Interstate 77 in North Carolina
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North end | I-77 at the Virginia line near Mount Airy | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | North Carolina | |||
Counties | Mecklenburg, Iredell, Yadkin, Surry | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Interstate 77 (I-77) is a part of the
The freeway bears several names in addition to the I-77 designation. Throughout the state, the freeway is known as the Blue Star Memorial Highway, a name shared with multiple Interstates across the state. Starting at the South Carolina state line, it is known as the General Paul R. Younts Expressway, switching at Woodlawn Road to the Bill Lee Freeway, ending at the Mecklenburg–Iredell county line. In Surry County, it is known as the Charles M. Shelton Highway.[3][4][5]
Not originally part of the
Route description
I-77 begins at the
At Lake Norman, I-77 crosses into Iredell County and becomes a more suburban Interstate, passing through Mooresville and then Statesville, where it intersects with I-40. It gradually becomes more rural outside of Statesville, becoming 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 five miles (8.0 km) of I-77 is concurrent with I-74 to the Virginia state line (where I-74 ends), all within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.[1]
Express lanes
The I-77 Express lanes were financed, developed, and constructed and are operated and maintained by
The 26-mile (42 km)
Only vehicles with two axles or motorcycles are allowed on the express lanes. Emergency vehicles when responding to emergencies and mass transit vehicles are exempt and are not tolled.[9]
On June 1, 2019, the first portion of the I-77 Express lanes opened between Hambright Road in Huntersville and NC 150 in Mooresville. The remainder of the I-77 Express lanes south to I-277 in Charlotte were open in November 2019.[10][11]
Tolls
The express lanes uses
As of March 5, 2022[update], the total one-way northbound rate will range within $2.70–$70.45 and the total one-way southbound rate will range within $2.45–$58.00 with valid transponder.[14]
HOV3+
Vehicles with three passengers or more may use the express lanes for free, provided they have a E-ZPass Flex Transponder or notify via the HOV mobile app/website, with at least 15 minutes before traveling. Violators are subject to a fine of up to $100 plus court costs; as well as two points against their driver's license for each HOV infraction. Motorcycle drivers with a valid transponder may use the express lanes for free.[6][9][15]
History
I-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).[16]
On August 4, 1959, the commission selected the routing of I-77 to run between I-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 (3.2 km) extension was granted by the US Bureau of Public Roads. Instead of ending at I-85, I-77 now ended at Independence Boulevard (
I-77 opened to traffic in the following segments:
- 1965: Yadkin and Surry counties (US-21 Elkin Bypass only).
- 1966: A 23-mile (37 km) stretch in Iredell County.
- 1967: Stretches in Mecklenburg, Yadkin, and Iredell counties.
- 1968: A stretch of highway in the Davidson and Cornelius areas in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties.
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.[17]
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 December 8, 2008).[6]
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.[18]
In 2015, NCDOT signed a contract with I-77 Mobility Partners to begin construction and eventual management of the toll lanes starting in 2018.[19] 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 noncompete clause. The clause eliminated any future widening of additional free-lanes between Uptown Charlotte and Mooresville, or, if any additional free-lanes were added, then NCDOT would have to pay the developer compensation.[20][21][22] The toll lanes between Mooresville and Huntersville opened June 1, 2019, and the last sections leading into Uptown Charlotte opened November 23 of that year.[23][11]
On February 1, 2018, NCDOT opened a new rest area located in the median of I-77, at milemarker 58. Construction of the 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) $15-million (equivalent to $18.9 million in 2023[24]) facility started in early 2015. With the opening of the facility, four older rest areas in Iredell and Yadkin counties, built in 1972–1973, were closed.[25]
On November 22, 2022, a news helicopter crashed near I-77 at Nations Ford Road in South Charlotte, killing pilot Chip Tayag and meteorologist Jason Myers, who were employees of local TV station WBTV.[26]
The I-40/I-77 interchange (exit 51) underwent major upgrade in three phases: reconstruction of nearby intersections on both Interstates, reconstruction and widening of I-40/I-77 interchange, and construction of new ramps at the interchange.[27][28][29] The estimated cost for the entire project, including widening of a total of seven and half miles of both highways to eight lanes, is $260 million, and construction began in March 2012. The new partial turbine interchange replaced the cloverleaf interchange which was built in the late 1960s. All lanes opened December 22, 2023, though cold weather will require waiting on further resurfacing and pavement markings until Spring 2024.[30]
Future
I-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
As of June 2016[update],
Another set of HOT lanes is currently being studied along I-77 from south of Uptown Charlotte to the South Carolina border.[37]
Auxiliary route
I-277 is the only auxiliary route in the state. The auxiliary route loops around uptown Charlotte.
