Interstate 77 in North Carolina

This article is about the section of Interstate 77 in North Carolina. For the entire route, see Interstate 77.

Interstate 77 marker

Interstate 77
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length: 105.7 mi[1][2] (170.1 km)
Existed: 1965 – present
Major junctions
South end: I-77 / US 21 at the SC line near Fort Mill, SC
  I485 in Charlotte (twice)
I85 in Charlotte
I40 in Statesville
I74 near Mount Airy
North end: I77 at the VA line near Mount Airy
Location
Counties: Mecklenburg, Iredell, Yadkin, Surry
Highway system
US 76NC 78

In the U.S. state of North Carolina, Interstate 77 (I-77) is a 105.7-mile (170.1 km) Interstate Highway, which serves the city of Charlotte and the Western Piedmont.

Route description

Virginia-North Carolina state line on I-77

Interstate 77 begins at the South Carolina state line, near Fort Mill, in concurrency with US 21. I-77 goes through the city of Charlotte as a major north–south corridor, connecting the Center City with the suburbs of Pineville, Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson. Shortly after entering North Carolina, it expands to six lanes. Between I-485 (exit 2) and I-277 (exit 9), the highway experiences massive traffic congestion during weekday rush hours (7:00-9:30 a.m./4:00-6:30 p.m.) due to commuter traffic. Just north of Center City, I-77 makes a unique interchange configuration with Interstate 85, with north and southbound lanes crisscrossing briefly. Between I-85 (exit 13) and I-485 (exit 19), I-77 features the state's only HOV lanes. After I-485, I-77 reduces to five lanes (three lanes northbound), then to four lanes after Gilead Road (exit 23).

At Lake Norman, I-77 crosses into Iredell County and becomes a more suburban interstate, passing by Mooresville and then Statesville, where it intersects with Interstate 40. It turns more rural outside of Statesville and becomes entirely rural after exiting Iredell County. For the rest of I-77's stretch through North Carolina, the only possible rest stop is the town of Elkin; the speed limit through this area is 70 mph (110 km/h). The final 5 miles (8.0 km) of I-77 is concurrent with Interstate 74 to the Virginia state line (where I-74 ends), all within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.[1]

HOV lanes

Interstate 77 has the first and only High occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in North Carolina, located in Mecklenburg County.[3] Opened since December 2004, they are enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are closed for general traffic unless otherwise posted. They are identified by a "diamond" symbol and overhead signs and are located on the leftmost lanes. Vehicles with two or more occupants can use the HOV lanes. Emergency vehicles when responding to emergencies, mass transit vehicles, privately owned buses, and motorcycles may also use the lanes. Violators are subject to a fine of up to $100 plus court costs; as well as two points against their driver's licenses for each HOV infraction.[3] In 2015, construction began on converting the existing HOV lanes into variable tolling lanes, to be completed in 2018.

Northbound 
The northbound HOV lane begins north of I-85 interchange (exit 13) and ends north of the W.T. Harris Boulevard interchange (exit 18).[3]
Southbound 
The southbound HOV lane begins south of the W.T. Harris Boulevard interchange (exit 18) ends south of the exit ramp for I-277 (exit 11) and features a bypass of the I-85 interchange.[3]

Dedicated and memorial names

I-77 in North Carolina feature a few dedicated or memorialized stretches of freeway.

History

I-74 & I-77 near Pine Ridge

Interstate 77 was not part of the original plans for 714 miles (1,149 km) of the nation's Interstate Highway System in North Carolina when they were conveyed in 1956 by the then-North Carolina State Highway Commission. I-77 was added in 1957, increasing the state's mileage to 776 miles (1,249 km).[7]

On 4 August 1959, the commission selected the routing of I-77 to run between Interstate 85 in Charlotte and a point on the Virginia border in Elkin. That would change in late 1960, when the commission voted to route the highway just west of Mount Airy, saying the route would serve the most people.

With construction beginning in the 1960s, I-77 would gain additional mileage in October 1964 when a two-mile (3 km) extension was granted by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads. Instead of ending at I-85, I-77 now ended at Independence Boulevard (U.S. 74) in downtown Charlotte. Another extension was granted in the late 1960s that extended I-77 from Independence Boulevard to the South Carolina border. The latest extension also included a relocation of U.S. 21 from the city's surface streets to the new interstate.

