Segment 6

Where:     US 311 High Point East Belt Bypass, North Main Street, High Point, to South of I-85, Guilford County

Length:     11 Miles

Needed:    Construct New Highway    (Two-Thirds Complete)

Completion Date for Final Part: May 2011 (Perhaps Earlier)

Completed Highway signed as:

I-74 will continue along US 311 on what is now referred to as the "East Belt" bypass of High Point. The project to build this segment (Number R-609) was broken up into three parts. (1) The first two parts are complete. Part one, from where US 311 originally left the freeway at Main Street (now Exit 65, Bus. 311) to NC 68, Eastchester Drive (photo below), almost 2 miles in length, was completed in 1997.  The second part, 4.5 miles from NC 68 to US 29/70 (Business Loop I-85), was opened on November 20, 2004 after a delay of nearly a year (2). Once this section was completed US 311 was re-routed along the completed bypass to Business 85. The exits on both parts were numbered originally on US 311 mileposts, but were renumbered in 2008 to I-74 based mileposts (for an I-74 exit list, go HERE), to match those put up at the same time on Segment 5. The newly opened section, like its older predecessor, appears to be up to interstate standards, however NCDOT has indicated that some parts are or will not be built to these standards initially. (3) Though some news reports have indicated NCDOT is not planning to sign the highway as I-74 until the freeway is completed to US 220 (I-73), (2) documents posted by NCDOT for the last section contract letting in late 2006 included detailed plans showing the placement of I-74 signage along the entire stretch of highway at the conclusion of the project. (4) Photos from the two complete sections are below. The Right-of Way acquisition phase for the last part (6.7 miles from Business 85 across I-85 to Tuttle Road, SR 1920 near Archdale) was delayed a year, to 2003, due to environmental concerns about the road's path being near the new Randleman Reservoir, a future drinking water source for Greensboro. (5,6) For the 2007 contract letting this segment was split further into smaller pieces with part of the contract (the piece a mile east of I-85 to Tuttle Road) assigned to the contract for the next segment (R-2606). The winning contractor, Blythe Construction put in a combined bid ($104 million) for both projects. Construction started on May 31, 2007 three years after first scheduled for 2004. (7) There was a ceremonial groundbreaking for the project on July 16, 2007, for the official press release go HERE. (8) According to the NCDOT press release indicating the contract was approved, the tentative completion date is May 2011 (the press release indicated the mileage for the entire project from Business 85 to Spencer Road was 6.4 miles, this was due to an error in the letting documents that indicated the distance was in kilometers, the NCDOT public affairs staff putting the release together dutifully translated the given distance of 10.2 'km'  back to miles). (9) As indicated in the 2009-2015 STIP, total costs for building this entire segment are now estimated at $242.8 million. (1) The I-85 interchange will be near the existing NC 62 exit, traffic will exit for both NC 62 (to be Exit 113A) and I-74/US 311 (Exits 113B and C) using the same exit ramp on I-85 south. (4) In May 2008 in anticipation of construction of the I-85 interchange they closed the ramp from NC 62 to I-85 South and have started putting fill in the area surrounding the interchange. I-74 will pass under I-85 so it will was necessary to build the C/D ramps for the future I-74 interchange first and then, in October 2008, place I-85 in both directions temporarily on these ramps so that bridges can be constructed for I-85 to go over I-74 without affecting traffic. (10) The new bridges appeared close to completion in September 2009. Because the construction progress is ahead of schedule, it is possible the route could be open, at least to I-85, before the anticipated May 2011 completion date.

Photos taken along the completed parts of the US 311 Bypass parts in 2004 (Segments 1 and 2):

 
Looking northbound on NC 68 at the US 311 (Future I-74) interchange. There is a sign assembly before the entrance ramp indicating a control city of Greensboro for US 311 South. (Winston-Salem is the control city northbound) (Photo taken November 21, 2004).


Photo shows progress on constructing the ramp from Kivett Drive in High Point to Future I-74 East (US 311 South) in October 2003. 


The US 311 Bypass (I-74) interchange and bridge over Kivett Drive in High Point almost a year later, the day after the bypass opened.  (November 21, 2004). 


Here' the unopened ramp from I-74 West/ US 311 North which leads to the current construction area (September 2007).

