Where:     South of I-85 near Archdale to US 220, near Sophia, Randolph County Length:     13 Miles Needed:    Finish Constructing New Freeway Current Highway signed:  Estimated Completion Date: May 2011 for First Section

I-74 will continue on a new freeway from south of I-85 near current Exit 113 in Archdale to US 220 (I-73) near Sophia, north of Asheboro, connecting to US 220 south of the current US 311 interchange along a path approximated by the red dashed line in the map above. When this specific route was chosen in 1997 it disappointed many citizens and government officials in the area since the route cuts a 1000 foot wide path directly through the city of Sophia before meeting US 220. Despite many objections, NCDOT chose this route, designated Corridor C, rather than the Corridor AA route prefered by the public at June 1997 hearings, because it cost $7 million less, avoided a complicated interchange with US 220 (I-73), and would send the least amount of pollution to the future Randleman Reservoir, preventing potential environmental problems. (1, 2) The project is listed in the Draft 2009-2015 NCDOT STIP as Number R-2606. (3) Right-of-Way acquisition started on the western part of the route in 2003, with a total cost projected at $17.5 million. Construction on the first section, $28.5 million of the total construction cost estimated at $177 million, started on May 29, 2007 (see below). (4)  This section will feature an interchange at Cedar Square Road (listed in contract documents as Exit 79) which will be the temporary end of I-74 while the other segments are still under construction. US 311 will be temporarily routed along Cedar Square road back to its current alignment. The US 311 route from there westward (northward) will be redesignated US 311 Business. (5) The next two segments totalling 7.9 miles will be built as design-build projects to be let in July 2008 and construction to start a month later. There will be an exit for current US 311 in Sophia and the interchange with US 220 along this segment. (6)

This segment has been dubbed the "Missing Link" by the I-74 Piedmont Corridor Group (PCG), an organization of business people, transportation officials, and others lobbying to complete I-74. They created the term in 2003 to call attention to what they saw as NCDOT's too drawn-out segmented plan to complete this portion of the highway, long after many other sections of I-74 were then scheduled to be built.  The PGC hoped to put enough pressure on NCDOT to move up its construction timetable for the entire section to match work starting on Segment 6 to the west. Starting both projects at once, supporters said, would be more efficient. (7) This effort seems to have eventually paid off. While start of construction was delayed from October 2006 to May 2007, work on the first part, 5.3 miles from south of I-85 near Archdale to north of Spencer Road (SR 1929) in Glenola,(8) will began at the same time as work was started on the remaining section of Segment 6. (9)  Here's some photos of construction so far for the I-85/I-74 and NC 62 interchange:

Road grading is proceeding just south of I-85 and east of NC 62. Taken from road which will be split by the new interstate (2/23/08)

A completed bridge pier can be seen in the distance, perhaps part of a flyover ramp from I-74 West to I-85 South (2/23/08)

            Looking eastbound at the clearing being done for the interchange, September 2007.

Here's the view approaching the construction area on I-85 North, lanes are restricted in the area from 3 to 2,
September 2007.

Here's a view of more land clearing a couple miles east of I-85.

Also, whereas earlier plans called for the proposed letting for the next part of the highway, 5.6 miles from Spencer Road to the current US 311 west of Sophia, not to occur until after 2012 and the final part, 2.3 miles from current US 311 to US 220 through Sophia not to begin a couple years after that (10), the new STIP indicates most of the funds will be borrowed under the Garvee Bond Program to expedite work on the next two sections starting in the latter half of 2008. These borrowed funds ($112 million) would then be paid back out of the highway fund accounts through 2019. (3) The first section then should be completed by 2011 and the entire segment may be finished by 2012. 

A summary of construction through May 2008 (11):
Baker Rd. - Much clearing has done at the location. They may have to alter this intersection as it falls within the right-of-way and may want to keep the road open if other roads are closed in the area.
 
Jackson Lake Rd. - Piers for the bridge over this road have been put in. Covered detour signs have been put up meaning the road may be closed to build the bridge where I-74 will cross.
 
Kersey Valley Rd. - Work on excavating the road for the bridge hasn't made much progress since last fall.  The road itself is closed and Dresden Road is used as a detour.  There may be two Dresden Roads constructed as service roads for the homes along the "old" Dresden Rd. 
 
The 311 - I-85 interchange. Footings for bridge structures are under construction, one being already complete (see photo above.
 
Tuttle Rd. - A large concrete footing has been poured with more to take place as part of a major reconstruction of this road across I-74/US 311.  Fill for the roadway has been placed up to the western edge of where the bridge will be placed.

NC 62's ramp to I-85 has been closed and fill is being placed on both sides of I-85 in anticipation of detours needed to construct the bridge over the new I-74 freeway.

Comment: After this section of freeway is built to replace US 311, decommission this intrastate US route which doesn't meet current AASHTO U.S. Route guidelines (at least 200 miles long, in more than 1 state). The section north of I-40 (not along I-74's route) could be NC 311.

Here's a map from the Greensboro News & Record showing the new sections of I-74 under construction:

If anyone is willing to share other photos from the roads in the vicinity of this segment, feel free to E-mail me.

Sources: NC Transportation Map 2001.
(1) Hall, Tony. 1997. "I-74 Coming to a Town Where It's Not Welcome." News & Record (Greensboro, NC). Sept. 27: B1.
(2) Muschick, Paul. 1999. "Route for 311 Bypass to be Unveiled in Randleman." News & Record (Greensboro, NC). August 9.
(3) NCDOT. Nov. 2007. State Transportation Improvement Program, Draft, 2009-2015, Division 8, p. 8-24. 
(4) NCDOT. 2007. Construction Progress Report, Contract C201715,  Downloaded May 29, 2007.
(5) NCDOT. 2006. Contract Documents, NCDOT Signing Section, Contract C201296, Project R-0609-A. Downloaded from link at: http://dotw-xfer01.dot. state.nc.us/dsplan/2007%20Highway%20Lettings/4-17-2007/ on 2/23/07.
(6) NCDOT. 2008. "R-2606B Timeline for Design-Build Team Selection Process." NCDOT Construction Unit, Design-Build web page, accessed 2/14/08.
(7)  Kimbrough, Pat. 2003. "Randolph Leaders Lobby State for I-74." High Point (NC) Enterprise. Dec. 1.
(8) NCDOT. 2007. Program Development Branch. "12 Month Tentative Letting List for April 17, 2007" (Typically construction projects are approved and/or start a month after the project is let, this project is to start the last week in May).
(9) Dominello, Amy. 2005. "U.S. 311 Bypass Work Delayed." News & Record (Greensboro, NC). May 2, downloaded from http://blog.news-record.com/staff/fastforward/archives/2005/05/from_sundays_pa.html, Oct. 1.
(10) NCDOT. Sept. 2004. R-2606 Project Breakdown Map.
(11) Information from e-mails from Bill Travers 3/6/08, 5/23/08.

US 311 shield courtesy of David R. Kendrick's Shield's Up!