Filpus Roadgeek

Augusta/Disney World

2012-01-22T06:41:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 East to Airport, I 40 East, US 1 South, NC 277 South, SC 277 South, SC 9 North, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta.
I 20 West, US 221 South, US 1 South, I 16 East, I 95 South, I 4 West to Disney World.
FL 429 North, Florida Turnpike North, I 75 North, Fl 331 North, FL 24 North, US 301 North, I 10 East, I 295 North, I 95 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill.
Notes
In SC, US 1 is being divided between the Wadley and Swainsboro bypasses.
There are no signs on I 95 southbound or I 295 eastbound of the new I 295 East bypass of Jacksonville. It is still signed FL 9A.
A lane is being added to I 10 west of I 295 in Jacksonville FL.
Results
Counties: GA: Jefferson, Emanuel, Candler. FL: Lake, Sumter, Marion, Alachua, Bradford, Clay. For a new total of 1013.
SC: Mileage on US 1.
GA: Mileage on I 16, US 1, US 221.
FL: Clinched FL 331. Mileage on I 10, I 75, US 301, Florida Turnpike, FL 24, FL 429.

Toll NC 147, Opening Day

2011-12-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 East, NC 147 South, NC 540 West to NC 55, NC 540 East to NC 54, NC 540 West, NC 55 North, Kitt Creek Parkway East, Davis Drive North, NC 147 North, I 40 West.

Notes

It was about 1 pm on opening day for Toll NC 147. After driving it north to south, I wanted to drive it south to north, but the ramps from NC 540 were closed. The opening ceremony had been on the northbound lanes, so they had let cars onto the northbound lanes and then closed the ramps. After taking both passes on NC 540 to check the ramps, I took Kitt Creek to Davis, the C/D lanes from Davis to Hobson and reentered the highway northbound. This meant that I drove the entire north-south side and half the south-north side. Oh well. There is one screwy sign on the northbound lanes that has "END Toll NC 147/BEGIN NC 147" with actual NC 147 shields. I have never seen a sign with both BEGIN and END banners on it, much less for the same highway.

Results
Reclinched NC 147.

Asheville

2011-10-24T06:47:00.001-07:00

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, I 85 South, I 73 North, I 40 East, Catawba Avenue, US 70 West, Old US 70, Mill Creek Road, Yates Avenue, Old US 70 E, US 70 West, BRP North to Folk Art Center.
BRP South, NC 151 North, US 19/23 North, I 40 East, US 25 North, local streets to Biltmore.
Local Streets, US 25 South, I 40 West, I 26 East, NC 191 North.
NC 191 North, I 26 West, I 40 West, Wiggins Road South, US 19/23 West to Candler.
US 19/23 East, Wiggins Road North, I 40 East, US 25 North, local streets to Biltmore.
Local streets, US 25 North, I 40 East, I 240 West, local streets to Grove Park Inn.
Local streets, I 240 West, NC 191 South, I 26 West, I 40 West, Wiggins Road South, US 19/23 West to Candler.
US 19/23 East, I 40 East, I 240 East, Exit 6, US 70/74A West, I 240 West, NC 191 South, I 40 East, US 74A East, US 74 West, I 85 North, NC 24 East, US 220 North, US 64 East, US 15/501 North, NC 86 North to Chapel Hill.

Notes

We visited Andrews Geyser, just north of old NC 10/US 70 (Point Lookout).

Results
Clinched NC 151. Mileage on US 19, US 23, US 70, US 74 A, US 64, NC 9, NC 24, NC 27.

US 311 North Terminus

2011-09-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, I 840 North, US 70 West, US 29 North, NC 14, US 11 South, NC 770, Local Roads, NC 87 North, VA 87 North, US 220 Business North, US 220 North, US 58 West, US 58 Business Stuart West, US 58 West, US 58 Business Meadows of Dan East, US 58 West, I 77 South, VA 148 East, US 52 South, NC 89 East, NC 66 South, NC 268 East, NC 89 South, US 311 South, NC 65 East, US 158 East, NC 66 South, Bryan Boulevard, I 73 South, I 85 North, I 40 East, NC 86 South

Notes
US 311 is finally signed to Eden, after almost 10 years after being approved.
US 58 now bypasses Hillsville VA, with a new US 58 Business along the old mainline.

Results
Clinched US 220 Business Ridgeway, US 58 Business Stuart, US 58 Meadows of Dan. Mileage on US 58, NC 89. Clinched all state highways in Stokes county.

Aiken SC Wedding

2011-09-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, SC 277 South, I 20 West, local roads, US 176 North, SC 60 West, I 26 East to Columbiana Mall, I 26 East, US 1 South, local roads to Columbia Airport, local roads, SC 602 West, SC 6 North, I 20 West, I 520 West, GA 56 Spur South to Augusta Airport, GA 56 North, I 520 West, I 20 East, GA 104 West to Augusta
GA 104 East, I 20 East, SC 19 South to Aiken
SC 19 North, I 20 West, GA 104 West to Augusta
GA 104 East, I 20 West, I 520 East, GA 56 Spur South to Augusta Airport, GA 56 North, US 1/25/78/278 North to downtown Augusta, local roads, GA 104 West to Evans, GA 104 East, GA 232 South, I 20 East, US 1 North, local roads to Columbia Airport, SC 602 East, Local Road, US 1 North, I 20 East, I 77 North, I 85 North, NC 24 East, US 29 North, Local Roads, NC 49 East, US 64 East, US 15/501 North to Chapel Hill
Notes The I 85 Yadkin River bridge is beginning to really look like a bridge.
Results
Mileage on US 1, US 25, US 76, US 78, US 278, US 378, GA 56 Spur, SC 6, SC 19, SC 602.

Villanova/Dover/Annapolis/DC

2011-08-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 North, I 85 North, I 95 North, I 495 North, I 95 North, I 476 North, US 30 East, PA 320 North to Villanova PA
PA 320 South, US 30 West, I 476 North, I 76 West, US 202 West, PA 401 North, PA 113 South to Lionville PA
PA 100 South, US 202 South, I 95 South, DE 1 South, Scarborough Road, US 13 South, Court Street to Dover DE
Court Street, US 13 South, DE 10 West, MD 287 West, MD 313 North, MD 312 West, MD 304 West, US 301 South, MD 70 South to Annapolis MD
MD 450 North, MD 435 West, MD 70 North, US 50 West, DC 295 South, I 295 North, I 395 South, VA 27 West, Washington Boulevard to Arlington VA
I 66 West, I 495 East, I 95 South, I 85 South, US 1 South, VA 40 South, I 85, US 15/501 South

Notes
There is a nice welcome center near Smyrna DE at US 13 and DE 1. The rest area is on US 13, so you have to exit to get to it, but there is a ramp directly onto the onramp for DE 1. The toll for exit 104 to Dover is 50 cents.
We were waiting for a stoplight in front of the visitors center when the rear of the car started going up and down. I thought we had been rear-ended, but it was the earthquake. Traffic going into DC was ridiculous. The local news labeled it as the worst since 9/11. Going into DC on US 50 was fine. I 495 was stopped in both directions. So we continued in on US 50 and DC 295. Pennsylvania Ave was completely locked up. We did the U-turn at Howard Street to get onto I 295 North to cross the river to I 695/395. I 395 was fine until the US 1 merge from the Mall. Eventually we got to the Pentagon and exited onto VA 27/Washington Boulevard. The surface streets were fine.
The only earthquake damage we saw on I 95 was to a barrier fence north of Fredericksburg.
On I 85 south just north of US 1 in Petersburg, there was a warning for construction 14 miles ahead. After gassing up on US 1 (where the lines were horrid for hurricane panic), we continued south on US 1 to VA 40 and missed almost all of the construction.

Results
Counties - Kent DE (all counties in DE), Caroline MD, for a new total of 1006.
VA - Mileage on VA 27, VA 40, US 1.
DC - Clinched I 295.
MD - Clinched MD 287. Mileage on MD 70, MD 304, MD 312, MD 313, MD 435, MD 450.
DE - Mileage on DE 1, DE 10, US 13.
PA - Mileage on PA 401, PA 113.

US 52 Bypass Albemarle

2011-06-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, US 220 South, NC 49 South, NC 8 South, US 52 South, US 52 Business South to Albemarle
US 52 South, NC 731 North, local road detour, NC 109 North, NC 24/27 East, NC 22 North, NC 903 East, local road, US 64 East, US 15/501 North.

Notes

The US 52 Bypass south of Albemarle is open. NC 138 has been truncated from the US 52/NC 24/27/73 intersection to a new intersection a half mile south. US 52 Business is now signed along NC 24/27/73 from US 52 to the Second Street interchange.

Results
Clinched US 52 Business Albemarle. Mileage on US 52, NC 731, NC 109.

Baltimore MD/VIllanova

2011-05-05T06:35:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 North, I 85 North, I 95 North, VA 10 East, I 295 North, I 95 North, US 1 North, I 95 North, MD 32 East to Fort Meade
MD 32 West, US 29 North, US 40 East, Local Roads to Ellicott City MD.
Local Road, US 40 West, US 29 North, I 70 East, I 695 North, I 95 North, MD 152 South, US 40 East, MD 24 North, I 95 North to Aberdeen MD.
I 95 South, MD 43 South, US 40 West, Local Roads to Baltimore MD.
Local Roads, MD 295 South, I 695 East, I 95, MD 24 South, US 40 East, MD 7 East to Havre de Grace MD.
MD 7 East, US 40 West, MD 22 North to Aberdeen MD.
I 95 North, DE 1 South, US 40 East, US 201 North, DE 92 East, I 95 North, I 476 North, US 30 East to Villanova.
US 30 West, I 476 South, I 95 South, I 495 South, I 95 South, I 895 South, I 95 South, Local Road, US 1 South, I 295 East, I 85 South, US 1 South, US 460 Bus West, I 85 South, US 15/501 South.

Notes
On I 95 south of VA 10, there was advisory sign for downtown Richmond, so we hopped over to I 295 and hit the construction through the I 64 interchange. Traffic through the construction was being herded by a police car and VADOT truck side by side at 5-15 miles per hour.
On I 95 south of the US 1 exit south of Springfied, there was an advisory sign that all lanes were closed at the exit before the US 1 exit at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, so we took US 1 near Mount Vernon. All was okay until we got to the last stoplight before getting onto I 95/495. It took forever to get through that light.

Results
VA - Mileage on US 1.
MD - Mileage on I 70, I 695, US 29, US 40, MD 2, 7, 22, 32, 24, 32, 43, 152, 295.
DE - Clinched US 202. Mileage on US 13, 40, DE 92, 141.

Augusta Christmas

2010-12-30T14:14:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, SC 277 South, I 20 West, I 26 West to Columbiana Mall, I 26 East, US 1 South, local roads to Columbia Airport, local roads, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 4, GA 104, GA 337, Local Roads
I 20 East, I 26 East, US 1 South, local roads to Columbia Airport, SC 320, I 26 East, I 77 North, I 20 East, US 521 North, US 1 North, US 15/501 North to Chapel Hill
Notes
There are multiple truck routes around Camden SC for US 521, US 1 and SC 34.
Results
Clinched I 77 South Carolina. Mileage on US 1, US 521, SC 320.

I 74/US 311 High Point

2010-11-30T17:18:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 74/US 311 East, US 311 East to Old 311, US 311 West, Main Street South, NC 68 East, I 74/US 311 East, I-85 Business West to Surrett Rd exit, I-85 Business East, I 85 South, US 52 East, NC 73 East, Millstone Rd, US 220 North, US 64 East, US 15/501 North.

