Where:     US 220 North of Vision Drive in Asheboro, to South of NC 134/US 220 Business near Ulah, Randolph County  Length:      Two projects that overlap one 8 Miles, other 10.1 miles Needed:     Upgrade to Interstate Standards Signed As:

The US 220 freeway through Asheboro received Future I-73 and I-74 signage when the new section of I-73/74 freeway south of Asheboro was completed in 1997. This segment of highway does not meet current interstate standards in that it features a narrow median, thin left and right shoulders, short merge lanes and left-side exits (for NC 42) (see photos below). (1) NCDOT revised and then delayed its plans to upgrade this portion of I-73/74 highway to Interstate status in 2007, to 2010, using in part federal funds from the 2005 SAFETEA-LU Transportation Act. (2) Originally project I-4407, covered both safety improvements and interchange redesign in this segment. Now only safety improvements are included in the project, covering 8 miles starting at NC 134/US Bus. 220 and proceeding northward 8 miles for an estimated cost of $22.8 million starting in July 2010 (work that was originally set to start in 2005) with a tentative end date some time in 2013. (3,4)  The interchange improvements are now a different project, I-5105 covering 10.1 miles, from NC 134 to 2 miles further north than the other project which includes 'geometric, operational, and safety improvements' with construction to start after 2015. Work would cost $345 million. (5) NCDOT officials thought they could get a waiver from the FHWA, once the original combined project was to completed around 2011, to sign the highway from Greensboro to Asheboro as a full interstate. Now with the extremely substandard exit ramps due to remain, this may not happen until whenever the interchange project is completed or perhaps when the I-74 freeway being constructed reaches US 220 in 2012. In 2001/2002 NCDOT also put up Future Interstate 73/74 sign assemblies near US 220 (see photo below), both near on-ramps and, in the case of US 64, at the intersection with Business US 220, a mile east. The first sign assembly going northbound on US 220 after the NC 134/Business 220 exit is currently wrong; it reads North Interstate 73 and West Future Interstate 74 (still hope to get a photo someday).

Intersection of US 64 West and US 220 (Future I-73/74), Asheboro. (Revised photo 6/26/09)

The BGS have not changed over the past ten years, still indicating only US 220. (6/25/09)

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The deficiencies of the US 220 freeway are clearly shown with the NC 42 Exit, which is a left lane exit going both directions

Approaching the exit heading north, note the thin median and narrow shoulders. (6/25/09)

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The left-side exit ramp heading north, notice cars proceeding down the southbound left-hand on-ramp, and old US 220 overhead signs. (6/25/09)

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Heading northbound toward the end of this segment after the NC 42 exit, showing again the narrow shoulders that need to be brought up to interstate standards. (6/25/09)

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A similar view heading south:

The substandard left-handed exit for NC 42 and old US 220 overhead signs. (11/8/09)

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The left-handed on-ramp heading southbound, one needs to accelarate in the left-hand land going uphill, not so safe. (11/8/09)

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The interchange with US 64/NC 49, shows how thin the medians are. The interchange is a cloverleaf with only minimal distance to accelerate or exit off to US 64 East. (11/8/09)

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The following, and last exit on this segment is McDowell Road, after McDowell the freeway starts more to resemble a modern interstate, and the speed limit goes back up to 65, the only deficiencies are the shoulders. (11/8/09)

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Heading back northbound, the deficient shoulders, maybe 5-6 feet, instead of 12 feet, can be seen the median might have to be expanded depending on whether this rates as an urban or rural interstate. (11/8/09)

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Heading back toward the extremely deficient section with the reduction of the speed limit to 55. (11/8/09)

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Another look at the substandard interchange with US 64/NC 49. Traffic using this ramp has to stop before entering US 64, because there are no merge lanes. (11/8/09)

For a list of exits in this segment, Go Here.

Sources: ADC North Carolina Road Atlas 1999, p. 61;
(1) Former NCRoads.com I-74 page, text available at: http://members.cox.net/ncroads/interst/ih074.html .
(2) Walker, J.D. 2004. "Road Events Big for 2008." The Courier-Tribune (Asheboro, NC). August 28.
(3) Young, Samantha. 2004. "U.S. 220 Project Would Get $6.6 Million from Bill." Asheboro Courier-Tribune. April 3.
(4) NCDOT. June 2008. State Transportation Improvement Program, 2009-2015, Division 8, p. 8-25. 
(5) NCDOT. June 2008. State Transportation Improvement Program, 2009-2015, Division 8, p. 8-25. 

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