40 from 440 in Raleigh down through my area. They're throwing everything under construction currently lol

[@Dougc3157]

Good video, I have to say that the interstate system in NC is amazing. I haven't been in NC in years, and now have friends who moved to waxhaw NC. The interstate system is unreal, with so much space for all these roads. Coming from NJ the roads are great, but the traffic is awful in the Charlotte area even with all these highways. I believe that route 220 is going to become another interstate highway, we noticed signage last fall on our way down to NC. Good job on the video, keep up the good work. Will interstate 77 ever get done, it seems like an endless nightmare.

[@ChristopherBerrios]

If they Green Light tolls on 77 south to the SC state line, that's going to be nuts. What's crazy is that they might actually finish that before I-295/76 in NJ(I was back home in Feb) to put things into perspective.

[@reedermh]

I would also like to see 74 get completed. My SO and I have plans to visit Myrtle Beach someday, and we would fly into Charlotte, spend a night there before seeing the Billy Graham Museum, then traveling to Myrtle Beach from there.

[@quinnparks413]

i live in yadkin county bout a mie from interstate 77 and use 67 and 421 alot. i just love learning bout my state

[@retiredcolonel6492]

I live in Iredell County north of Charlotte. I retired here after the Army. In the 90’s I had a military job in which I had to visit military bases in North Carolina monthly. Our base was in Portsmouth and it was all back roads. There were no big highways running north and south except 95. It was a pain…cotton trailers, combines, logging trucks and a million small towns meant that you couldn’t go more than 55 in any long stretch. Still difficult going from Charlotte to Fort Bragg. Looks like this may be finally improving.

[@johnnyjohnz1992]

Excellent video

[@HazyTom]

Definitely need to finish I-74 to the coast. It would probably be cheaper for the state to buy out the Monroe by-pass and make it part of the interstate. Charlotte has been on the bottom of NCDOT for so long, when they finally upgrade a road, it's already outdated. Yet in the eastern part of the state, and specifically Rocky Mount, there is a 4 lane road in the middle of nowhere,

[@jesselee5835]

I'm just north of Asheville, so the I-26 connector project would be great. Looks like it's still happening but it's a tall order: Widening 26/240 from 4-6 lanes, reconfiguring the junction at I-240 and current Future I-26 (HWY 19/23) north of Asheville, and the big one, building a new bridge over the French Broad River to directly connect the two parts of I-26.

[@richardcoronado4081]

I am from eastern NC which is mainly an agricultural region and to see these new interstates being constructed will definitely change the economic la ndscape of the area. NC has great wildlife and that, to me, is a big concern besides the positives of it.

[@jlpack62]

NC540 toll road runs to the west side of Raleigh, not to the east. The northern arc is the part that's I-540.

[@bobbyswanson3498]

it’s insane nc isn’t doing this type of work with passenger rail instead. moves a lot more people a lot faster and a lot more efficiently

[@PokeTube]

Highways are so much better.

[@bobbyswanson3498]

@@PokeTube says no one but truck owners

[@jackblakesley2103]

They're building the 540 loop in what was my mom's front yard and they're moving QUICK, one of the foreman's told me they were about eight days ahead of schedule not too long ago. I can't wait for it's completion, the time to get to RDU would be halved and it would shave a good 30 mins off a trip to Wilmington.

[@sickofguysnamedtodd2293]

And it would hopefully alleviate that nightmare of traffic on 40 from Cary to Clayton.

[@louisianagator95]

​@@sickofguysnamedtodd2293 commuting from just off the bypass in Clayton to off of 1 in Apex is a nightmare currently, 540 would be well worth the toll fees to shave 20 minutes between less traffic and higher speed limits

[@redwolf68123]

I42 Project we are working on Getting the Clayton to Smithfield segment upgraded to Interstate standards now and after we finish that work is planed to start for Smithfield to Goldsboro Segment

[@chuckdraper7776]

I'm interested in I-685 and when they're looking to start and complete it. Or if it's just a pipe dream.

[@edwardpearce1138]

I am not a fan of the proposals for I-87 either. If they need a route connecting Raleigh to Tidewater/Hampton Roads let it follow 64 to Rocky Mount, then cut over to NC-11 near Oak City, then meet up with US-13 going in to Suffolk. It would be a lot closer, faster, and cheaper to build and maintain. As US-17 has been upgraded in the past in the Albemarle, local businesses have suffered, and I don't see improving with Interstate status.

