Where:     US 220 from I-40/85 Greensboro Bypass, Guilford County to intersection of Proposed US 311 Freeway near Sophia, Randolph County Length:       17 Miles Signed As:  ,  Needed:  Upgrade to Interstate Standards

I-73 will use the US 220 freeway south from the Greensboro Urban Loop and proceed toward Asheboro. When the new US 220, I-73/74 freeway south of Asheboro (Segment 9) was completed and signed in 1997, this segment of highway received Future I-73 signage with shields first appearing as far north as the US 220 freeway's start at I-40 exit 218 in Greensboro (since, officially now, I-73 joins I-40 now on the Southwestern part of the Loop around Greensboro, these future I-73 shields appearing farther north on US 220 should be taken down, but have not as of May 2008). The highway itself, especially the width of its left and right shoulders, is not far from interstate standards, in fact, in design it is similar to the existing US 220 freeway from Steed to Candor which got Interstate 73 and 74 signs in 1997. According to the 2009-2015 STIP the upgrade of this section of highway is an Unfunded Interstate Project, No. I-4921.* (1) The upgrading is scheduled to take place 'post-years' or beyond 2015 after the project to upgrade US 220 through Asheboro is completed (see I-73 Segment 8/I-74 Segment 9). (2)  NCDOT officials have indicated they may apply to the FHWA for a waiver to allow the segment to be signed as an interstate at that time (not probably before 2013). (3) In the last couple years NCDOT has put up Future Interstate 73 sign assemblies at US 220 on-ramps in Randolph county (see below), but none have appeared, farther north in Guilford County toward Greensboro. During the Summer of 2002 there was a construction project rehabilitating the roadway and shoulders of US 220 in Guilford County, unknown whether this is related to I-73, but the right shoulders were widened and new guardrails installed.

The first I-73 overhead sign on US 220 north, seen approaching the Greensboro Outer Loop (3/16/08).

I-73 currently exits off of itself since the route is using US 220 exit numbers. I-73 currently does not join the Greensboro Loop until after I-85 leaves, it shares a C/D ramp with vehicles wanting to exit at Groometown Road. (3/16/08)

For a list of exits for this segment, go here.

* Technically, a route designated a future interstate but without specific funding for upgrading the highway to Interstate Standards cannot be be marked with future interstate shields, as I-73 is. The signing though was part of the deal to get I-73 signed south of Rockingham. For that section to be signed the route had to connect to another interstate highway, hence the future I-73 (and I-74) shields were put up to connect this section to I-40 in Greensboro. For many years NCDOT had a feasibility study funded to look into upgrading US 220 which may have met FHWA's rules at the time.

Sources: NC Transportation Map 2001,  Former NCRoads.com website I-73 page, text available at: http://members.cox.net/ncroads/interst/ih073.html.
(1) NCDOT. June 2008. State Transportation Improvement Program, 2009-2015, Division 7, p. 7-15. 
(2) Young, Samantha. 2004. "U.S. 220 Project Would Get $6.6 Million from Bill." Asheboro Courier-Tribune. April 3.
(3) Walker, J.D. 2004. "Road Events Big for 2008." The Courier-Tribune (Asheboro, NC). August 28.

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