Where:   US 220 Bypass Freeway from US 220A near Emery, Montgomery County to South of SR 1448, near Ellerbe, Richmond County Length:   17 Miles  Status : Completed Completion Date: January 7, 2008 Route Signed as:

The newest section of I-73 and I-74 to open on January 7, 2008 was initially planned as the extension of the US 220 bypass freeway route from it's previous end near Candor to about a 1/2 mile south of Ellerbe. The previous US 220 in this stretch was a congested 2-lane highway that passed through the towns of Norman and Ellerbe, and was one of the last 2-lane stretches of US 220 in the state. The new freeway parallels the old route mostly to the east (see map above, an updated one to come). The contract for construction on this project (No. I-2231) was let in August 2003 to BMCO Construction Inc. with a cost of $65 million. The project was actually split into two contracts, with one covering construction the portion from where NC 73 will intersect US 220 south of Norman to the existing I-73/74 freeway and the other from NC 73 connecting to the existing 4-lane US 220 south of Ellerbe. Construction of the new highway began in September 2003. The entire freeway was scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2006, but apparently there were some problems with the contractor, especially building the southern end of project. NCDOT had indicated in 2006 that the freeway would not open until both sections were completed. (1) While much of the northern part was technically complete in early 2007, the southern stretch, particularly south of the future interchange with the 'NC 73 Extension' east of Ellerbe was still only graded in the spring, with asphalt only placed north of this interchange. An NCDOT official indicated at the end of March 2007 that the contractor had run out of money and had been taken over by the firm's bonding company.(2) The project resumed in May 2007 with new completion date of December 31, 2007, (later pushed back to early January 2008). The final asphalt was put down by the end of December thanks to unusually dry and warm weather conditions.  For some construction photos taken before the route opened in July of 2006 and March, August and December of 2007, see below. Signage along the route indicates the highway is designated US 220/Future I-73/Future I-74, not as a full interstate. Exit numbers run from 24 at Alternate US 220 near Emery to Exit 8 for Business US 220 south of Ellerbe.  The route is signed as 'Future I-73/I-74' even though it connects to a full interstate at one end. It may be because the existing I-73/74 section still needs to be upgraded to interstate standards, and perhaps the FHWA refused a full interstate designation until that route is improved, now scheduled for 2011.

The old alignment of US 220 in this area is to be designated Alternate US 220 in the north and US 220 Business at the southern end (where the designations will change is currently unknown), and as of January 2008 still has several signs designating it as a "Future I-73 and I-74 Corridor," which is now more than slightly misleading. These signs were put up in 2000.(3) NCDOT's plans for NC 73 are also still not completely known. A contract, No. R-3303 which was publicized as extending the future path of NC 73 2 miles east from its current intersection with US 220 to the new freeway cost $5 million to build and was completed on October 22, 2006. This resulted apparently in plans for I-73 and NC 73 to share the same roadway for several miles from the intersection with the new extension north to the crossing of the existing NC 73 highway when the US 220 freeway was open. (4) However recent signage put in place implies only the northern exit will be NC 73 and that NC 73 will not use the freeway, maybe the southern exit for the 'NC 73 Extension' will rather be for the beginning of Alternate US 220 which does not have an apparent end point given the last exit south of Ellerbe is for Business 220. A newspaper article touting the opening of the highway however, listed seperate exits for NC 73 West and East. (5) In May 2006 a group of Ellerbe area officials set up a committee on how to encourage travelers to keep visiting local produce stands and area attractions along current US 220 after Interstate 73/74 opens to traffic. (6)

Photos taken both after completion and during construction:

 

Typical Junction signage approaching the new bypass (at the NC 73 interchange) January 2008.

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Signage closer to the interchange itself, notice the signage with the control cities does not include I-73/74

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View I could get looking north from the interchange for the new road extending from NC 73 at current US 220 showing progress on building the future I-73/74/US 220 roadbed in December 2007, since March asphalt or additional asphalt has been added to the roadbed. What was called the NC 73 extension was completed in October 2006, however this appears to not be the road's designation. The signage in the distance seen through binoculars only includes route shields for US 220 and Future I-73 and I-74, no mention of NC 73.