[@bwill357]

As someone who drives to the hampton roads area often i 87 is interesting but i really think upgrading rt58 in va and adding capacity to 95 and 85 is a much more efficient option

[@davidtosh7200]

I heard that US-74 and portions of I-74 become future I-38 between I-26 near Columbus North Carolina to Wilmington North Carolina.

[@charlesvickers4804]

When they going to link the few short gaps in the rail system that can link VA beach all the way to Jacksonville FL. The gaps in NC is all that stops rail tourism along all the coastal arias.. an Amtrak tourist route could take a lot of stress off the I 95 since the top end at VA beach already has Amtrak service access to most all New England and the mid west

[@mw4mpr]

I-77 from Mooresville to Charlotte has the dumbest idea for toll lanes. Everyone in the "poor" lanes as I call them gets to make the 25 mile trek in 40 minutes during rush hour. As the traffic gets more dense, the toll lanes charge more, AT EACH EXIT!. What a racket!! I recently read the company operating the toll lanes put in a bid to operate them for the next 50 YEARS!!!!!!! That's thievery of the highest proportions.

[@jameslrouse]

Growth /speed. I87 is so needed for commutes commuting into Raleigh.

[@mfarhanjamal]

Recently North Carolina proposed designating US-421 from I-40 in Winston-Salem to NC-268 in Wikesboro as yet another future Interstate

[@stevencarver-fd8ii]

17:35 Looking at this map, once this is completed I sincerely hope they connect: Wilmington directly to Norfolk, going through Jacksonville and New Bern with a spur connecting Greenville to New Bern and Nags Head; maybe a direct connection between Charlotte and Raleigh splitting off halfway through and connecting Charlotte and Fayetteville; and lastly maybe extending whatever that is going west from Winston and send it towards I-81 in Johnson City, TN. Unless it’s just too mountainous. Maybe also something going from Elizabeth City going due west connecting them to I-95 going North and I-85 going South. I’m from Durham but would really like to see Eastern North Carolina grow and develop.

[@AdaptiveApeHybrid]

I love this channel

[@sodacitynative1983]

I agree they really to do something to their infrastructure in Charlotte because I-77 going into downtown area is horrible especially congestion on weekdays including Friday afternoon and weekends

[@samseddmedia]

The route I'd prioritize building is the Winston-Salem Beltway. US 52 in Winston-Salem is ALWAYS clogged with traffic during rush hour, and it would help if there was an extension on the Southwest section could be extended all the way to US 52 south of Winston-Salem.

[@cheflos]

NC is crazy, i dont see many of these places actually needing so much road. And their numbering options are horrible. An odd number for a mostly east-west route and I-74 is so off grid when it comes to the number. It’ll never connect to the one from Cincinnati to the quad cities. There are so many numbers between 40 and 64 to choose from.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

Agree.

[@UserName-ts3sp]

I-36 would make more sense. but they’re trying to plan a connection to 74 in cincinnati. it’ll never happen though

[@RedPorch]

NC is one of the fastest growing states in the country and is trying to prepare for that.

[@BologneseJones]

Not sure but it didn't sound like you live in NC due years. NC is mostly rural small town and people are moving here in droves. More roads are needed to handle congestion

[@kathyputman5160]

one of the reasons east coasters need a new interstate into virginia is hwy 52 at fancy Gap, a very treacherous road to travel. I last went from fayetteville along back roads to asheville to pick up 77 instead when going to cleveland.

[@paulblichmann2791]

Every Friday in central NC = gridlocked highways as everybody goes to the beach

[@davidtosh7200]

There is going to be I-785 from Greensboro North Carolina to Danville Virginia.

[@daninraleigh]

Fascinating video. I really appreciate this and would like to hear more. I do have a couple of comments. 1. Right on with the US 70 confusion! I still get tripped up trying to figure out which exit to take for 70. 2. I don't understand the comment, "I-40 is rarely congested in Eastern North Carolina" I drive I-40 nearly every day, and while I don't think it is quite as bad as like the Garden Grove Freeway the only reason it isn't is because literally everyone I talk to HATES I-40 and they take other routes. Just get on I-40 northbound on Sunday afternoon, leaving Wilmington. 3. I like the meandering route of 87. I drive this way for work, and I can see the advantage of better access to these small towns. Also, I-95 is getting too congested and the speed limit is too low. I've been told by long-time residents that there is no reason for someone from NC to be on I-95. The majority of cars I see are most definitely out of state.