I-77 opened to traffic in the following segments:

By 1972, I-77 was open from Exit 28 (NC 73) to Exit 73 north of Elkin. The last two sections of the highway to open to traffic was the stretch from Cornelius to Charlotte in 1975 and from Exit 73 to the Virginia state line in 1977.

In April 2001, I-74 was overlapped with I-77 from the Virginia state line to exit 101.[8]

On December 17, 2004, I-77 was widened to six-lanes with HOV lanes, between I-85 to the proposed location of I-485 (later opened 8 December 2008).[3]

On June 28, 2013, a new interchange was added in Mooresville, exit 35: Brawley School Road. The interchange was built with additional shoulder space and lights that will not need to be moved when I-77 is eventually widened in area.[9]

In 2015, NCDOT signed a contract with I-77 Mobility Partners to begin construction and eventual management of the toll lanes starting in 2018.[10] However, new criticism erupted before the financial agreement was made when local politicians discovered the contract was amended in 2014 giving I-77 Mobility Partners a 50-year non-compete clause. The clause eliminated any future widening of additional free-lanes between Charlotte Center City and Mooresville; or if any additional free-lanes were added, then NCDOT would have to pay the developer compensation.[11][12]

Future

Woodlawn Road & Billy Graham Parkway overhead sign

Interstate 77 is planned to have its existing southbound travel lanes widened (not add more lanes), between I-277/NC 16 (Brookshire Freeway) to I-85 in Charlotte. Estimated to cost $16.5 Million, the purpose of the project is to widen the lanes back to proper Interstate standards as agreed with FHWA, when NCDOT were given design exceptions when adding the HOV lanes in 2004. Construction is tentatively scheduled for 2016.[13]

Currently in the development stage, HOT lanes are planned to be added along Interstate 77. The project is broken into two parts: the first is constructing new travel lanes from I-485 interchange (exit 19) to West Catawba Avenue (exit 28), it has an estimated cost of $57 million with construction beginning in 2015. The second would be to convert the existing HOV lanes from Brookshire Boulevard (exit 11) to I-485 (exit 19). After completion, drivers and motorcyclists can still use the lane for free if qualified under HOV rules, non-compliant drivers will be charged a toll.[14][15][16][17]

The I-40/I-77 interchange (exit 51) is planned for major upgrade in three phases: reconstruction of nearby intersections on both interstates, reconstruction and widening of I-40/I-77 interchange, and construction of fly-overs at interchange. The estimated cost for the entire project is $251 million with construction to begin in March 2012. It will replace the current interchange, which was built in the late 1960s.[18][19][20]

Auxiliary routes in North Carolina

Interstate City Type Notes
Interstate 277 Charlotte Beltway A nearly full loop around Charlotte center city

