Segment 11 /   Segment 12

 Where:   US 220, Rockingham Bypass

Length:   Approx. 10 Miles

Needed:   Upgrade Current Highway to Interstate Standards and Construct New Highway

Current Route Signed as: 

Project to Start: After 2015
 

NCDOT plans to build a US 220 bypass west of Rockingham, listed as a Four Lane Divided highway in the 2009-2015 STIP. I-73 and I-74 are planned to be routed on this bypass. Under this unfunded project, listed as No. R-3421, $14.4 million has been allotted for Right-of-Way acquisition which has started along the existing US 74 section, the remainder starting in 2011. Construction, at an estimated cost of around $200 million, is scheduled for after 2015. (1) According to a July 2002 NCDOT Press Release, the project also includes upgrading US 220 north of the bypass to the southern end of the Ellerbe Bypass freeway (I-73 Segment 10/I-74 Segment 11). (2) The STIP lists the new highway as about 10.5 miles in length, the final 4 or so miles of current US 220 would be upgraded as the last part of the project. The Bypass is to start at the US 74 Rockingham Bypass near the SR 1109 (Mount Zion Road). If the new agreement with South Carolina goes as planned on routing I-73, I-73 and I-74 will then share the US 74 Bypass going west to near NC 38 where a new freeway will be built south to the SC state line (see I-73 Segment 12).  NCDOT plans to lobby the Federal Highway Administration to have the existing four-lane section of US 220 designated Business I-74 when the bypass is complete. (3)

In 2000 a couple Future I-73/74 corridor signs were put up along existing US 220 in this area (see below). In July 2002 a Formal Design Public Hearing was held on the campus of Richmond Community College to discuss the project. (2) 


View of US 220 looking south toward Rockingham. This is 3 miles south of where the Ellerbe bypass highway will connect back with current US 220 and where they plan to upgrade the road to an interstate. There are many businesses and driveways along the route that will complicate matters. (October 2005)

For additional photos of the area, click the one below:


Photo courtesy of Adam Prince

Sources: NC Transportation Map 2001.
(1) NCDOT. June 2008. State Transportation Improvement Program, 2009-2015, Division 8, p. 8-34.
(2) NCDOT. 2002. "NCDOT to Hold Open House and Formal Design Public Hearing on the Proposed US 220 Rockingham Bypass (I-73/74 Corridor) in Richmond County." Downloaded from http://www.ncdot.org/news/openhousepublichearing02_07.html August 8.
(3) NCDOT. December 2002. Secretary Tippett's Remarks to the Rockingham Rotary Club. December 2.

I-73, I-74 and US 220 shields courtesy of David R. Kendrick's Shield's Up!.