A summary of current construction (now 78% complete) on the remaining section through mid-September 2009 going west to east, with photos (from most recent to oldest) below (11):

Baker Rd. Bridge - The new road around the future bridge was completed in early June and is now open to traffic. Therefore they are just temporarily re-routing traffic to the north through the future highway right-of-way until the new bridge is completed. Work started on the bridge in July and as of the middle of November excavation of the roadbed had been completed along the support work needed for the bridge, all the steel supports having being added by early November:

The crane placing the support beams can be seen in the distance. (10/12/09)


Progress on the bridge in November. All the steel supports have been put in along with rebar for concrete, adding of which should be the next step toward completion. (11/8/09)

A closeup of the rebar for building the concrete walls for the bridge, along with materials being used stored under it. (11/8/09)


The crane can be seen lowering the first beam into place in early October. (10/12/09)


A closer look at the equipment that loads the support sections in place, three sections make up one span for the bridge. (10/12/09).


Looking east in September when the crane had just been brought in to lift the concrete forms into place and then the bridge girders in October.  (9/18/09)


This photo shows the beginning of the construction of the center support beams for the bridge that were completed by the end of September. (9/18/09)

Here's a view of the progress on the western side of the bridge as of mid-September. (9/18/09)

The view of progress on grading the roadbed south (east) of Baker Road before the support beams had been placed. (9/18/09)


A view in July when they had just started excavating to place the I-74/US 311 roadbed under the to be constructed Baker Road Bridge. (7/26/09)


View looking westbound of the old road and the new temporary road to the right (north) before excavation started. (6/14/09)

Looking eastward in June at the new temporary road, before significant construction started on the bridge. (6/14/09)

A look across the existing Baker Road showed no signs of grading near the future bridge site in June. (6/14/09)

Grading had started toward the bridge and was getting close by mid-November. You may also notice the supports for overhead signs have been added in the distance at the future ramp to Business 85/US 29-70. (11/8/09)

Here's a close-up shot of the first overhead sign supports put up on this project. The exit gore sign poles existed as early as June. to the left you can see the future eastbound on-ramp from Business 85. (11/8/09)

The view looking north from Baker Road shows how close the site is to the current end of the freeway, the Business 85, US 29/70 interchange. Much of the highway between it and Baker Rd. is complete, down to the guardrails and exit gore sign posts. (6/14/09)


The photo from April shows the beginning of construction on Baker Road with work on building a temporary road to the north of the existing one. This was done so that traffic could still use the road on a new alignment while the bridge was being built. (4/5/09).

Jackson Lake Road Bridge - The bridge was completed and opened to traffic at the end of November 2008. 


Here's a view of the bridge itself heading south toward NC 610.  The changes since have mainly consisted of consolidating the excavated material besides the road bed, so it can be removed, this was still going on in early August 2009. (11/23/08)



The view eastbound from the bridge, showing much of the roadbed has received a second coat of asphalt as of October 2009, compare that to the view below, more than a year earlier. The Kersey Valley Road bridge is in the distance. (11/09/09)

The view east from the bridge in November 2008, notice progress on excavation, but where the roadway will be is not as obvious as it is a year later. (11/23/08) 


The westbound view  showing that there hasn't been much progress here since the spring, with dirt piles still existing in the future westbound lanes. (11/8/09)

The view in April 2009 looking west shows the first layer of asphalt being applied from just south of Baker road to the remaining debris piles north of the bridge.  (4/5/09)


The eastbound roadbed from the Jackson Lake Road Bridge as it appeared in November 2008. The road curves to meet Baker Road about 1/2 mile away.  (11/23/08)

Here's a view of the bridge in November 2009 from another angle. (11/9/08)

Kersey Valley Rd. - This bridge was completed in October 2008. A road off Kersey Valley called Dresden Road (where the truck is seen turning on the right) was used as a detour route and now is a service road now that the next street that intersected it has been blocked and highway excavation and cut off (see photo below). 


