Everything about Interstate 74 totally explained
Interstate 74 (abbreviated
I-74) is an
interstate highway in the Midwestern and southeastern
United States. Its western end is at an intersection with
Interstate 80 in
Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with
Interstate 75 in
Cincinnati, Ohio. It also exists as several other disconnected sections of highways in
North Carolina (
see details); also see
List of gaps in Interstate Highways.
Route description
As of October 2007, Interstate 74 remains unbuilt in the state of
West Virginia. It is to be routed mostly along the current path of US 52, known as the
Tolsia Highway. WVDOT is currently upgrading the
Tolsia Highway to four lanes, but not to interstate standards.
Virginia
As of October 2006, Interstate 74 remains unbuilt in the state of
Virginia north of
Interstate 81 and unsigned along its designated path along
Interstate 77 south of
Wytheville to the North Carolina border.
North Carolina
In the state of
North Carolina, as of December 2007 a western segment of Interstate 74 runs from
Interstate 77 to
US 52 just south of
Mount Airy, again as the southern segment of
Interstate 73 and
U.S. Route 220 from just north of
Asheboro to south of
Candor, and finally a more southern segment running from
Laurinburg to a temporary end at NC 710 near
Pembroke.
Future
Southeast Extension
Long-range plans call for I-74 to continue east and south of Cincinnati to North Carolina using OH 32 from Cincinnati to Piketon, Ohio and then the proposed I-73 from Portsmouth through
West Virginia (along current
U.S. Route 52) to I-77. It would then follow I-77 through
Virginia into North Carolina where it would connect to highways already signed as I-74. In 1996 AASHTO approved the signing of highways as I-74 along its proposed path east (south) of I-81 in
Wytheville, Virginia where those highways meet interstate standards. North Carolina started putting up I-74 signs along its roadways in 1997.
Three sections of I-74 in North Carolina are currently under construction. One is the U.S. Route 74 freeway under construction from the end of the Laurinburg–Maxton Bypass to
Interstate 95 (19 miles) which is to be totally completed by the end of 2008, though a section from Maxton to NC 710 opened on
November 30,
2007. With this opening I-74 signage was extended east along the Laurinburg and Maxton bypasses. Completed January 7, 2008, the U.S. 220 bypass of Ellerbe (with I-73), is long but signs refer to "Future I-73" and "Future I-74". The final segment of the U.S. 311 Bypass of
High Point, North Carolina, which also will carry I-74 from Business Loop 85 to Interstate 85, started construction in May 2007. The same contract started work on the first of the I-74 freeway between I-85 and U.S. Route 220 (Future I-73), both projects should be complete by 2011. The proposed path of I-74 east of I-95 is further along US 74 to NC 211 near Bolton then south along
US 17 to near the
South Carolina border. These sections are not currently proposed to be built perhaps for another 20 to 30 years. The N.C. Turnpike Authority–at the request of officials in Brunswick County–are studying whether a toll road could get the section of I-74 in that county built faster.
On
February 11,
2005, the
North and
South Carolina Departments of Transportation came to an agreement over where I-74 (and I-73) would cross the border between the two states. It was decided that I-74 would cross the line as a northern extension of the
Carolina Bays Parkway (
S.C. Highway 31). I-74 is then proposed to end south of Myrtle Beach at
U.S. Route 17. A spur route, which is expected to be called
I-274, is proposed as the western half of the
Winston-Salem Northern Beltway (I-74 will run on the eastern half).
Around Laurinburg and
Maxton and to the east, the new I-74 runs concurrent with US 74. This is the first time that a U.S. and Interstate highway with the same number have been designated on the same highway.
Midwest extension
There is still some dispute over which routes will connect the existing stretches of I-74. Ohio has proposed that the stretch should run through the city of Cincinnati and from there either along
State Route 32 or
U.S. Route 52; while Kentucky officials want the road to begin in the west as part of a greater Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky bypass, then running along the
AA Highway from near
Brooksville, Kentucky until it joins I-64 near
Ashland, Kentucky.
Major intersections
Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa
Interstate 80 near Colona, Illinois
Interstate 55 in Bloomington, Illinois
Interstate 57 in Champaign, Illinois
Interstate 70 in Indianapolis, Indiana
Interstate 65 in Indianapolis, Indiana
Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio
Interstate 64 near Huntington, West Virginia (future)
Interstate 77 near Mount Airy, North Carolina
Interstate 40 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (future)
Interstate 73 near Asheboro, North Carolina, near Rockingham, North Carolina (future), near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (future)
Interstate 85 near High Point, North Carolina (future)
Interstate 95 near Lumberton, North Carolina (future)
Auxiliary routes
Peoria, Illinois - I-474
Winston-Salem, North Carolina - I-274 (planned)
Further Information
Get more info on 'Interstate 74'.
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