Notes

I 74/US 311 bypass of High Point is open. Construction continues on the highway from its current end at Cedar Square Road to US 220. That section is supposed to complete in a couple of years.
All signage for US 311 Business is gone. Almost all signage for the former US 311 routing along I 85 Business and Main Street is gone. Remaining are reassurance shields for US 311 along I 85 Business and one early exit sign for US 311 South on Main Street on I 85 Business west of Main Street. The exit signs at Main Street proper do not mention US 311 or US 311 Business.
The US 29/7o/NC 150 exit on I 85 at the Yadkin River Bridge is closed. There are detour signs for US 29 along I 85 up to the Spencer exit. US 70 and NC 150 drivers are supposed to know to follow the US 70 signs. There appears to be rightway clearing south of the Yadkin River bridge for the new bridge.
Took US 52 to Albemarle and NC 73 to US 220 to connect unclinched segments of both roads.
US 220 Alternate/Business is still signed US 220 at NC 73.
Results
Reclinched I 74 in NC, US 311. Mileage on US 52, NC 73.

Wrightsville Beach - Oak Island

2010-09-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 East, US 74 East to Wrightsville Beach
US 74 West, US 76 West, NC 132 South, US 421 South, Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry, NC 211 North, Local roads, NC 211 North, NC 133 South to Oak Island
NC 133 North, NC 87 North, US 17 North, US 421 North, I 140 East, I 40 West

Notes
The second bridge to Oak Island is nearing completion. The bridge is essentially complete. There needs to be detail work on the bridge deck. Yacht Street is still closed under the bridge.

Results

NC 772

2010-08-31T15:32:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 40 Business West, US 52 North, NC 65 North, US 311 North, NC 772 North, NC 704 West, NC 89 South to Danbury

NC 89 North, Hanging Rock State Park Road, Moore's Springs Road, NC 66 North, NC 268 West, US 52 South, I 40 East, I 73 South, I 85 North, I 40 East.

Notes
NC 772 is a lovely country road that does not go through any incorporated towns. This trip clinched NC 772 from end to end and clinched all highways east of US 52/I 74 except NC 89 west of NC 66.

I took a detour along Main Street in Pilot Mountain. There were sevaral businesses there with Mount Pilot in their names, along with Aunt Bea's Bbq on NC 268, to celebrate its Andy Griffith history.

Results
Clinched NC 65, NC 704, NC 772. Mileage on NC 268. This leaves NC 89 to clinch all of Stokes county and NC 67 to clinch all of Forsyth county.

VIllanova/Gettysburg: 1000 Counties!

2010-08-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 North, I 85 North, I 95 North, I 895 North, MD 279 North, DE 2 East, DE 2/4/896 East, DE 896 South, I 95 North, I 476 North, US 30 East to Villanova,

US 30 East, US 1 North, I 76 West, I 476 North to Plymouth Meeting

I 476 South, I 76 East, I 676 East, Local Roads to Independence Hall

Local Roads, I 76 West, US 30 West, I 476 North to Plymouth Meeting

I 476 South, US 1 West, PA 41 North, US 30 West to PA 772, US 30 East, PA 897 North, PA 340 West, PA 896 South, US 30 West to York.

US 30 East, Local Roads, I 83 Business South, PA 74 West, US 30 East to York.

US 30 West, PA 194 South, PA 94 North, US 30 West, US 15 Business South to Gettysburg.

Local Roads, US 15 Business South, US 15 South, US 340 South, VA 7 West, I 82 South, US 17/50/522 West to Winchester.

US 17/50/522 East, I 81 South, I 64 East, US 250 East, Blue Ridge Parkway South, US 501 South, US 29 Business Lynchburg South, US 29 South, NC 86 South

Notes
Took the MD 279, DE 896 detour through Newton to avoid a traffic jam and incidentally missed the Delaware Turnpike toll.

On PA 41 North, there were signs for the traffic spacing dots I had first seen on US 322 near State College. However, the road had been milled for resurfacing, so the dots were gone. There were some dots on the southbound north of the construction.

At the James River Bridge on the Blue Ridge Parkway, there is a pedestrian bridge suspended under the roadbed to allow visitors to park at the James River Visitor Center on the north side of the river to cross the river to visit a old lock and canal on the south side of the river.

Results
Counties - Adams PA, Frederick MD, Jefferson WV, Clarke VA, Waynesboro (IC) VA, for a new total of 1004.
MD - Clinched US 340. Mileage on US 15, US 40, MD 279.

DE - Mileage on DE 2, DE 4, DE 896.
PA - Mileage on I 76, I 83 Business York, US 1, US 15, US 15 Business Gettysburg, US 30, US 222, US 322, PA 23, PA 41, PA 74, PA 94, PA 116, PA 194, PA 340, PA 462, PA 772, PA 896, PA 897.
VA - Mileage on I 64, US 17, US 50, US 250, US 501, US 522, US 340, VA 7.

WV- Clinched US 340.

Boone Cave Park, Rock House

2010-06-22T06:29:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 40 Business West, NC 150 West, Boone Park Road to Boone Cave Park
Boone Park Road, NC 150 East, US 64 West, NC 801 North, I 40 East, NC 150 East, NC 67 North, I 40 Business East, NC 8 North, NC 89 North, NC 268 West, NC 66 South, Taylor Road, Rockhouse Road to Rack House
Rockhouse Road, Taylor Road, NC 66 North, NC 89 South, US 311 South, NC 65 East, US 158 East, NC 66 South, Bryan Boulevard , I 73 South, I 85 North, I 40 East.

Notes
Boone Cave Park was Boone Cave State Park, when I last visited back in the 1990's. It was pretty run down then. It has since been turned over to local control and has been spruced up a lot. The cave is about 75' long and requires light and caving protection to traverse. There are trails, an old cabin, a nice picnic pavilion overlooking the Yadkin River and a canoe/kayak access at a large rock ledge on the river.

The Rock House was built by Captain Jack Martin during the Revolutionary War and figured in the clash with the Tories from Tory Den (now in Hanging Rock State Park). The walls still stand, with modern supports cabled to them. Also on Rockhouse Road is a access to the Sauratown Trail, a horse/hiking trail connecting Hanging Rock and Pilot Mountain.

Results
Clinched NC 8, NC 66. Mileage on NC 150, NC 67, NC 89, NC 268.

Villanova via Chincoteague Island

2010-05-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 North, I 85 North, US 58 East, I 264 East, I 64 West, US 13 North, VA 175 East to Chincoteague Island VA
VA 175 West, US 13 North, US 113 North, US 50 East, MD 528 North, DE 1 North, DE 1A North, DE 1 North, US 9 North, Lewes-Cape May Ferry, US 9 North, NJ 109 South, Local Roads, US 9 North, NC 109 South, Local Roads, NC 147 North, Local Roads, NJ 152 East, Ventnor Ave to Atlantic City.
Atlantic City Expressway West, NJ 42 North, I 295 East, I 76 West, I 676 North, I 76 West, US 422 West, PA 32 West to Valley Forge.
Local Roads, PA 252 North, PA 32 East, US 422 East, US 202 North to King of Prussia.
US 202 South, I 76 East, I 476 South, US 30 East to Villanova.
US 30 West, I 476 South, I 95 South, I 495 South, I 95 South, I 85 South, US 15/501 South.

Notes
The restaurant and rest area on Island 1 of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is closed for renovations..The pier is open.
The bridge carrying VA 175 to Chincoteague Island has been relocated to line up with Maddox Boulevard, bypassing Marsh Island and downtown. There is a new spur bridge to Marsh Island, but it is closed for now. The old bridge from downtown to Marsh Island is the current only access to Marsh Island.
The bridge carrying US 9 to the Lewes Ferry is one lane because of construction with stop lights controlling like a flag man.

Results
Counties - Accomack VA, Northampton VA, Worcester MD, Atlantic NJ, Camden NJ, Cape May NJ, Gloucester NJ, for a new total of 999.
VA - Clinched VA 175, Mileage on US 13.
MD - Mileage on US 13, US 113, US 50, MD 538.
DE - Clinched DE 1A. Mileage on DE 1, US 9.
NJ - Clinched I 676. Mileage on I 76, I 76, US 9, NJ 109.
PA - Clinched I 676. Mileage on US 30.
Highway ends: I 76 East Terminus: Camden NJ. US 113 Southern Terminus: Salisbury MD. US 50 East Terminus : Ocean City MD. US 40, East Terminus, US 322 East Terminus: Ventor City NJ.

NC 39 - Pilot NC

2010-05-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 East, I 540 East, Falls of the Neuse Road North, NC 98 East, NC 39 South, US 64 West, I 40 West.

Notes
There has been some progress on NC 98 Wake Forest bypass since my last visit. The schedule shows June 2010, but there is a lot of work left to do.
US 64 exit 427 (Wendell Falls Parkway) is open. It is now an exit to nowhere. There appears to be open northbound, but closed southbound.
Even though I 440 and I 40 have been resigned to remove the Inner and Outer banners and the multiplex, there still are no signs that indicate that US 70/NC 50 head north on South Saunders Street into downtown Raleigh.

Results
Mileage on NC 39.

Savannah GA and Lowcountry SC

2010-04-11T05:49:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 East, I 95 South, I 16 East, I 516 East, Local Roads, US 80 East to Tybee Island.
US 80 West, Local Roads, I 16 West, I 516 West, GA 21 to Port Wentworth GA.
I 95 South, I 16 East, Local Roads to Savannah.
Local Roads, I 16 West, I 516 West, GA 21 to Port Wentworth GA.
I 95 South, I 16 East, US 17 North, SC 170 West to Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.
GA 170 East, US 278 East, US 278 Business East, Local Roads to Hilton Head Island.
US 278 Business West, US 278 West, US 170 East, US 21 South to Hunting Island State Park.
US 21 North, US 21 Business North, US 21 North, US 17 South, I 95 North, I 40 West.

Notes
US 80 ends with a marble plaque indicating that its other end is in San Diego.
The Talmadge Bridge carries US 17 over the Savannah River is an impressive cable stayed suspension bridge. The supports for the old bridge are still present on the east shore of the river.
There is a four mile drive through in the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge off SC 170 just east of the state line. We saw many alligators floating in the canal along the road.
US 278 ends at a traffic circle with US 278 Business.
US 21 ends at Hunting Island State Park.
A new US 21 bridge is being built from Port Royal to Lady Island. US 21 is being widened on Lady Island to the US 21 Business intersection.
The US 21 and US 17 intersection is being rebuilt.

Results
Beaufort County SC, for a new total of 991.
Clinched I 516, US 278 Business Hilton Head Island, US 21 Business Beaufort. Mileage on US 17, US 21, US 80, US 278, GA 21, SC 170.
Highway ends: I 16 East, US 80 East, US 278 East, US 21 South.

Hanging Rock State Park

2010-04-11T05:41:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 73 North, I 73 Future North, Bryan Boulevard, NC 68 North, US 158 West, US 65 West, US 311 North, NC 89 North, Hanging Rock State Park Road to Hanging Rock State Park
Local Roads, NC 66 South, I 40 Business East, I 40 East, I 73 South, I 85 North, I 40 East.

Notes

Results
Mileage on NC 66.

NC 740 - Morrow Mountain State Park

2010-02-12T06:37:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, Mebane Oaks Road, NC 119 North, US 70 West, NC 100 West, NC 61 North, NC 150 West, US 29 North, US 29 Business North, NC 65 West, NC 68 South, NC 150 West, NC 66 South, US 311 South, I 85 Business South, 5th Ave, local roads, NC 8 South, NC 740 South, NC 24/27 East, NC 109 North, NC 109 Business South, NC 134 North, US 220 North, US 64 East, NC 49 North, I 40 East.