Approaching the newly opened bridge from the southwest (10/31/08)


The view of the bridge in November, notice the addition of asphalt on the future roadway, as compared to the view in September, below. (11/8/09)


The view of the bridge from Dresden Road in September 2009, notice less piles of dirt and more construction vehicles and equipment than in the photos below. This is because much of the dirt has been pushed off and up from the road bed.  (9/18/09)


The excavated material from the roadway piled on the sides now is in the process of being seeded as of November 2009. Compare progress to photo below. (11/8/09)


The excavated materials have been piled on the side of the eastbound lanes during the summer of 2009. What's left in the roadbed median are construction materials that were there in the July as seen in the photo below. (9/18/09)


The view from Dresden Road in July 2009, notice more piles of dirt and more construction vehicles and equipment than in the photo above. (7/26/09)
The following shows more of the progress in grading the highway near the bridge:


Here's the view of the bridge in June showing how much of the excavated material at that time had been removed by September. Much has been piled off to the side of the roadway by August so that it can be moved to from the slope seen above. (6/14/09)


Here's the view of the bridge in October 2008 showing the further excavating that was needed. (10/31/08) from the then blocked off roadway intersecting Dresden Road. The material in front of the bridge largely remained until at least the end of April 2009.

 


Here's the view from late October showing what was excavated at that time, including the roadway later removed (see above) (which already had been blocked by barriers) in the center. (10/31/08)


Construction equipment in the process of removing the rest of the excess soil and creating the roadbed as of November 2009. (11/8/09)

View showing progress of clearing and grading the future I-74 roadway between I-85 and Kersey Valley Road in November 2009. Compare with the view below from last spring. (11/8/09)


The appearance of the future I-74 roadway between I-85 and Kersey Valley Road from last April. (4/5/09)

Here's the view in October, showing progress with grading the roadway since then.  (10/31/08)

The I-85 / US 311 - I-74 interchange.
Footings for bridge structures were completed over the summer of 2008 and C/D lanes constructed for the future interchange, traffic was switched on I-85 in both directions onto the C/D lanes once completed in October 2008 so the I-85 road could be excavated for the I-74 freeway. Progress has been made on on both the I-85 bridges amd building the flyover ramp that will carry I-74 East traffic to I-85 north since. Compare the photo below to those taken in June and early April 2009 and in November 2008.

Work still remains on building the walls for the I-85 roadway over I-74, there also appears to be little asphalt on the southern roadbed after the flyover. (11/8/09)


This is the bridge over I-85 going north, unfortunately, they put back up the fence surrounding the highway, so I could not duplicate the shots from below, but had to take two. (6/14/09)


Though little has changed in the foreground, you can see the progress made on the I-85 bridges since June, in the photo below, also a graded mound has been built from excavated material under the bridges. (11/8/09)

You can see the progress on building the future I-85 bridges over I-74 under the bridge. The northbound looking more complete than southbound. (6/14/09)

This is a complete photo of the I-85 South future interchange with I-74. The future I-74 and NC 62 exit C/D lanes are now serving as the I-85 mainline temporarily as the old road is excavated (the start of which is going on behind the bridge) to put I-74/US 311 under existing I-85. Above is the progress of construction as of April.


 The same view from late October 2008. (10/31/08).


The view of the interchange from Dresden Road in November 2009, not much seems to have changed from the photo below, though much more of the ground surface is level.  A sign of progress is contained in a photo toward the bottom of the page. (11/8/09)

The view from Dresden Road where the former cross-road was cut-off showing the progress of the I-85 bridges over the future I-74 freeway. Note that there is little change from the photo below taken in July, except for the trees cut down by the offramp . (9/18/09)

The view from July. A closer inspection driving by on I-85 revealed the bridge decks looked nearly complete, what remained was the bridge siding. (7/26/09) According to NCDOT I-85 will resume its normal traffic pattern in June 2010.

The view of the now cut-off Dresden Road in April 2009 with the future I-85/I-74 interchange in the distance. (5/5/09)  


A similar view from April shows progress on the I-85 bridges at that time and  the beginnings of the construction of the ramp from I-74 east to I-85 and its continuance on the flyover ramp in the distance. (4/5/09)


Here's a view of the progress in building the new I-85 bridges from April, some excavation and bridge building was apparent on the northbound lanes, but not the southbound I-85 roadway. (4/5/09)


Here is a similar photo from last fall. The bridge above I-85 is a part of the I-74 east interchange fly-over ramp, you can see that the ramp to I-85 south is already paved. (11/23/08)


You can also see in this photo that the closed southbound lanes of I-85 has been excavated. (11/23/08)


As mentioned above this ramp system southbound will also serve as access to NC 62. These ramps were closed for much of October as they were re-aligned to meet the new C/D ramps. The exit number will be changed to 113A. (10/31/08)


What may be the ultimate sign the project is winding down, the delivery of the support structures for the overhead exit signs which are being stored in the southbound I-85 lanes, while traffic is detoured. According to the NCDOT Traffic Information Management System (TIMS), the I-85 roadway should open by June 2010, but, because of the quick progress on this project, perhaps earlier. (11/8/09)
Compare the view of driving under the bridge on I-85 North in June 2009 as compared to last October:


The view in June shows most of the siding of the bridge complete, since bridge decks are generally poured before that happens, I assume that's complete also (6/14/09)


Here's traveling north on the temporary I-85 roadway under the I-74 exit ramps under construction last fall. (10/31/08).