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Signage since put up for the exit for 'Millstone Road' only contains 'To West NC 73' signs on the northbound on-ramp and the west-bound road itself, the rest area refers to the one at the NC 73 former US 220 intersection a couple miles west.

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The ramp at the from US 220/NC 73 interchange shows NC 73 along its pre-existing alignment and not using the new freeway. (Jan. 2008)

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More signage at the Millstone Road interchange, no evidence of NC 73 signs. (January 2008)

Here's a view from the bridge showing the signposts in place at the exit ramps awaiting their route shields, August 2007.

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Here's the view in January with the route open and the shields attached.

View looking south from Tabernacle Church Road bridge showing where former US 220 (now Alternate US 220) will cross the freeway, at the bridge in the distance. (August 2007). There will be no direct interchange at US 220, traffic will use the interchange two miles to the north or take Tabernacle Church Road for access (on and off ramps can partially be seen in front of the trees on both sides of the highway).

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The junction assembly approaching the Tabernacle Church Road interchange (Jan. 2008).

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Future I-73/74 US 220 signage along the roadway that was put up in September 2007, apparently, for now the route will be marked as a Future Interstate, unclear as to the reason, maybe due to the section to the north being not up to interstate standards despite it being signed I-73/74 (Photo courtesy of Adam Prince).

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The first new exit sign for the Bypass going south is Exit 24, Alternate 220, this is where the US 220 freeway used to end (and according to the signs still up I-73 and I-74 end)

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Six miles further down the Bypass is the exit for the first town the new freeway bypasses, Norman (2/23/08)

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Continuing Southbound near Ellerbe, another example of the route signage after each exit. (2/23/08)

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The last exit on the Bypass, as seen through a slight rain shower is for Business 220. It is unclear where Business US 220 ends and Alternate US 220 Begins (2/23/08)

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After the Business 220 Exit the Bypass joins the original US 220 and Future I-73/74 ends (though you woulnd't know it with the signs at the Southbound ramp). The next 3 miles or so will be upgraded to interstate standards as part of the Rockingham Bypass project. (2/23/08)

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Corridor signage that was placed near the former southern intersection of US 220 and NC 73 in 2002. Construction of the extension road from NC 73 to the east of this intersection is behind the camera, at least for now it is not signed as NC 73. These corridor signs were still up (and US 220 signage not changed) as of January 2008. Photo courtesy if Adam Prince, for more photos go HERE.

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Sources: North Carolina State Transportation Map, 2008.
(1) Winston-Salem Journal. 2006. SAM, the Straight Answer Man Column. May 25. Quoting NCDOT Division Engineer Tim Johnson.
(2) MacCallum, Tom. 2007. "Work on Bypass to Resume." Richmond County Daily Journal. March 28. Dowloaded April 23 from http://www.yourdailyjournal.com/ articles/2007/03/29/news/top_story.html
(3) Former NCRoads website I-74 page. Text available at: http://members.cox.net/ncroads/interst/ih074.html
(4) NCDOT. 2006. Construction Progress Report, Contract C201358, information downloaded November 7 from http://apps.dot.state.nc.us/constructionunit/proglocreport/ProgLocSearch.aspx.
(5) MacCallum, Tom. 2008. "Ellerbe Bypass Opens After Years of Construction." Richmond County Daily Journal. January 8. Downloaded from: http://www.yourdailyjournal.com/articles/2008/01/08/news/top_story January 8.
(6) Southern Pines Pilot. 2006. "On the Farm: Mixing Agriculture and Tourism. Southern Pines (NC) Pilot. May 14.

I-73, I-74 shields courtesy of David R. Kendrick's Shield's Up!.
US 220, Future I-73/I-74 sign photo courtesy of Adam Prince.