Notes
Drove the new (2001) routing of NC 100 north of Elon University, This took NC 100 off of part of the original NC 10. NC 100 has a truck restriction south of NC 61, so there is a a truck route off of NC 100 in downtown Gibsonville, which is signed "Bus/Truck Route".
US 311 Business is still signed through High Point.
NC 8 has an odd west turn at its south terminus, where it is multiplexed with NC 740 to US 52.
Morrow Mountain State Park is a beautiful mountaintop state park. I saw dozens of deer on the road on the way up to the peak, which was socked in by clouds, so no pictures.
The northern terminus of NC 134 is not at US 220, but at an intersection a half mile west.

Results
Clinched NC 740, NC 109 Business Troy; NC 65 in Rockingham County, which clinched all highways in Rockingham County; NC 150 in Guilford County, which clinched all highways in Guilford County.

NC 39 Vance County

2010-01-22T15:04:00.000-08:00

Route
I 85 North, NC 39 South, NC 98 West, NC 96 North, US 1 South to NC 98 East, US 1 North, NC 98 West.

Notes
I'd heard that NC 98 Wake Forest bypass was almost complete. The schedule shows January 2010, but there is a lot of work left to do. There has been no work done tying the new bypass to NC 98 east. I would say it'll take until March at least.

Results
Clinched NC 39 in Vance County, which clinched all highways in Vance County.

I 520 South Carolina

2009-12-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, I 20, I 520, GA 104, GA 337, Local Roads
I 20 East, US 1 North, I 77 North, I 85 North, I 485 South, US 29 North, I 85 North, I 40 East to Chapel Hill
Notes
I 520 has been completed to interchange with I 20 in South Carolina. It is the only odd three digit interstate to begin and end at its parent. There are no plans to renumber the road. Since both ends of I 520 were rebuilt and resigned this year, they could have done both ends at little cost. But what is done is done.
I 520 in South Carolina has four exits: diamonds at US 1 and Clearlake Road, a half cloverleaf at US 25/SC 121 connector and T-flyovers at I 20. The interchange with I 20 is so close to the US 25 interchange, that the entrance and exit ramps cross. There is no way to exit from I 520 onto I 20 and then exit onto US 25 and vice versa. To connect from I 520 to US 25, you have to use the connector, a mile south.
The reconstruction of the interchange between I 20 and I 520 in Georgia is complete. There are now flyovers to and from I 520 and C/D lanes along I 520. One of the hotels we used to stay at in Augusta was a victim of the construction, since it lost so much traffic.
There was a giant traffic jam on I 85 between I 485 and US 601/US 29. We managed to get over to I 485 and went over to US 29. We tried Brutun Smith Boulevard, but it was backed up for at least a mile from I 85, so we took US 29 to Concord. Traffic was stopped on I 85 south there. The backup continued well past China Grove. There were a lot of Carolina fans in the jam trying to get to the bowl game. I wonder if they made it in time.
Noticed a Truck Route for NC 73 multiplexed with US 601 on the west side of Concord.
Results
Clinched I 520 South Carolina.

NC 47

2009-12-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, US 220 South, I 85 Business South, I 85 South, NC 8 North, I 85 Business South, Linwood Road South, NC 47 East, NC 49 North, Tot Hill Road West, NC 49 North, US 220 North, US 220 Connector East to US 220 Business and return, US 220 South, NC 42 East, local roads, NC 902 East, US 64 Business East, US 15/501 North.

Notes
Mixed a shopping trip with some roadgeeking and a barbecue restaurant stop for review. Signage on I 40 through Death Valley is complete. Construction on the I 74 interchange with I 85 continues.
NC 8 has been rerouted through Lexington since I was last through town.
Took a slight detour up Tot Hill Farm Road to find a trail head that I used years ago. The trail head is the northern end of the original Uwharrie National Recreational Trail. The last time I was there, the trail head, which didn't any parking, was being swallowed up by a golf course. I was delighted to find that the NFS has built a parking lot across a creek west of the old trail head and there is a new trail connecting to the old trail. This trail has a roadgeek significance. Part of the trail runs along the old Salisbury Road, which was a major north/south thoroughfare in the time of Daniel Boone.

Results
Clinched US 220 Connector in Asheboro and NC 47. Mileage on NC 8 and NC 42.

Pilot Mountain State Park

2009-10-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 West, I 73 North, I 40 West, US 421 West, US 601 North, US 601 Business Dodson South, US 601 North, US 52 North, US 52 Business Mount Airy South, US 52 South, Pilot Mountain State Park, US 52 South, I 40 Business East, I 40 East, I 73 South, I 85 West.

Notes
This was a roundabout route to Pilot Mountain to catch the fall colors and see the country along US 601. The maples were gorgeous in Boonville and Dodson , but no good photography stood out. The colors were fine on Pilot Mountain. There were a lot of buzzards around the Big Pinnacle and the moon was visible in the late afternoon sky.

Results
Clinched US 601 Business Dodson, US42 Business Mount Airy. Mileage on US 601.

Villanova to Michigan

2009-10-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 North, I 85 North, I 95 North, VA 207 North, US 301 North, I 97 North, I 695 East, I 95 North, I 495 North, I 95 North, I 476 North, I 76 West to King of Prussia.
I 76 West, I 283 North, I 83 North, I 81 South, US 322 West, US 322 Business West, PA 26 North, US 322 West, I 99 North, US 220 North, I 80 West, I 76 West, US 224 West, US 250 North, US 20 West, OH 53 North, I 80/90 West, I 280 North, I 75 North, I 275 North to Livonia
I 275 South, I 75 South, US 35 East, US 35 Business Xenia East, US 35 East, I 64 East, I 77 South, I 74 East, I 40 Business East, I 40 East, I 73 South, I 85 East, I 40 East, NC 86 South

Notes
I 85 construction continues with two way traffic on the northbound lanes from Oxford to Henderson.
All rest areas in Virginia except welcome centers are closed.
US 301 is a pleasant drive across the Potomac except for the line of stoplights and shopping centers in Waldorf MD.
I 476 across the Schuykill River is split into two sets of lanes northbound, with two lanes on a temporary bridge and two lanes on the original bridge so that the other lanes can be rehabbed.
On US 322 two lane descending into State College has a different system for fighting tailgating, There are two foot in diameter circles along the center of the lane with signs advising to keep two circles behing the next car.
I 76/71 is being rebuilt. The northbound exit ramps from I 71 to I 76/US 224 are under construction.
US 35 in Point Pleasant WV has been diverted around the tie-in to the new US 35 under construction. There are multiple signs to access and work areas from current US 35 to the new freeway. At the Buffalo Bridge, US 35 makes a turn up to the bridge access, then turns directly inland as a two-lane road. After the first turn, WV 817 (Old US 35) intersects from the left. At the second turn, to WV 62 intersects from the left and passes over the Buffalo Bridge. When US 35 reaches the new routing, it makes a right angle turn left and divides into a divided four-lane highway with road intersections until it reaches WV 34, which is an interchange. There is a flyover ramp to I 64 East.

Results
Counties - King George VA, Charles MD, Perry PA, Juniata PA, Mifflin PA, Medina OH, Greene OH, Fayette OH, for a new total of 990.
VA - Mileage on US 301, VA 207.
MD - Clinched I 97, US 301.
PA - Clinched I 283. Mileage on I 83, I 99. Mileage on US 22, US 322, US 322 Business State College, US 522, US 220, US 202, PA 26.
OH- Clinched US 35 Business Xenia. Mileage on I 76, US 224, US 20, US 35.
WV- Reclinched US 35.

Parker Ferry

2009-09-05T09:07:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 East, I 540 East, US 64 East, US 64 Business Rocky Mount East, US 64 Alternate East, US 258 North to NC 122 and return, US 64 Alternate East, NC 42 North, US 64 East, US 17 Business North, US17 North to NC 308 West and return, US 13 Business North, US 13 North, US 158 West, Parker Ferry Road, Parker Ferry, Parker Ferry Road, US 258 North to VA line and return, US 158 East, US 158 Business Murfreesboro West, US 158 West, US 301 South, US 301 Halifax North, US 301 South, US 64 West, I 540 West, I 40 West.

Notes
The third time was the charm. After striking out twice, I finally rode one of the cable powered ferries in eastern North Carolina. Parker Ferry Road runs between US 158 at a prison west of Weldon to US 258 just south of Como NC. It is gravel for a couple of miles before and after the ferry. Coming from the south, I pulled up to the gate and honked my car horn. A little old ferry keeper came out of his little old ferry shack and brought the ferry over to the south side. I had time to take some pictures of the ferry. The deck has space for two cars or one truck. The whole process took maybe fifteen minutes. It was worth the trip.

Results
Clinched US 64 Alternate Tarboro, US 64 Business Rocky Mount, US 17 Business Williamston, US 13 Business Windsor, US 301 Business Halifax. Mileage on US 17, US 13, US 258.

Villanova Move-in and Washington DC

2009-08-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 North, I 85 North, I 95 North, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 695 East, I 95 North, I 495 North, I 95 North, I 476 North, US 30 East to Villanova PA
US 30 West, I 476 North, I 76 West, US 202 West, US 30 Business West, PA 100 North, PA 113 South to Lionville PA
PA 113 North, PA 100 North, I 76 East, PA 320 South, US 30 East to Villanova PA
US 30 West, PA 100 North, PA 113 South to Lionville PA
PA 113 North, PA 100 South, US 202 South, I 95 South, DE 1 South, DE 299 West, US 301 South, I 595 West, US 50 West, I 395 South to Washington DC
Local Roads, I 66 West, VA 267 West, VA 28 South, Liberia Ave, Prince William Parkway, I 95 South, I 85 South, US 15/501 South

Notes
This trip tried out a couple of alternatives to I 95 between DC and Philadelphia. I 495 around Wilmington DE is much better than I 95 through town. I 695 across the Key Bridge is a logner, but a much calmer drive than the construction on I 95 and I 895 north of the tunnels. DE 1/US 301/I 595 is a pleasant scenic alternative to I 95. You just have to avoid this route when folks are heading to/from the beach.

All of the rest areas on I 85 and I 95 in Virginia that are not Welcome Centers are closed. It is a long haul from the Virginia Welcome Center south of Lake Gaston to the Maryland Welcome Center on I 95 between I 495 and I 895.

US 301 in DE reminds me of Ohio. The corn fields being converted to housing and commercial and the farmer's markets are much the same, except for the market selling crabs.

US 301 in Maryland has multiple instances of a variation of a Michigan Left, where the through road (US 301) has divided left turn exits, but the cross road cannot go across to turn left or straight across. The cross road has to turn right onto the through road and make a U-turn at the cutover. There are similar intersections on US 1 hear Vass NC. What is this intersection called?

Results
Counties - Kent MD, Queen Anne's MD, Manassas (IC) VA, Manassas Park (IC) VA, for a new total of 982.
VA - Mileage on VA 267, VA 28, VA 3000.
DC - Clinched I 395. Mileage on US 50, US 1.
MD - Clinched I 595. Mileage on US 50, US 301.
DE - Clinched I 495. Mileage on DE 1, DE 299, US 13, US 301.
PA - Mileage on I 76, I 476. Mileage on US 30, US 30 Business, PA 100, PA 113.

Windsor NC

2009-07-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 East, I 440 West, US 264 East, NC 91 South, US 264 Alternate East, Local streets, NC 43 West, US 264 West, US 13 North, US 13 Business Bethel South, US 64 Alternate East, US 13 North, US 17 Bypass Windsor North, US 17 South, NC 380 East, Sans Souci Road, NC 380 East, NC 45 South, US 63 West, US 64 Business Jamesville West, US 64 West, US 13 South, US 13 Business Bethel North, US 64 Alternate West, US 64 West, I 440 West, I 40 West.