[@focusstrider2390]

NC is not changing I-540 to I-640 after the beltway is completed. It will remain I-540 and NC toll 540. So, I-640 will be free until either the tolls are paid off or.... something strange happens. I do agree with you about the I-685 routing. It should start from I-85 and go to I-295 in Fayetteville, not what they're planning right now because there is no direct interstate link between Greensboro and Fayetteville. Ditto about I-87 too. I don't understand why it is assigned that number instead of I-46 or something like that.

[@OffensiveMiddleFinger]

Honestly i would rather I-20 get extended to Wilmington, NC to get the transcontinental highway to a coastline

[@nickzz12]

They should take 20 to Myrtle and 74 to Wilmington. Upgrade us17 to limited access from myrtle to Wilmington

[@idriveastationwagon1534]

On a map, I-20 to Wilmington makes sense. Florence, Myrtle beach, and Wilmington are on the same line pretty much.

[@cheflos]

Make it replace most of I-74 to make it actually fit the grid

[@washuotaku]

Probably, but South Carolina would need to be on-board for this and they are clearly not. Does not matter because NCDOT has dropped the idea.

[@idriveastationwagon1534]

@@washuotaku seem like SC needs convincing that a freeway from Columbia/Florence to Myrtle beach is a good idea.

[@jamesglenos3174]

Great video

[@MileageMike485]

Thanks!

[@jss27560]

Based on my current travels out of Ashville i40 and i26 (once finished with the upgrades) I would like a better way to get to Charlotte and Asheburo and the completion of i73 to VA or us220 to VA as I often go to visit family up along the border with VA. I didn’t really see mentioned but I95, do I need to say more? Future-proofing the highway system is important because it’s much more expensive to build after the population surges. I used to live in MD and they finished MD200 (ICC) at a low cost of $2.56 billion for 18.8 (30.3km)

[@charlesvaughan3517]

We definitely need a more direct route to Charlotte. It is ridiculous that you currently have to go either straight east then south or straight south then east. I bet it would cut an hour off the 2 1/2 drive

[@davidtosh7200]

I heard that NC-42 will change to NC-36 recently. Future NC-36 will cover about 200 miles in length, from Asheboro , which is south of Greensboro to east of Rocky Mount in North Carolina. Since North Carolina can’t have both future I-42 and NC-42 and it will violate the AASHTO rules, especially in Clayton North Carolina.

[@donavanjohnson409]

Wow north Carolina must be planning new highways

[@Mike-rx5uu]

I think the only line on the map you didn't cover is the line that is currently 321 from Hickory (I40) to Gastonia (I85). Its currently 4 lanes and I believe basically up to interstate standards most of the way, so that shouldn't be too tough. When it gets close to I85 it gets some direct access from businesses and side roads, but otherwise its pretty decent.

[@yesorlando05]

Great point!

[@mfarhanjamal]

Great opportunity to tell you about 421 from 268 in Wikesboro to 40 in Winston-Salem which has been approved as a future Interstate

[@CaptAztek1001]

I wonder if US 421 to Wilkesboro will eventually become a spur of I-77 one day. Perhaps I-177.

[@drtee51]

It will be interesting to see in what order the parts of I-42 get completed. Goldsboro now has two bypasses, while Kinston still has that bypass-in-name-only, wilth all those businesses. Also, which of those manifestations of US 70 around Smithfield will become the real one? The current real US 70 doesn't even interchange directly with I-95. And how will the eastern end of 42 work, as it gets near Morehead City? Will it just dump traffic out on the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway? It'll be interesting to see.

[@wesmorgan7729]

As a Virginian, you're right VA doesn't like to build highways. It's a vestige from the Byrd Rule, "pay as you go."

[@brianleeper5737]

That's not strictly true. VA likes to build highways...but only when Federal money is involved (or if a county takes out a bond to build a road, like Prince William County did to build the Prince William County Parkway and probably also the 234 bypass). But as far as state dollars are concerned? That wallet can't be pried open with even the biggest prybar.

[@williamlabarre4755]

And in many cases, PAYG has been replaced with "Let the Contractors Pay (Express Lanes)"