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
MecklenburgState line0.00.0 I-77 south / US 21 south Rock Hill, ColumbiaContinuation into South Carolina
Charlotte0.91.41AWestinghouse BoulevardFormerly exit 1 before August 2010
1.82.91B I485 Huntersville, PinevilleFormerly exit 2 (southbound) before August 2010
2.84.53Arrowood RoadFormerly exit 2 (northbound) before August 2010
3.76.04Nations Ford Road
4.87.75Tyvola RoadSingle-point urban interchange
6.09.76AWoodlawn Road south Queens UniversityTo Pfeiffer University
6.210.06B NC 49 (South Tryon Street) / Billy Graham ParkwayTo Billy Graham Library
7.311.77 To NC 49 / Clanton Road
8.313.48 To NC 160 / Remount RoadNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
9.014.59A NC 160 (West Boulevard)Southbound exit and northbound entrance
9.415.19B I277 north / US 74 east (John Belk Freeway)
9.515.39C US 74 west (Wilkinson Boulevard) to US 29 to NC 27
9.915.910A US 29 / NC 27 (Morehead Street)Southbound exit and northbound entrance
10.416.710Trade Street / Fifth StreetSigned southbound as exits 10B (east) and 10C (west)
11.017.711A I277 south / NC 16 south (Brookshire Freeway east) Downtown Charlotte
11.218.011B NC 16 north (Brookshire Freeway west)Northbound left exit
12.420.012Lasalle Street / Atando Avenue
13.321.413 I85 Greensboro, SpartanburgSigned as exits 13A (north) and 13B (south)
15.825.416 US 21 north (Sunset Road) to NC 115North end of US 21 overlap; signed as exits 16A (north/east) and 16B (west)
To Historic Latta Plantation/Carolina Raptor Center; parclo
18.629.918 NC 24 (W.T. Harris Boulevard)To Northlake Mall; parclo
Huntersville19.731.719 I485 Matthews, PinevilleSigned as exits 19A (north/inner) and 19B (south/outer)
23.037.023Gilead Road Huntersville
25.541.025 NC 73 Concord, Huntersville
Cornelius28.345.528 US 21 south Cornelius, Lake NormanSouth end of US 21 overlap, to be converted into a diverging diamond interchange in August, 2013[21]
Davidson29.848.030Griffith Street – DavidsonTo Davidson College
IredellMooresville31.751.031Langtree Road – Mooresville
33.353.633 US 21 north Lake NormanNorth end of US 21 overlap
35.056.335Brawley School RoadSingle-point urban interchange
36.258.336 NC 150 Lincolnton, MooresvillePlanned diverging diamond interchange[21]
 41.867.342 US 21 / NC 115 Troutmanhalf-clover interchange
 45.573.245Amity Hill Road – Troutman, Barium Springs
Statesville48.778.449A US 70 (Garner Bagnal Boulevard)half-clover interchange
49.078.949BSalisbury Road – Downtown Statesvillehalf-clover interchange
50.180.650East Broad Street – Downtown Statesville
51.382.651 I40 Winston-Salem, HickorySigned as exits 51A (east) and 51B (west); cloverleaf interchange
 54.086.954 US 21 Turnersburg
 59.095.059Tomlin Mill Road – Olin
 65.5105.465 NC 901 Harmony, Union Grove
YadkinBrooks Crossroads73.7118.673 US 421 Yadkinville, Winston-Salem, Wilkesboro, BooneSigned as exits 73A (south) and 73B (north); cloverleaf interchange
 79.0127.179
US 21 south / US 21 Bus. north Jonesville
South end of US 21 overlap
Jonesville81.9131.882 NC 67 Jonesville, Boonville, Elkin
SurryElkin83.7134.783 US 21 north Sparta, Roaring GapNorth end of US 21 overlap; southbound exit is via exit 85
84.8136.585
NC 268 Byp. Elkin
 93.2150.093Zephyr Road Dobson
Oak Grove100.0160.9100 NC 89 Mount Airy, Galax
Pine Ridge100.8162.2101 I74 east Mount Airy, Winston-SalemEast end of I-74 overlap; semi-directional T interchange
State line105.7170.1 I77 north WythevilleContinuation into Virginia
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Google (27 January 2011). "I-77 in NC" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  2. "Route Log - Main Routes of the Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways - Table 1". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "NCDOT: HOV Lanes". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  4. "NCDOT: NC Blue Star Memorial Marker Locations". Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 "North Carolina Memorial Highways and other Named Facilities" (PDF). Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  6. "General Paul R. Younts Expressway". Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  7. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Facts: Interstate 77, NCDOT Web site. Retrieved 21 April 2007.
  8. "I-74 Segment 1". Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  9. Staff (June 28, 2013). "Opening of Exit 35 on Interstate 77 Signals the End of the Brawley School Road Widening Project in Mooresville". North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  10. "NCDOT Announces Financial Close on I-77 Express Lanes Project" (Press release). North Carolina Department of Transportation. May 20, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  11. Perlmutt, David (May 19, 2015). "Mecklenburg commissioners side with towns asking for I-77 toll road project delay". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  12. Harrison, Steve (May 20, 2015). "Toll lane opponent: DOT overlooked best free-lane option". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  13. "NCDOT: I-77 Improvements - Mecklenburg County". Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  14. "NCDOT: Project I-5405". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  15. "HOV lanes will change to toll lanes on I-77". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  16. "I-77 HOV lanes in NC could add toll". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  17. "I-77 Feasibility Study HOV-to-HOT Lanes Conversion" (PDF). Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  18. "NCDOT: Project I-3819". Archived from the original on 29 October 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  19. "DOT Report: Interchange At I-40, I-77 To Cost $250M". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  20. "The Construction of I-40/I-77 Interchange" (PDF). Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  21. 1 2 Marusak, Joe (February 4, 2012). "New interchange planned for bottlenecked I-77 exit". Charlotte, NC: Charlotte Observer. Retrieved March 2, 2013.

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

Interstate 77
Previous state:
South Carolina
North Carolina Next state:
Virginia
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