Notes
On I 795/US 264 in Wilson, the BGS for I 795 still say US 117 and for US 301 say US 117 Alternate, even though AASHTO approved the change.
NCDOT originally documented that they were going to sign mainline US 17 through Windsor as a Business Route. However, when they made their request to AASHTO, they asked for it be an Alternate Route. However, signage in the field has the original mainline signed as the mainline and the new bypass has a Bypass banner.
I originally wanted to photograph and ride the Sans Souci ferry, but the last few hundred yards of the gravel road leading up to the ferry was under water. I ended up backing up the road back to the paved road in Sans Souci, because the shoulders were flooded.

Results
Bertie County, for a new total of 979.
Clinched US 264 Alternate Bethel, US 64 Business Bethel, US 64 Business Jamesville, US 17 Bypass Windsor.

Seattle Trip, Day 7

2009-06-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

Route

Coeur d'Alene ID to Seattle WA: I 90 West, Local Roads in Spokane, I 405 North, WA 520 East

Notes

Results

Clinched I 90 Idaho.

Counties: Washington: 5, for a new total of 978.

Seattle Trip, Day 6

2009-06-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

Route
Yellowstone to Couer d'Alene ID: Park roads: Canyon to Norris, Mammoth, North Entrance

US 89 North, I 90 West

Notes

I 90 is under construction on the multiplex with I 15 in Butte MT and from Missoula MT west.

Every pass in MT and ID have Chain Up and Chain Removal areas for installing tire chains in winter.

Results

New state visited: Montana, for a new total of 44.

Counties: Montana: 10, Idaho: 2, for a new total of 973.

Seattle Trip, Day 5

2009-06-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

Route
Sheridan WY to Yellowstone: I 90 West, US 14 West, US 14A West, US 14/16/20 West to Yellowstone

Park Roads: to Fishing Bridge, West Thumb, Madison, Norris, Canyon

Notes

US 14 is under construction to straighten it out at the top of the Big Horn climb.

Madison to Norris in Yellowstone is under construction with delays and closed at night.

Results

Clinched US 14 Alternate, Cody WY

Seattle Trip, Day 4

2009-06-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

Route
Rapid City SD to Sheridan WY: I 90 West, I 190 South, local roads, US 16 West, US 16 Alternate West, SD 244 West to Mt Rushmore

SD 244 East, US 16 Alternate West, SD 743 West, SD 87 West, US 16 West, I 90 West to Sheridan WV

Notes

US 16 from Rapid City to Custer SD has been significantly upgraded over the years. The Truck route east of town is hardly needed except to keep the largest trucks off a few blocks in downtown Rapid City.

There are gates on US 16 and I 90 for closing the highways with warning signs.

Results

Counties: Wyoming, Sheridan, for a new total of 961.

Seattle Trip, Day 3

2009-06-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

Route
Council Bluffs IA to Rapid City SD: I 29 North, SD 50 West, SD 50 Business West to Vermillion SD.
SD 50 Bus East, SD 50 East, I 29 North, I 90 West, I 90 BL (Mitchell) West, I 90 West to Rapid City SD.
I 90 West, I 190 South, local roads, US 16 East, I 190 North, I 90 East
Notes

Construction on I 29 and I 90 for long stretches with two way traffic on one side and no pavement left on the other at all.

Stopped for gas in Mt Vernon SD. Stopped a crossroad a half mile north of I 90 signed "Hwy 16". This would be old US 16 from before it was replaced by I 90 and truncated to Rapid City SD.
Results

Clinched I 29 in IA, I 90 Business Mitchell SD.

Counties: Iowa: 3, South Dakota: 3, for a new total of 960.

Seattle Trip, Day 2

2009-06-20T03:45:00.000-07:00

Route
Evansville IN to Council Bluffs IA: US 41 North, I 64 West, I 70 West, Local Streets (Downtown St Louis), I 70 West, MO 19, Local Road, MO 167, I 70 West, I 435 North, I 29 North, I 229 North, I 29 North, IA 2 West, NE 2 West, US 75 Bus North to Nebraska City NE, US 75 Bus South, NE 2 East, IA 2 East, I 29 North to Council Bluffs IA

Notes
At the rest area on I 64 just before the I 57 interchange, there were construction fliers for the "rubblization" of a section of I 57 south of I 64, They're ripping up the entire pavement and pulverizing it.

The detour for I 64 through St Louis is very well marked and warned. There is no indication of construction or sign changing at the I 70/US 40/61/Future I 64 interchange west of St Louis.

There are full color shields painted on the pavement for the I 270 exit from I 70 in Kansas City.

I 35 is under construction from I 70 to I 29. I 435 is given as a detour for both I 35 and I 29 North. I 435 has I 35 shields with orange alt banners posted along that part of the detour, but not such shields for I 29.

I 29 is reduced to two way traffic on the north bound lanes for several long stretches in Iowa.
Results

Clinched I 64 in IN and IL, I 229 in MO.

Counties: Indiana: 1, Illinois: 5, Missouri: 5, Nebraska: 1, Iowa: 2, for a new total of 954.

Seattle Trip, Day 1

2009-06-20T03:28:00.000-07:00

Route
Chapel Hill NC to Evansville IN: I 40 West, I 85 West, I 73 North, I 40 West, US 52 North, I 74 West, I 77 West, I 64 West, I 264 West, I 64 West, US 41 South to Evansville IN

US 41 North, I 64 East, I 164 South, Local Streets, IN 62 East, US 41 North

Notes
Sign changing continues on Greensboro interstates. The ramp from I 85 to I 73/US 421 is labeled US 421 North. The Wendell Ave exit number is now using I 73 mileage. The exit for I 40 from I 73/US 421 has Blue 40 shields, but uses both I 40 and I 73 mileage.

Construction continues on the new I 60 bridge west of Charleston WV. No tie ins to I 64 yet.

Major construction on I 64 in Indiana, Two way traffic on the east bound lanes. Construction at the end of I 164 at the US 41 interchange.

Results

Clinch I 64 in WV, I 164 in IN.

Counties: Kentucky: 9. Indiana: 9, New total = 940.

Wrightsville Beach and Oak Island

2009-06-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 East, US 74 East to Wrightsville Beach
US 74 West, US 76 West, NC 132 South, US 421 South, Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry, NC 211 North, Local roads, NC 211 North, NC 133 South to Oak Island
NC 133 North, US 421 North, I 140 East, I 40 West

Notes
There are ALT ROUTE banners on I 40 shields on NC 24 at the bottom of the ramps from I 40 pointing east. I assume they are for hurricane evacuation routes.

The second bridge to Oak Island is under construction. There was an accident there last winter that stopped construction, but a lot has been done since my last visit in October 2007. What is done is the approach ramp on Middleton south from Oak Island Boulevard, support towers and pieces of deck and deck supports.

There are read and blue I 140 shields painted on the pavement in the exit lane from US 421/17 to I 40/US 17. Colored shields are very rare on pavement.

Results

Appomattox Va

2009-04-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

Route
NC 86 North, I 85 North, US 15 North, US 15 Truck Oxford North, US 158 Business Oxford East, US 15 North, US 15 Business Farmville North, US 460 West, US 29 South, US 29 Business Alta Vista South, US 29 South, US 29 Business Gretna South, US 29 South, US 29 Business Chatham South, US 29 South, NC 86 South.
Notes
This trip was to Appomattox National Historic Park. On the way up and back, I clinched some US Business routes. The US 29 Business routes are the old US 29 routing through the town. Between Alta Vista and Hurt there is a magnificent double camelback truss bridge on the Business route and a railroad bridge with the sidewalk going through a corrugated pipe. Both are worth some photography when it is not so rainy.
Results
Counties - Appomattox VA, for a new total of 921.
NC - Clinched US 158 Business Oxford.
VA - Clinched US 15 Business Farmville, US 29 Business Alta Vista, US 29 Business Gretna, US 29 Business Chatham. Mileage on US 29, US 460, US 501.

Villanova University Campus Visit

2009-04-09T02:04:00.000-07:00

Route
I 85 North, I 95 North, I 395 North, I 695 North, Pennsylvania Avenue, DC 295 North, MD 219 North, Baltimore/Washington Parkway North, I 95 North, I 895 North, I 95 North, US 202 North to King of Prussia
US 202 South, N Gulph Road, PA 32 West to Valley Forge
PA 32 East, US 422 South, US 202 North to KoP
US 202 South, S Gulph Road, PA 320 South, US 30 East to Villanova University
US30 West, I 476 South, I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 South, I 295 South, VA 36 West, I 85 South
Notes
Normally on a Sunday, the drive through DC to Baltimore on I 395, DC 295 and the Balt-Wash would be a breeze. However, this weekend was the Cherry Blossom Festival. We came to a full stop just before the Potomac River.
I 95 north of Baltimore is being totally reconstructed from I 895 through the I 695 interchange. It may be better to take I 695 over the Key Bridge to miss the construction.
The sign gantries on US 202 in Delaware are painted a very dark grey, almost black, an odd color choice.
US 202 is divided in Delaware with businesses in the median. There is a wide shoulder on the left for exitting to the businesses.
I saw my first jughandle on US 202 in Pennsylvania. It was a standard reverse jughandle, looking much like a cloverleaf. The second was a forward jughandle just west of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which we used to get to the hotel between the King of Prussia Mall and the Turnpike. To get to the hotel from US 202 eastbound, we drove pastthe hotel across the Turnpike, right on the jughandle, left on a sideroad, then left on US 202 westbound, back across the Turnpike to the hotel.
We saw two interesting signs not often followed: "Road Construction: Headlights on" in Pennsylvania. "Turn off Windshield Wipers" in Delaware Turnpike and Maryland JFK Highway tollbooths.
The toll for the Susquehanna Bridge is $5, eastbound only.
I 495 is being reconstructed around the Dulles toll road and I 66 interchanges.
Results
States - Delaware, for a new total of 43.
Counties - New Castle DE, Cecil MD, Harford MD, Montgomery MD, for a new total of 914.
VA - Clinched I 495.
DC - Clinched I 695.
MD - Clinched I 95, I 495, I 895.
DE - Clinched I 95. Mileage on US 202.
PA - Mileage on I 95, I 476. Mileage on US 30, US 202, US 322, US 422, PA 320.

Augusta GA - Christmas

2009-01-04T15:39:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, SC 277 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, I 20, GA 104, GA 337, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 85 North, I 40 East to Chapel Hill
Notes
The BGS's on I 40 West at the old Business Route split now have I 40 and I 85 splitting and I 40 Business is gone. However, the reassurance shields on I 85 and the BGS's in both directions at the I 85/I 73 split have I 40 West.
Just north of the I 20/I 520 interchange, a new double trumpet interchange has been built for Scott Nixon Road to cross the Bobby Jones ( GA 232 ). Construction of this interchange and the moving of the access road for I 20 have caused a couple of motels and a skating rink to be demolished. The Sam's Club has lost a quarter of its parking lot.
Results

Concord NC

2008-10-31T05:27:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South and return

Notes
This was a quick shopping trip to Concord Mills along the I 85 corridor that I travel frequently.

There is no indication of sign changing on I 40/85/73 in Greensboro. The USRN meeting muddied this by referring to Future 73.

The construction at the I 74/US 311 interchange with I 85 continues apace. There is a new traffic pattern. The I 85 main lanes have been rerouted onto new C/D lanes which pass over new bridges over the I 74 main lanes. The east ramps for NC 62 connect to the C/D lanes. The close proximity of the NC 62 interchange with the new interchange is going to cause interleaving on the C/D lanes.