Exit list
County | Location | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continuation into South Carolina | ||||||
0.9 | 1.4 | 1A | Westinghouse Boulevard | |||
1.8 | 2.9 | 1B | I-485 – Huntersville, Pineville | Formerly exit 2 (southbound) before August 2010; I-485 exit 67 | ||
2.8 | 4.5 | 3 | Arrowood Road | Formerly exit 2 (northbound) before August 2010 | ||
3.7 | 6.0 | 4 | Nations Ford Road | |||
4.8 | 7.7 | 5 | Tyvola Road | Single-point urban interchange | ||
6.0 | 9.7 | 6A | Woodlawn Road south (Charlotte Route 4 east) – Queens University | To Pfeiffer University | ||
6.2 | 10.0 | 6B | To Billy Graham Parkway (Charlotte Route 4 west) | To Billy Graham Library and Charlotte Douglas International Airport; southbound signed as NC 49 south (S. Tryon St. south) only | ||
7.3 | 11.7 | 7 | To NC 49 / Clanton Road | |||
8.3 | 13.4 | 8 | To NC 160 / Remount Road | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
9.0 | 14.5 | 9A | collector-distributor lanes | |||
9.4 | 15.1 | 9B | collector-distributor lanes ; I-277 exits 1B-C | |||
9.5 | 15.3 | 9C | collector-distributor lanes ; US 74 exits 1B-C | |||
9.9 | 15.9 | 10A | US 29 (Morehead Street) to NC 27 | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; former route of NC 27 | ||
10.4 | 16.7 | 10 | Trade Street / Fifth Street | Signed southbound as exits 10B (Trade Street east) and 10C (Fifth Street/Trade Street west) | ||
11.0 | 17.7 | 11A | Downtown Charlotte | I-277 exits 5A-B | ||
11.2 | 18.0 | 11B | NC 16 north (Brookshire Freeway west) | Left exit northbound; NC 16 exits 5A-B | ||
— | I-77 north (Express lanes) | Southern terminus of HOV3+/toll lanes | ||||
— | I-277 south | Express lanes only; southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
12.4 | 20.0 | 12 | Lasalle Street / Atando Avenue | |||
13.3 | 21.4 | 13 | I-85 – Greensboro, Spartanburg | Signed as exits 13A (north) and 13B (south); hybrid interchange; I-85 exit 38 | ||
— | I-85 north | Express lanes only; northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||||
15.8 | 25.4 | 16 | US 21 north (Sunset Road) to NC 115 | North end of US 21 overlap; signed as exits 16A (north/east) and 16B (west) To Historic Latta Plantation/Carolina Raptor Center; parclo | ||
— | Lakeview Road | Express lanes only | ||||
18.6 | 29.9 | 18 | Northlake Mall; parclo | |||
Huntersville | 19.7 | 31.7 | 19A | I-485 north (Inner) to I-85 north – Matthews | I-485 exits 23A-B; I-85 not signed northbound | |
19B | I-485 south (Outer) to I-85 south – Pineville | |||||
— | Hambright Road | Express lanes only | ||||
23.0 | 37.0 | 23 | Gilead Road – Huntersville | |||
25.5 | 41.0 | 25 | NC 73 – Concord, Huntersville | |||
Lake Norman | South end of US 21 overlap, to be converted into a diverging diamond interchange in August 2013[38] | |||||
Davidson | 29.8 | 48.0 | 30 | Griffith Street – Davidson | ||
Lake Norman | Lake Norman Causeway | |||||
Iredell | Mooresville | 31.7 | 51.0 | 31 | Langtree Road – Mooresville | |
33.3 | 53.6 | 33 | Lake Norman | North end of US 21 overlap | ||
35.0 | 56.3 | 35 | Brawley School Road | Single-point urban interchange | ||
36.2 | 58.3 | 36 | NC 150 – Lincolnton, Mooresville | Planned diverging diamond interchange[38] | ||
— | I-77 south (Express Lanes) | Northern terminus of HOV3+/toll lanes | ||||
| 38 | Cornelius Road | Future interchange (funded)[39] | |||
| 41.8 | 67.3 | 42 | Half-clover interchange | ||
| 45.5 | 73.2 | 45 | Amity Hill Road – Troutman, Barium Springs | ||
Statesville | 48.7 | 78.4 | 49A | US 70 (Garner Bagnal Boulevard) | Half-clover interchange | |
49.0 | 78.9 | 49B | Statesville, Downtown | Half-clover interchange | ||
50.1 | 80.6 | 50 | E. Broad Street – Downtown | |||
51.3 | 82.6 | 51 | I-40 – Winston-Salem, Asheville | Signed as exits 51A (east) and 51B (west); I-40 exit 152 | ||
| 54.0 | 86.9 | 54 | US 21 – Turnersburg | ||
| 59.0 | 95.0 | 59 | Tomlin Mill Road – Olin | ||
| 65.5 | 105.4 | 65 | Union Grove | ||
Yadkin | Brooks Crossroads | 73.7 | 118.6 | 73 | US 421 – Yadkinville, Winston-Salem, Wilkesboro, Boone | Signed as exits 73A (south) and 73B (north); cloverleaf interchange; US 421 exit 265 |
| 79.0 | 127.1 | 79 | US 21 Bus. north – Jonesville | South end of US 21 overlap | |
Jonesville | 81.9 | 131.8 | 82 | NC 67 – Jonesville, Boonville, Elkin | ||
Yadkin River | Sgt. Gregory Keith Martin Memorial Bridges | |||||
US 21 north – Sparta, Roaring Gap | North end of US 21 overlap; southbound access is via exit 85 | |||||
84.8 | 136.5 | 85 | US 21 north – Elkin | |||
Salem Fork | 93.2 | 150.0 | 93 | Zephyr Road – Dobson | ||
Oak Grove | 100.0 | 160.9 | 100 | NC 89 – Mount Airy, Galax | ||
Pine Ridge | 100.8 | 162.2 | 101 | I-74 east – Mount Airy, Winston-Salem | East end of I-74 overlap; semi-directional T interchange; I-74 exit 5 | |
| 105.7 | 170.1 | Future I-74) – Wytheville | Continuation into Virginia | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
- Carowinds
- Interstate 74
- Lake Norman
- Lake Norman State Park
- Northlake Mall
- Uptown Charlotte
References
- ^ a b c Google (January 27, 2011). "I-77 in NC" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
- ^ "Route Log – Main Routes of the Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways – Table 1". Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on August 22, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
- ^ "Blue Star Memorial Highways Fact Sheet" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 22, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ "General Paul R. Younts Expressway". Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