This is the view going southbound toward NC 62 (the bridge in the distance). The photos for the interchange were taken from the top of the stand of trees between the two bridges. (10/31/08)


A final shot of the construction going on to the east of I-85, paralleling NC 62 in Spring of 2009. (4/5/09)

This shot, tries to show that the ramp merging from the flyover ramp has at least received one coat of asphalt. (6/14/09)
NCDOT has changed exit numbers along the open part of this segment to conform to those in the East Belt Freeway Contract Documents (3). The following I-74 Exit Numbers have been applied to the completed section of the High Point East Belt freeway (old US 311 numbers in [  ]):

Exit 65 US 311 Business* High Point [25]
Exit 66 Johnston St [24]
Exit 67 NC 68 to I-40 Eastchester Drive [23]
Exit 69 Greensboro Rd [21]
Exit 70 Kivett Drive [20]
Exit 71A Green Street (WB only) [19B]
Exit 71 (71B WB) Bus. Loop 85/ US 27/ US 70 Thomasville Greensboro [19(A)]

This will be applied when the freeway is completed in 2011:
Exit 75A/B I-85 Greensboro Charlotte

*NCDOT has submitted an application to AASHTO' s U.S. Route Number Committee to eliminate the Business 311 along Main Street through High Point and return it to a secondary route status. This request will be taken up in the Fall AASHTO meeting in Los Angeles in late October.

Here are some photos of the US 311 signs with the new numbers:


Going Eastbound (north of US 311), this is the first overhead with two exit signs showing the new numbers. (12/14/08)


Continuing East you have signs for the Greensboro Road and NC 68 exits. (12/14/08)


The route goes to two lanes westbound after the Exit 67 exit. (12/14/08)



As you can see, they're not ready to put up I-74 signs on the BGSs or along the highway at this time. (12/14/08)


Here's the current end of the US 311 freeway at Business 85, the next exit will be at I-85, Exit 75. (12/14/08)

If anyone has other photos taken in the vicinity of this segment they would like to share, feel free to E-mail me.

Sources: Map-ADC North Carolina Road Atlas 1999, p. 124;
(1) NCDOT. June 2008. State Transportation Improvement Program, 2009-2015, Division 7, p.7-18.
(2) 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.
(3) NCDOT. 2006. "I-73/74 Fact Sheet, Interstate System 50th Anniversary." Downloaded from lhttp://www.ncdot.org/ public/50thanniv/ncinterstates/download/factsI73-74.pdf
(4) NCDOT. 2006. Contract Documents, NCDOT Signing Section, Contract C201275, Project R-0609-IA. Downloaded from link at: http://dotw-xfer01.dot. state.nc.us/dsplan/2007%20Highway%20Lettings/4-17-2007/ on 2/17/07.
(5) Schultz, Sue and Paul Muschick. 2002. "State Puts Conditions on Bypass; Officials Are Struggling to Build a Highway Near the Randleman Reservoir." News- Record (Greensboro, NC), High Point/Randolph/Rockingham Edition. Feb. 14: B1.
(6) Johnson, Paul B. 2004. "Bypass Opening Stalls." High Point Enterprise. Sept. 22.
(7) NCDOT. 2009. Construction Progress Report, Contract C201715, last downloaded October 5, 2009.
(8) Journal Staff. 2007. "REGIONAL BRIEFS-Ground to be  Broken for Next Leg of Corridor." Winston-Salem Journal. July 10.
(9) NCDOT. 2007. "Transportation Board Awards $104.2 Million Contract to Construct 6.4 Miles of U.S. 311 in Guilford and Randolph Counties." Press Release. May 4. Downloaded from https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/pio/releases/details.aspx?r=1135, May 4, 2007.
(10) Information via e-mail from Bill Travers 5/23/08.
(11) Information from e-mails from Bill Travers 8/11/08, 10/20/08, 6/13/09, 8/2/09.

I-74 and US 311 shields courtesy of David R. Kendrick's Shield's Up!