There is signage on I 85 for oversized truck detours between US 311 and US 64. The signs have two shields: one for I 85 Business and one for US 29/70, which have both numbers, one above the other, on one shield.

Results
None.

I 74 - Lumberton

2008-10-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 South, US 64 West, NC 87 South, NC 902 West, Local Road, US 421 West, US 1 South, US 15/501 South, US 74 Business West, I 74 East, US 74 Business Maxton East, US 74 Alternate East, NC 710 South, I 74 East, US 74 Alternate West, NC 710 North, NC 210 West, US 1 North, NC 78 East, NC 42 East, US 1/NC 42 Connector (US 421 Future) North, US 15/501 North

Notes
I 74/US 74 now connects to I 95. The current segment from Laurinburg to Lumberton runs from US 74 Business west of Laurinburg to NC 41, two exits east of I 95. NC DOT made an error in the mile markers on the segment from Laurinburg to NC 710. The segment from NC 710 to NC 41 is signed correctly, but several exit numbers on this segment duplicate the (incorrect) exit numbers on the western segment. NC DOT has covered over the exit numbers on the signs for the incorrectly numbered exits. It looks like they are going to fix it all, though it may take a while. From the interchange the east end of US 74 Alternate to NC 41, I 74/US74 is still being worked on. The main work is for widening of the shoulders. NC 41 needs to be resigned. Even though the road is not currently interstate standard, so that technically the road would be Future I 74, but there are some signs on the segment labelling it as full I 74, so, for all practical purposes, I 74 not runs to NC 41 and obviously ends there. US 74 continues on as non-interstate grade freeway (Future I 74).

The US 74 Alternate bridge over I 95 is closed for construction dealing with the removal of the I 95 interchange and connection to the new interchange with I 74/US 74. The westbound exit is open to US Alternate from I 74/US 74. However, there is a detour on the service drive of I 95 up to NC 71, west across I 95 and down the other service drive.

Results
Reclinch I 74 in NC. Clinch US 74 Business Laurinburg/Maxton, US 74 Alternate. Mileage on NC 710, NC 71, NC 210.

US 1/NC 42 Connector, Sanford

2008-09-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 South,US 1/NC 42 Connector (US 421 Future) South, NC 42 West, US 421 West, Cumnock Road North, local roads, NC 87 North, US 64 East, US 15/501 North

Notes
The future US 421 bypass is now open from NC 42 to US1/15/501/NC 87 north of Sanford. Neither end connects to US 421. From the US 1 freeway, the road is signed TO NC 42. On NC 42, the road is labeled as US 1/NC 42 Connector.

Where Cumnock Road crosses the Deep River, there is an old camelback trestle bridge that is in a small park. The bridge is well worth a stop. You can cross the bridge and see the construction detail. The planking sticks out from under the asphalt in places. There is a strange canoe/kayak launch beneath the bridge with a pair of steel pipe railings to slide your boat on next to a concrete steps that go down into the river.

Results
Reclinch US 421 Future.

Augusta GA

2008-07-13T05:06:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, Bruton Smith Parkway, US 29 South, US 29 Connector, I 85 South, NC 16 North, I 485 South, I 85 North, Billy Graham parkway, US 74 East/West, I 85 South, US 29 South, I 85 South, I 85 Business, I 585 North, US 178 North, US 178 South, I 585 South, US 178 South, SC 49 West, I 26 South, SC 72 West, US 25 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 104 North, Ga 47 North, US 378 East, GA 79 North, GA 44 W/E to Wilkes County, GA 72 East, SC 72 East, SC 81 North, I 85 North, I 185 North, US 29 North, I 385 Business South, I 385 South, I 85 North, I 85 Business, I 85 North, US 221 North, US 74 East, I 85 North, NC 3 South, NC 49 North, US 65 East, US 15/501 North to Chapel Hill
Notes
I 485 north of I 85 is no longer signed Future. On NC 16, the first BGS for I 485 has "TO" over the I 485 shield, but the next BGS shows just the shield. The BGS for I 485 at US 74/29 labels the southbound lanes as both "OUTER" and "SOUTH", showing a little split personality.
I 585 is signed both north and south of I 85 Business in Spartanburg, but the freeway ends at the first exit north. The interstate should only go south or all the way to connect to I 85, eliminating the hanging I 585.

Results
Clinch I 495 (NC), I 585 (SC), I 395 Business Greenville, I 595 Business Spartanburg. Mileage on I 385, I 185, US 29, US 221, US 74, US 378, US 176 and NC 3, NC 16, SC 49, SC 72, SC 81, GA 104, GA 47, GA 79, GA 72, GA 44. Five counties: Union and Abbeville SC, Lincoln, Willkes and Elbert GA for a total of 906.

Carolinas Roadmeet, Cleveland NC

2008-06-02T05:37:00.000-07:00

Route
NC 54 East, I 40 East, US 70 East, I 40 East, NC 42 West, NC 50 South, NC 210 East, I 40 West, NC 42 West
NC 42 East, Local Roads, US 70 Business West, US 70 West, NC 42 West
NC 42 East, I 40 West, NC 540 West, NC 55 North, Local Roads, NC 54 West
Notes
On the way to the roadmeet, I needed gas, so I took US 70/NC 50/US 401 to get gas at $3.85. When I got to the Cleveland Draft House, I had a little time to kill, so I went down NC 50 to McGhee's Crossroads to check out a BBQ restaurant and get a little more NC 210 mileage.
There is a BGS in error on US 70 East indicating that the I 40 West ramp is for US 70 West. This hearkens back to the early 1990's when US 70 went up I 40 and around the Beltline.
Smithfield is shown on a mileage sign on I 40 between US 70 and the new US 70 interchange. This is in preparation for when US 70 East will be routed there next week.
There is a US 70 reassurance shield on I 40 West north of the new interchange also in prep.
The BGS's on I 40 West for US 70 East now have covered banners for the change to Business.
The US 70 reassurance shields through Clayton all have covered Business banners.

We drove around looking at the new US 70 freeway from various dead ends. The first stop featured a dead cat in a shopping bag. A later dead end was for a busy road now permanently cut by the freeway. Between the Road Ends 1000 yards and 500 yards, there is a Speed Limit sign reducing the speed limit to 45 mph. At the dead end, right next to the barrier is a a Speed Limit sign restoring the 55 mph speed limit. If you can't speed up, you won't be able to make the jump across the freeway.
Results
Mileage on NC 210.

Painter Boulevard Southwest

2008-03-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 40 Business East, US 220 South, I 85 Business South, Groometown Road, I 40 East
Notes
First trip through the Maze. Westbound, I went directly on I 40/73. Coming back, I took the Grovetown exit to get another view of the bridges. Took a left across the Groometown bridge and left again onto the ramps for I 40/73/85. The rightmost ramp to I 40/73 is one long ramp.
Results
Reclinch I 40/73.

US 421 Bypass Future, Sanford

2008-02-20T07:21:00.000-08:00

Route
US 15/501 South, local roads, US 421 Future West, US 421 Future East, NC 42 West, US 421 East, US 301 North, US 70 Business East, US 70 East, US 117 Alternate North, US 301 North, US 64 West, US 64 Business (Nashville) West, US 64 Alternate West, NC 98 West, US 1 South, I 540 West, I 40 East
Notes
The future US 421 bypass is open (though unsigned) from NC 42 to Colon Road north of Sanford. Neither end connects to US 421. The exits are numbered with US 421 mileage. At the Colon Road exit, there is a sign for the US 1 etc. interchange. It looks like that end is getting ready to open.
At the interchange for I 795 on US 70, the signs for the southbound ramps say US 117. The signs on the northbound ramps say US 117 and TO I 795. This interchange is the south end of I 795. Why does it say TO I 795?
NCDOT had said that they are taking US 117 off of the I 795 freeway and moving it back to current US 117 Alternate. There are no Alternate signs on US 117 Alternate. There used to be signs on US 301 directing US 117 Alternate onto US 264. It looks like US 117 Alternate has been shortened back to US 301. As the signs change, we will see what's going on.
There are new numbered exit signs on US 64 through Rocky Mount up to I 95.
Results
Clinch US 1117 Alternate, US 64 Business (Nashville), US 64 Alternate (Spring Hope). Mileage on US 421, US 301.

US 220 Reclinch

2008-02-19T05:59:00.000-08:00

Route
US 15/501 South, US 64 West, Local Roads, US 220 Alt South, NC 705 North, US 220 South, US 220 Business Ellerbe North, US 220 Alt North, US 220 North, US 64 East, US 15/501 North
Notes
Old US 220 is still not resigned through Ellerbe and Norman. The only signs for US 22o Business are at the interchange. US 220 north of Norman has streets signs that say US 220 Alt, indicating that US 220 Alternate is being extended south, but the extent is unclear.
Results
Reclinch US 220.

Meinecke Car Care Bowl - Charlotte NC

2007-12-30T15:42:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, I 277 North, College Street
I 277 South, I 77 North, NC 16 North, I 85 North, I 40 East to Chapel Hill
Notes
Hit bad traffic twice on the way home from the stadium. First was on I 77 North. Took NC 16 over to I 85 to avoid stopped traffic. The second was from I 485 to Speedway Boulevard on I 85.
Results
Mileage on NC 16.

Augusta GA - Winthrop University

2007-12-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, I 520, GA 104, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, US 21 North, US 21 Business Rock Hill North, US 21 North, I 77 North, I 85 North, I 40 East to Chapel Hill
Notes
All of the BGS's at the Maze have I 73 along with I 40, except for the US 220 exit. The US 220 exit from I 40/73 is exit 220 on I 40. Nice coincidence. This will be I 73 sometime, but is not signed yet.

The US 311/I 74 interchange on I 85 has bridge construction starting. The exit with NC 62 is partially blocked for construction of approach lanes.

The construction on I 85 from the Yadkin River to Salisbury continues. The picnic building at the Baptist Church that was damaged during the highway widening is gone.

Construction has started on the I 520 interchange with I20 in South Carolina. The westbound ramp to US 25 has been closed and replaced with a very tight cloverleaf. This will be reverted when the I 520 interchange is complete.

There is a new half interchange on I 20 in Georgia (exit 197) for Walton Way Extension - westbound exit and eastbound entry only. Construction has started on building flyovers from I 520 to I 20 on exit 196. The existing exits have been closed on exit 196, so there is a detour north on GA 232 to Scott Nixon Road, then south on Walton Way Extension to exit 197 (and the reverse).

Results
Clinch US 25 Business Rock Hill. Mileage on US 21.

I 795 and I 74

2007-12-02T06:58:00.000-08:00

Route
I 540 East, US 64 East, NC 39 South, US 264 East, I 795 South, NC 222 East, US 117 Alt South, US 117 Alt North, NC 222 West, I 795 South, US 117 South, US 13 South, I 95 South, NC 711 North, NC 710 East, I 74 West, US 74 West, US 1 North, US 220 North, NC 211 East, NC 705 North, NC 24/27 East, US 15/501 North, US 1 North, I 440 East, US 70 West
Notes
This was the most productive roadgeek trip that I have been on in ages. Adam Prince, Robert Malme and sent out to see if I 795 is signed yet and to check out the new section of US 74 ( Future I 74 ) just opened south of Pembroke and the US 220 ( I 73/74 ) Ellerbe Bypass.

The signs on I 795 were put up on November 28 2007. All of the US 117 shields on the highway proper have been replaced with I 795 shields. The shields on the NC 42 interchange were also replaced. However, farther south, the US 117 shields on interchanges were not replaced yet. The BGS on US 264 still shows US 117, so you have to know to take the US 117 exit to stay on I 795.