- ^ "Road and Bridge Namings in North Carolina" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. July 30, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 30, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ a b c "NCDOT: HOV Lanes". Archived from the original on September 18, 2009. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "I-77 HOT Lanes Project". U.S. Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 8, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ "NCDOT: I-77 Express Lanes". North Carolina Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 8, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ a b c "FAQs – I77 Express Lanes". I-77 Mobility Partners. Archived from the original on October 8, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ Marusak, Joe (May 31, 2019). "First part of I-77 toll lanes finally opened Saturday. Here's what you need to know". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on June 2, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
- ^ a b Hagerty, Anne Marie (November 18, 2019). "Final stretch of I-77 Express now open, toll lane construction completed". WBTV. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
- ^ "Toll Rates – I77 Express Lanes". I-77 Mobility Partners. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- ^ "Toll-rate-presentation-for-website-9.25.18-MVA-Edits" (PDF). I-77 Mobility Partners. September 25, 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 1, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ "March 5, 2022 Max-Min-Rates" (PDF). I-77 Mobility Partners. March 5, 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 6, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- ^ "NC Quick Pass Transponders". North Carolina Turnpike Authority. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ North Carolina Department of Transportation. Facts: Interstate 77 Archived April 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, NCDOT Web site. Retrieved April 21, 2007.
- ^ "I-74 Segment 1". Archived from the original on April 1, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2011.
- ^ 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. Archived from the original on July 4, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
- ^ "NCDOT Announces Financial Close on I-77 Express Lanes Project" (Press release). North Carolina Department of Transportation. May 20, 2015. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Perlmutt, David (May 19, 2015). "Mecklenburg commissioners side with towns asking for I-77 toll road project delay". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Harrison, Steve (May 20, 2015). "Toll lane opponent: DOT overlooked best free-lane option". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Perlmutt, David (May 19, 2015). "Mecklenburg commissioners side with towns asking for I-77 toll road project delay". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Marusak, Joe (May 31, 2019). "First part of I-77 toll lanes finally opened Saturday. Here's what you need to know". Archived from the original on June 8, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
- Gross Domestic Product deflatorfigures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
- ^ "New Rest Area to Open in Iredell County this Week" (Press release). North Carolina Department of Transportation. January 29, 2018. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
- Charlotte Observer. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
- ^ "NCDOT: Project I-3819". Archived from the original on October 29, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "DOT Report: Interchange At I-40, I-77 To Cost $250M". Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "The Construction of I-40/I-77 Interchange" (PDF). Retrieved November 1, 2011.[dead link]
- ^ Marusak, Joe (December 22, 2023). "All lanes of the I-77 'whirlpool' in Statesville open just in time for holiday travel". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ "NCDOT: I-77 Improvements – Mecklenburg County". Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
- ^ "NCDOT: Project I-5405". Archived from the original on October 29, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "HOV lanes will change to toll lanes on I-77". Retrieved November 1, 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "I-77 HOV lanes in NC could add toll". Archived from the original on November 7, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "I-77 Feasibility Study HOV-to-HOT Lanes Conversion" (PDF). Retrieved November 1, 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Henderson, Bruce (July 17, 2019). "I-77 shoulders north of Charlotte to become travel lanes during rush hours". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
- ^ "I-5718 MECKLENBURG COUNTY" (PDF). NCDOT. April 9, 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
- ^ Charlotte Observer. Archived from the originalon 1 June 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
- ^ Marusak, Joe (November 8, 2023). "I-77 is getting a new $36M Charlotte-area interchange. How to weigh in on the project". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
External links
- Media related to Interstate 77 in North Carolina at Wikimedia Commons
- NCDOT: I-77 Express Lanes
- NCRoads.com: I-77
- North Carolina @ AARoads – Interstate 77