We were surprised to find that the new section of US 74 is signed as I 74. In fact, all of the signage and exit numbers on US 74 on the Maxton and Laurinburg bypasses have been changed to I 74. Just after exit 207, there is an END I 74 sign. The new exits are:

207 - US 74 Business - West Laurinburg
208 - NC 79
209 - US 15/501/401 North
210 - US 15/401 South
211 - US 501 South
212 - Highland Road
213 - US 74 Business
216 - Airport Road
217 - NC 71
220 - US 74 Alt/Bus
223 - Cabinet Shop Road
226 - NC 710

The six mile stretch from 220 to 226 is a bit restricted. For eastbound travel on US 74, all traffic is forced to exit at exit 220. The exit is a partial cloverleaf. Exit 220A exits onto US 74 Business, west to Maxton. Exit 220B exits onto US 74 Alternate, east to Pembroke. There is an on-ramp from US 74 Business onto I 74/US 74 East. The ramp has a light board sign saying " Local Traffic Only - Open to NC 710". Thus, eastbound traffic must exit on 220A , cross Business US 74 and take the ramp back onto the Interstate. Continuing east on US 74 Alternate, there is one US 74 Alternate sign, then the road is signed US 74 mainline. Thus there are two US 74 mainlines, the old road, which will be US 74 Alternate when I 74/US 74 is finished to I 95, and the new multiplex with I 74.

For westbound travel on old US 74, there is no signage for the new freeway, until you get to exit 220. On NC 710 East from Pembroke, the old US 74 intersection is marked US 74 mainline. On NC 710 West from Rowland, the interchange is signed I 74/US 74 West, with no signage for US 74 East.

Construction on the US 220 Ellerbe Bypass is proceeding apace. We were able to get close enough to see some signage on the highway. The first quirk is that the exit from US 220 into Ellerbe on current US 220 is signed US 220 Business. Old US 220 north of the new freeway is signed US 220 Alternate. It was assumed that US 220 Alternate would just be extended south to Rockingham. In fact, at Tabernacle Road, which is the first exit south of the end of the current freeway, there is a street sign for US 220 Alternate. The signage indicates that current US 220 will be US 220 Business through Ellerbe and US 220 Alternate north of that. This means that the old US 220 will be Business through Ellerbe, Alternate from Norman to south of Asheboro and Business through Asheboro to Randleman. Why can't it all be Alternate US 220?

The second quirk is that the new freeway, which is an extension of I 73/74 / US 220 is signed as US 220/ Future I 73 / Future I 74. The new freeway is identical to the current freeway, in that it ends at US 220, which is NHS. Is this an admission that the current signage of I 73/74 is incorrect?

The following exits are signed on the bypass:

8 - Business US 220 - Ellerbe
13 - Hayward Parker Road
16 - NC 73
18 - Norman
22 - Tabernacle Church Road
24 - Alternate US 220

Results
Clinched I 74 in NC, NC 711. Mileage on US 74, US 13, US 117.

The return of NC 15

2007-11-29T05:40:00.001-08:00

There is no North Carolina State Highway 15, since that would conflict with US 15. Somebody in NCDoT has mistakenly made some NC 15 shields with the diamond shield when they meant to make US 15 shields.

About two years ago, these signs were installed at the intersection of US 15/501 and NC 54. What was funny was that sign complexes had both US 15 and NC 15 shields, one for northbound and the other for southbound. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures before the NCD0T realized their mistake and replaced the shields.

This week, one of the NC 15 shields reappeared. It is not quite as ironic as the previous shields, except that NCDot made the same error again.

900 Counties!

2007-11-13T12:35:00.000-08:00

Route
US 501 North, US 360 East, VA 307 West, US 460 West, US 460 Business West, VA 45 North to Cumberland County and return, US 15/460 Business West, US 15 North to Buckingham County
US 15 South, US 15/360 Business Keysville, US 15 South, VA 49 South, NC 49 South, US 501 South
Notes
This was primarily a county tagging trip. The only odd thing I saw were the signs at US 360 and VA 360. The regular shields had banners for STATE and US above them, to make sure people would not be confused.
I had counted Lunenburg as having been visited by driving on I 85, but I 85 just misses the county. It appears that US 360 enters the county in the area around Meherrin, but here are no county signs on the highway. I saw some along side roads, so I ducked off on SR630 and found a sign and turned around.
Farmville was a good locus for visiting counties, there are four that I visited within ten miles of town.
Results
Clinched US 15/360 Business Keysville, US 58 Business Clarkesville, US 460 Business Farmville. Mileage on US 15, US 360, US 460, US 15 Business Farmville.
Counties in Virginia: Amelia, Buckingham, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottaway, Prince Edward. For a total of 901.

Bugg's Island Dam

2007-11-01T05:34:00.000-07:00

Route
US 501 North, US 58 East, US 58 Business Clarkseville East, US 15 South, US 58 East, US 58 Business South Hill West, US 1 North to I 85
US 1 South, US 58 East, US 58 West, VA 4 South, Local Roads, US 1/US 158 West, I 85 South
Notes
VA 4 runs across the John H Kerr Dam and along the lake shore for some distance. It is a very scenic drive. VA 4 ends at the state line. The North Carolina side is SR1200, a county road.
Results
Clinched VA 4. Connected disconnected sections of US 58, now continuous mileage from Blue Ridge Parkway to Portsmouth VA. Mileage on US 15, US 58 Business Clarkesville.

Point Lookout on Old US 70

2007-10-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West to Old Fort
I 40 East, US 321 South to US 321 Business
US 321 North, I 40 East, NC 86 South
Notes
We took the exit for NC 801 to check out the unusual interchange design. The westbound exit/entrance is a normal diamond controlled by a stop light. The eastbound exit/entrance is a diamond controlled by teardrop roundabout. The left turn from southbound NC 801 and the entrance ramp requires that traffic go three quarters around the roundabout. The north side of the rounabout blends into the median of the bridge making the roundabout the shape of a teardrop.

The main purpose of this trip was to hike an old section of the Central Highway that is now gated off for pedestrian and bike traffic only. The old road climbs up Bernard Mountain from Old Fort to Swannoa. It has been long superceded by US 70 and later I 40. There was a scenic vista called Point Lookout overlooking the Royal Gorge. Up and back was a 3.5 mile hike (each way) with a 750 foot elevation change. We took photos. See roadgeek.filpus.org/PointLookout.html for a complete report.

Went down US 321 to tag Lincoln county. Turned around at US 321 Business, which was briefly signed NC 155 when the US 321 freeway was built. Local pressure forced the state to resign the road to US 321 Business.
Results
Tagged Lincoln counties in NC for a total of 896. Mileage on US 321.

Charleston SC

2007-10-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 North, NC 147 East, I 40 East, I 95 South, I 26 East, Meeting Street South to Charleston SC
Meeting Street North, US 17 North, Local Roads to Pawley's Island, US 17 North, SC 544 West, SC 31 North, SC 9 South, SC 90 West, US 17 North, NC 211 South, NC 133 South, Local Roads to Oak Island
NC 133 North, NC 87 North, US 17 North, I 40 North, NC 54 West, US 15/501 North to Chapel Hill
Notes
The US 74 interchange with I 95 is half closed. The north half of the diamond is open, while the south side ramps have been removed to build the I 74/US 74 interchange.
The Cooper River Bridge (US 17) is awesome. It is a double cable stayed bridge, the first I have personally driven across.
Clinched the current version of the Carolina Bays Parkway ( Future I 73/74 ). There are no Future signs to be seen.
The transition from SC 9 South to US 17 North is a surface road connection by way of SC 90. Unlike the transition to US 17 South, which is just a freeway level merge.
The second bridge to Oak Island is under construction. There was a whole line of construction vehicles along the right of way from the NC 211 and Midway Road intersection. On Oak Island, the waterway access at the north end of Middleton is now a holding area for bridge supports. Yacht Drive is open through the construction. The north half of the block of Middleton between Oak Island Drive and Yacht Drive is completely leveled. It appears this block will be the approach to the bridge. It is not clear whether Yacht Drive will go under the bridge or if it will be cut there.
I got a clear view of an old shield gantry on the ramp taking I 40 West onto I 440 Inner Beltline. The gantry has US 70 EAST and NC 50 SOUTH. There was a time when current US 70 through Garner was signed US 70 Business. During that period, US 70 and NC 50 were routed up I 40 to I 440 to the current US 70/401/NC 50 interchange. The gantry on the ramp in question should have been US 70 West and NC 50 North. The current gantry is clearly wrong. I need to get a picture.
Results
Tagged Berkeley and Georgetown counties in SC for a total of 895. Clinched I 26 in SC and SC 31. Mileage on US 17, SC 544, SC 9, SC 90.

NC 540

2007-07-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

Route
NC 54 East, I 40 East, NC 540 West, NC 55 North, NC 55 South, NC 540 East, I 540 East, US 70 East, I 440 East, US 401 North, I 540 East, US 64 East, US 64 Business (Wendell) East, US 264 East, US 264 Alternate East, US 301 South, US 301 North, NC 58 North, NC 97 West, US 64 Business West, US 64 West, I 540 West, I 40 West, NC 54 West
Notes
This is my first drive on NC 540. Drove the length both ways to get a good feeling of the road. Got a photo of the 66.6 mile marker. There is no indication of NC 540 on any BGS directly of I 40 or I 540.
Results
Clinched US 64 Business Wendell and NC 540. Mileage on US 301 and 264 Alternate (Wilson) and NC 58, 42 and 97. Clinched all state routes in Wake County NC.

Seattle WA

2007-07-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Routes
From Sea-Tac, WA 518 East, I 5 South, WA 516 East to Kent
WA 516 East, WA 167 North, I 405 North, WA 520 East, WA 202 East to Redmond
WA 202 West, WA 520 West, I 405 South, WA 167 South, WA 516 West to Kent
WA 516 West, I 5 South, US 101 North, WA 8 West, US 12 West, US 101 North, WA 109 North, Moclips Highway, US 101 North, US 101 East, WA 104 East, Kingston/Edmonds Ferry, WA 104 East, I 5 South, WA 516 East to Kent
WA 516 West, I 5 North, Local Roads, WA 99 South, Local Roads, I 5 South, WA 516 East to Kent
WA 516 East, WA 167 South, WA 410 East, Sunrise Road to Sunrise
Sunrise Road, WA 410 West, WA 164 West, WA 18 West, WA 167 North, WA 516 West to Kent
WA 516 West, I 5 North, Local Roads, I 5 South, WA 516 East to Kent
WA 516 West, I 5 North, WA 518 West to Sea-Tac
Notes
Seattle highways are horrible. There is gridlock everywhere. The roads are not well signed. I could go on and on.
I had forgotten how beautiful the drive along Lake Crescent on US 101 west of Port Angeles is. The two lane highway hugs the lake with great views.
The drive up to Sunrise is one of the most spectacular I have ever taken. The views of the mountains and glaciers beg description.
We took the Underground Seattle tour in Pioneer Square. While rebuilding Seattle after a fire in the late 1800's, the city raised the streets, leaving undergrond chambers under the new sidewalks. The tour gives you a view of the infrastructure under the sidewalks of the city.
Results
Clinched WA 8 and 164. Mileage on I 5, US 12 and 101, and WA 516, 167, 520, 202, 18 and 99.

US 401

2007-05-06T08:21:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 East, US 401 South, NC 55 South, NC 27 West, US 401 South, US 74 Business East, US 74 West, US 74 Business (Rockingham) East, US 220 North, US 220 Business (Asheboro) North, US 220 North, NC 62 East, Local Roads, NC 87 South, Local Roads, NC 54 East
Notes
Construction on I 73/74 /US 220 bypass of Ellerbe has stopped. There is no pavement done at the interchanges with US 220. The contractor has bankrupted, so the state is getting new bids. I'd say there is a year's work left to finish the freeway.
There is a bronze statue of Richard Petty on US 220 Business in downtown Randleman. He is their favorite native son.
One of the weirdest things I've chanced upon is the Original Hollywood Horror Show which is in the middle of the woods on Bass Mountain Road a half mile from NC 87 south of Graham NC. This kind of show would be normal in a tourist trap area, such as Cherokee or Gatlinburg, or even Myrtle Beach, but not in rural Piedmont North Carolina.
Results
Clinched US 401 in NC and US 220 Business Asheboro. Mileage on US 74, US 74 Business (Laurinburg), NC 27, US 421.

Camp Bonner

2007-03-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 East, I 540 East, US 64 East, I 95 South, US 264 East, NC 33 East, Local (detour), NC 33 East, Local, NC 33 West, US 17 North, US 264 West, I 540 West, I 40 West
Notes
There was a detour on NC 33 through the town of Simpson and back to NC 33. NC DOT didn't do a good job of marking the end of the detour. The road came to a stop sign at NC 33 with no construction signing. You had to look around at the road to find NC 33 signs, which clued you in that you had reached the end of the detour.
Results
Mileage on US 264A and NC 33.

Madison NC

2007-03-10T10:08:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, NC 54 West, NC 87 North, US 158 East, NC 14 North, NC 700 East, NC 770 West, NC 135 West, US 220 Business North, US 220 North, NC 770 East, NC 14 South, US 158 East, NC 86 South
Notes
Checked out some of the US highway reroutings in the Madison NC area. The truncation of US 220 Business through Stanley NC has been signed properly now. The extension of US 311 from Madison to Eden is still not signed. The first had been approved by USRN in 1998; the second in 2003.
Results
Clinch US 220 Business in Madison/Mayoden, NC 700, NC 135. More mileage on NC 770.

Wilmington NC

2007-02-22T07:13:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 East, Holly Shelter Rd, US 177 South, US 17 Business North, US 74 West, US 421 North, I 140 East, US 17 North, US 17 Business South, Military Cutoff, US 76 West, US 117 South, US 421 North, US 76 West, NC 87 North, I 95 Business North, I 95 South, I 95 Business North, NC 87 North, US 15/501 North
Notes
There has been a discussion in the US highway mapping forum over what route US 17 Business takes through Wilmington after US 17 was routed over I 140. To answer this question and reclinch the US highways in Wilmington that were rerouted, I took a roadtrip to Wilmington and crisscrossed the city to check everything out.
In NC, when a town is bypassed by a US highway, the original routing is converted to a Business Route. As time goes on, some towns grow up around the bypass and a new bypass for the same highway is built. Then, usually, the old Business Route is decommissioned and the main route is converted to a new Business Route. However, this is not what happened in Wilmington. The original US 17 Business is still part of the new Business Route. The previous main routing of US 17 along Dawson from 3rd to 17th and along 17th was decommissioned. The rest of the main routing across the bridge and on Market from 17th to I 140 was added to the Business Route.
US 17 Truck Route appears to be decommissioned. I could find no signs for the route.
There is a BEGIN banner on an I 140 shield on the entrance ramp from US 421. There is an END banner on an I 140 shield just east of the I 40 bridge.
I took a side trip from NC 87 over to the Elwell Ferry, but the fog on the river was too heavy and the ferry was not running. I love these old two car ferries.
NC 87 is being divided from Elizabethtown to I 95.
The NC 87 freeway in Fayetteville has numbered exits, starting with exit 100 for the airport exit to 104B for Hay Street. The NC 87/24 exit is not numbered.
Results
Clinch I 40, I 95 Business. Mileage on US 17, US 74, US 117, US 311, US 421, NC 87.
Count Bladen, Columbus counties.

Danville VA

2007-02-09T14:19:00.000-08:00

Route
NC 86 North, US 29 North, US 58 Business West, US 29 Business South, US 29 South, NC 700 West, NC 770 North, VA 863 North, US 58 Business East, VA 86 South, VA 360 North, US 58 Business East, US 29 South, NC 86 South
Notes
Went up to Danville to get the new State Highway maps for Virginia and North Carolina. The Visitors Center off US 29/58 had 2006-2008 Virginia maps. The Visitors Center on NC 700 only had 2006 NC maps. Drove through Danville twice, once to clinch the US Business routes and once to check out the architecture on East Main Street. Danville has a bunch of old bridges over the Dan River that I had not seen before. US 58 Business runs under the bridges and is a bridge enthusiast's dream.
NC 700 finished clinching state highways in Caswell County. I thought that I would clinch NC 700 when I planned the route, but NC 700 does not end at NC 770 but multiplexes with NC 770 to NC 87/14. When I head up that way to check out the US 311 from Madison to Eden question, I'll pick up that section of 700.
There are signs for US 29 and VA 86 with TRUCK banners on US 58 Business with arrows saying to exit onto US 29 Business/VA 86. Since US 29 has a bypass of Danville (which through trucks on US 29 should take), this indicates a Truck Route for Business US 29, to keep trucks off of Piney Forest Highway. Having a Truck Route for a State Highway is rare, but not unknown.
There is a sign on US 58 Business East pointing up the ramp onto US 29/58 Bypass that simply points to Chapel Hill. It does not say Chapel Hill NC. Since neither route on the Bypass goes to Chapel Hill, it seems a little odd.
Results
Clinch US 58 and 29 Business Routes in Danville VA. Clinch state highways in Caswell County. Added miles for NC 700 and 770.

I 540 to US 64/264

2007-01-25T17:19:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 East, I 540 East, US 64/264 West, I 40 East, NC 42 West, Local Roads, US 64 Business West, NC 87, Local Roads
Notes
With the opening of I 540 from US 1 to US 64/264, I no longer had I 540 clinched. I also no longer had the lead at m-plex.com for clinched interstate miles in NC, trailing by one mile. I drove the new section to reclinch I 540 and regain the lead.
A fellow roadgeek in Michigan recently clinched the state highway system in Michigan, including all interstates, US highways, state highways and spur routes. I took a look at my North Carolina map and noticed that I had clinched all of the state highways in a cluster of counties around my home county. There are a few counties that I have only one segment of a state route to clinch the county. Driving this part of NC 42 clinched Chatham County and left one last route (NC 97 east of Lizard Lick) in Wake County.
Results
Reclinch I 540. Clinch Chatham County. Added miles for NC 42.

Augusta GA - Christmas 2006

2006-12-27T06:52:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 338, GA 232, I 520, GA 104, GA 104 Connector, GA 4, US 25 Business, Local Roads
I 20 East, Detour ( US 1 South, Frontage Road, Wire Road), I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
The construction on I 85 from the Yadkin River to Salisbury continues. One exit has been changed from an underpass to an overpass. You can hardly tell now where the old exit was.

As we were traveling east on I 20, there was an orange detour sign propped up on a exit sign just before US 1 for Aiken. When we got to US 1, the police were closing the eastbound freeway and directing us all off onto US 1 South. We were the fifth or sixth car to be diverted. If we had been a couple of minutes farther down the road, we would have been trapped in the closed freeway. The police directed us onto the frontage road south of the freeway, which eventually ended at Wire Road. There was no police there, so we just followed the other cars left (east). A quarter mile down the road, a police car with lights flashing passed us heading west. I suspect that he was going to direct traffic at the unmarked turn. Wire Road intersected with I 20 and we got on heading east with no indication of the reason for the detour.
Results

Clinch I 95 in NC

2006-12-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 East, I 540 East, US 1 North, NC 98 East, US 401 North, NC 561 East, NC 4 South, NC 33 East, I 95 North, US 158 East, US 158 Business to Warrenton, US 401 North, US 1 South, I 85 South to Chapel Hill
Notes
The new NC 98 bypass of Wake Forest goes east from a SPUI with US 1. NC 98 multiplexes with US 1 for a bit and heads west on the previous road. NC 98 through Wake Forest is now NC 98 Business. NC has created a number of these business routes for state highways lately. Historically, the state has been retiring them. I do not know of any existing by the middle of the 1990's. Now, NC 24 has a couple and NC 98 has one.
US 158 Business through Warrenton is shown as US 158A on the state map. However, it is clearly signed as business. I saw no indication of an old Alternate signing.
Results
Clinch I 95 in NC. Reclinch NC 98.

Beaufort County NC

2006-11-17T06:33:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 East, NC 24 East, NC 24 Business West, US 258 North, NC 11 North, NC 102 East, US 17 North, US 264 West, US 301 South, US 70 Business West, NC 210 West, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
NC 24 has an extremely rare multiplex with I 40 bypassing Warsaw and Kenansville. The only other multiplex of Interstate and NC state highways that I know of is NC 150 and I 40 Business from Kernersville and downtown Winston-Salem. Old NC 24 is now NC 24 Business through Warsaw and Kenansville.
Earlier this year, I posted on seroads a question about the numbering and signing of the new Jacksonville bypass. The bypass is eventually going to connect to US 17 north of town and carry US 17 mainline around town. However the bypass begins at US 258/NC 24 west of US 17 South and is only finished up to NC 24 east of town. The section east of US 17 will be US 17 mainline, but what is the short section west of US 17 be numbered? My proposal was to move US 258 onto the bypass and perhaps continue it to Morehead City. However, the state decided to move NC 24 onto the bypass and leave US 258 alone. Now, the old routing of NC 24 through town is, starting from the west: US 258/NC 24; US258/NC 24 Business; US 17/NC 24 Business; NC 24 Business; Freedom Way Boulevard. NC 24 Business turns off of Freedom Way on a new connector to the bypass. This makes two new business routes for NC 24. North Carolina has been historically eliminating business routes for state highways. This is a new trend.
When the bypass is completed to US 17 North, US 17 through town will become US 17 Business. The Business blades are already installed on the US 17 reassurance signs through town, but the the blades are covered up. Now, on the BGS's on and around the bypass, there is no indication of US 17, not even space for adding US 17 shields. All of the BGS's will have to be changed out then.
US 264 has a peculiar interchange with itself west of Greenville. It is currently a three way cloverleaf. US 264 runs on the west and north branches of the interchange, while the east branch exits to a city street signed to Downtown. US 264 exits to itself in both directions, with the eastbound exit being a tight cloverleaf. If US 264 were to become an Interstate this interchange would be the obvious end for it with US 264 exiting north.
The 264 freeway bypass of Greenville has a 70 mph speed limit west of US 13. It is a fairly narrow carriageway and seems a little dangerous.
Results
Beaufort County NC.
Additional mileage on US 264, US 258, US 17, US 301, NC 210.
Photographed western terminus of NC 118 and eastern (northern) terminus of NC 210.

US 117 Freeway

2006-10-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 East, Wade Avenue, I 440 Inner, US 264 East, NC 91 South, US 264 Alt West, Local Streets in Wilson, NC 42 West, US 117 South, US 13 North, US 70 West, US 70A West, US 70 West, Local streets around Smithfield, US 70 West, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
Starting from I 440, the US 64/264 freeway splits at Zebulon, then the US 264 freeway morphs to US 117/264 at I 95 and splits south of Wilson. The multiplexing of US 64/264 and US 117/264 are odd in that one of the highways starts multiplexed. Historically, this was not the case. US 264 once started at the split in Zebulon and US 117 once started at US 301. Both were extended in the 1990's and 2000's. There is speculation that US 64, US 264 and US 117 freeways could be upgraded to interstates with x95 numbers: I 195 from Raleigh to Rocky Mount or even Tarboro, I 395 from Zebulon to Wilson or even Greenville, I 795 from Wilson to Goldsboro or even I 40. This would make Raleigh look like Atlanta. We shall see.
The exits on US 264 for US 117 and US 301/117 Alternate are numbered 43A and 43BC, respectively. Exit 43A is for eastbound traffic only. Westbound traffic for US 117 exits on 43B and takes US 301 past the turn for US 117 Alternate to the interchange for US 117.
US 264A through Wilson follows the old US 264 bypass (Ward Ave) which circles downtown. Some maps show US 264 on both the north and south sides of the circle as well as going on Nash street through downtown. The only signage I saw was for US 264A on the south side of the circle.The other routings are defunct or never were.
The new US 117 freeway is a typical rural freeway, with few exits and long curves.
The north end of the new US 117 A is well marked, if a little confusing for traffic from westbound US 264. The south end of the new US 117 A is not marked at all. The exit is marked US 13. Then the road is marked as US 117 Bypass.
With the clinching of US 70A through Pine Level, I have clinched all of the versions of US 70 in the Smithfield area.
US 70 Business through Smithfield is closed at the I 95 interchange for bridge work.
Results
Greene County NC.
Clinched US 70A.
Additional mileage on US 264, US 264 A, US 117.

Augusta GA - August 2006

2006-08-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, SC 277 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 338, GA 232, I 520, GA 104, GA 104 Connector, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 485 East/North, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
US 521 is no longer indicated on a BGS over I 77 at Billy Graham Parkway in south Charlotte NC. The BGS over the exit ramps from southbound I 77 now shows I 485 East and West. However, the BGS over the exit ramps from northbound I 77 still shows I 485 East and Inner.
Results

Virgilina, VA

2006-08-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

Route
NC 50 North, NC 56 North, I 85 North, US 15 North, US 15 Truck, US 15 North, US 58 West, VA 49 South, VA 96 North, US 501 South, NC 157 South
Notes
US 15 Truck Route is part of the Oxford loop. The north side of the loop is US 158 Bypass and is a reasonable bypass of Oxford for through east/west traffic.. The south side of the loop runs through the business and industrial areas of town and is designed for local traffic only. For US 15, it is still better than going through downtown.
Virgilina is a little town on the NC/VA border which used to be a railroad town with the railway running along the state line. For roadgeeking, it is the site where two multistate state highways cross. Actually NC 49 and NC 96 merge in NC just south of the state line, cross into VA together and split keeping their original numbers, each continuing in the same general direction of their NC counterparts.
US 501 between Roxboro and the state line has been in the news lately as the planned upgrading to divided four lanes has been delayed yet again. The road certainly needs it.
Results
Clinch NC/VA 96.

Vass Bypass and I-277

2006-05-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 South, US 64 West, NC 87 South, US 1 South, NC 2 West, US 15/501 North, NC 73 West, US 220 South, US 74 Business West, US 74 West, NC 200 South, NC 75 West, SC 75 West, US 521 North, I-485 West, I-77 North, I-277 East, I-77 North, I-85 North, I-40 East, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill
Notes
The Vass Bypass is expressway with narrow shoulders and 55 mph speed limits. NC 24/27 and NC 690 are diamond interchanges. There are other at-grade road intersections, which are a form of a Michigan Left. There are left turn lanes from US 1 onto each side road, but there is no crossover for the side road. All traffic must turn right from the side road. Left and straight through traffic takes a U-turn (with a turning pad for trucks).

NC 2 through Pinehurst has the narrowest lanes. The residents don't want to lose the pine trees in the median, but the lanes are unsafe.

Paving on the under construction I 73/74 ends at NC 73. South of the bridge you see asphalt; north of the bridge you see sand.

US 74 is called the Andrew Jackson Highway and dedicated to Jesse Helms in Anson county.

Polkton prides itself in being the birthplace of LL Polk, who was an early NC educator, no relation to Jame Polk, who was born in Mecklenburg County NC.

The BGS over US 521 for I 485 still says that US 521 goes onto the freeway, instead of ending at I 485, which it does.

There is a stub ramp merging in to the on-ramp from US 521 onto I 485 west. This may well be a leftover from when I 485 ended at US 521.
Results
Reclinch US 1 (NC). Clinch I 277 (NC) and US 521 (NC).
More mileage on US 74 in NC.
Union (NC), Anson (NC) and Lancaster (SC) counties, for a total of 890.

US 158 West

2006-04-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, I 840 North, US 220 North, US 158 West, US 601 North, NC 801 South, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
US 601 north of I 40, NC 801 South and Farmington Road are marked with I 40 shields with a blue "Incident" banner over them. What is there between those the US 601 and Farmington Road exits that requires a permanent "Incident" detour?
The eastbound exit for NC 801 from I 40 goes into and out of a roundabout. The quadrant toward I 40 is blocked, so you cannot go all of the way around.
Results
US 158 is now complete from Merchant Mill Pond west. Connected US 601 from NC 801 to Mocksville.

Six Flags Over Georgia - March 2006

2006-03-30T05:13:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 285 North, I 20 West to Six Flags Over Georgia
I 20 East, I 285 North, US 78 to Stone Mountain and return
I 20 East, I 75/85 North to Downtown, US 19 South, I 75/85 North, I 20 West
I 285 North, I 75 North to Marietta GA and return
I 20 East, I 285 South, I 20 East to Augusta GA
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 485 Inner, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
The I 485 exit from I 85 is labelled I 485 Outer.
US 521 is still indicated on BGS in both directions over I 85 at Billy Graham Parkway in west Charlotte NC.
On the ramp from I 77 North to I 485, the lanes are labelled I 485 East and I 485 Inner (instead of West).
Results
Clinch I 285 (GA) and I 485 (NC).
More mileagle on I 20 and I 75 in GA.
Douglas County GA, for a total of 887.

Pinnacles of the Dan - February 2006

2006-02-25T12:35:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, Bus I 40 West, I 40 East, US 52 North, Bus US 52 North, NC 103 East, VA 103 East, Local Roads, VA 103 East, VA 8 South, NC 8 South, NC 89 South, US 311 South, NC 65 East, US 158 East, NC 68 South, I 40 East

Notes
I've started to document exit numbers on NC non-Interstate freeways. I logged US 52 from Winston-Salem to Mount Airy on this trip.

NC 103/VA 103 is a pretty sorry multistate highway. Neither segment is more than 10 miles long. They both seem to be stubs.
There are light boards warning of "Narrow Lanes" on I 40 East at the construction of the interchange for the Greensboro Bypass. Both roadways are diverted around the bridge construction over the mainline. Only the eastbound lanes have the sign.

Since the Sheetz opened at Mebane-Oaks Road Exit on I 40/85, gas prices have fallen at other gas stations both at Mebane-Oaks and Buckhorn exits, as well as in Hillsborough. Maybe it will creep into Chapel Hill, the apex of gas prices in North Carolina.

Results
Clinch NC 103, VA 103. Clinch the section of VA/NC 8 from Hanging Rock to Stuart. I have just a few miles of VA 8 in the Blacksburg area to clinch VA 8.

Augusta GA - Christmas 2005

2005-12-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 338, GA 232, I 520, GA 4, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 85 North, US 29 North (Kannapolis), I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
US 521 is still indicated on a BGS over I 77 at Billy Graham Parkway in south Charlotte NC.
After stopping for lunch on US 29 in Kannapolis, stayed on US 29 North to Spencer to avoid the the construction on I 85 in Salisbury.
Results
Filled in some mileage on US 29. US 29 is now clinched from Concord NC to US 33 in VA.

Wilson Creek Backpacking Trip

2005-11-14T05:16:00.000-08:00

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, US 64 East (Morganton), NC 181 North, Local Roads, NC 90 West to Wilson Creek
NC 90 East, Local Roads, US 64 East (Gameville), I-40 East, NC 86 South
Notes
NC 90 is a gravel road in the middle of the Wilson Creek wilderness. It is a real highway and is co-signed with US 64 in Lenoir and point east.
I 40 East has been diverted around the interchange being constructed for the west end of the Greensboro I 85/I 40 bypass, similar to the configuration on the east end of the bypass, where I 40/I 85 Business swerves under I 85 and merges from the right.
Results
Alexander County, NC, for a total of 883 counties.

Bedford County, VA

2005-11-08T09:45:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, US 70 Business East, NC 86 North, VA 86 North, US 29 North, VA 43 North, VA 24 East, US 501 South, NC 157 South to Durham
Notes
Results
Bedford County, VA, for a total of 882 counties.

Augusta GA - August 2005

2005-08-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 West, Bus I 85 South, I 85 South, I 77 South, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 104, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
US 521 is still indicated on a BGS over I 77 at Billy Graham Parkway in south Charlotte NC.
The differential cost of gas is smaller between NC and Georgia. Unleaded was 2.49 in Haw River NC and 2.42 in Augusta GA. My brother told me that ever since Kenan bought out Smile gas, the Circle K gas stations are not pushing the price curve down.
Results

US 64 Bypass

2005-08-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Route
NC 54 East, I 40 East, Harrison Road, NC 54 East, Western Boulevard, I 440 West, I 40 East, I 440 West, US 64 East to Business US 64 (Wendell)
US 64 West, I 440 West, I 40 West, NC 54 West
Notes
Rode the new freeway for the first time. Two interchanges, New Hope Road and I 540 are still under construction. The "End US 264" sign is the largest End sign I have ever seen.
Results

East Lansing MI July 2005

2005-07-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

Route
From DTW Airport: I 94 West, M 52 North, I 96 West, US 127 North to East Lansing MI
M 43 East, Grand River Avenue, I 96 East (Brighton), Local Roads, I 94 East, I 75 North, Local Roads, M 53 West, Local Roads, I 696 West, I 96 East to Livonia
Local Roads, Grand River Avenue, I 96 West (Kent Lake), US 127 North to East Lansing
US 127 South, I 96 East, US 23 South, M 17 West to Ann Arbor
Local Roads, I 94 West to DTW Airport
Notes
Reacquaint self with some old roads: M 52 through Dexter MI and Stockbridge; Grand River Avenue through Williamston, Fowlerville, Howell, Novi, Milford.
Visited Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, which has been in the same locale for at least twenty five years. I first visited it when it was part of Tally Hall, a shopping area designed after Boston's Faneuill Hall. Tally Hall is entirely gone, the buildings are not standard strip malls, but Marvin's still lives on.
Results

GA Tech April 2005

2005-04-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, I 85 South, OH 140 West to Atlanta GA.
OH 141 South, I 285 East, I 85 South to GA Tech.
US 78 West, US 18 North, GA 13 North, I 85 North, US 23 North, GA 140 West.
GA 141 South, I 285 East, I 85 North, SC 11 East, SC 18 North, I 85 North, I 40 East, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill NC.
Notes
SC 11 is the "Cherokees Foothills National Scenic Highway" from the welcome center on North I 85 to I 85 in Gaffney SC. There is a great car themed restaurant in Chesnee SC on US 221 a few blocks south of SC 11 called the Bantam Chef. The place is decorated to mimic a 50s diner with road memorabilia covering the walls. It has a beautiful old Studebaker in a museum display like you see at the Henry Ford in Dearborn MI.
Results
Clinch SC 11.
One county for a total of 881.

Lansing MI April 2005

2005-04-24T06:39:00.000-07:00

Route
Day 1. NC 86 North, I 40 West, Local Road, US 70 West, NC 87 North, US 29 North, NC 14 North, NC 87 North, VA 87 North, US 220 North, I 581 North, I 81 South, VA 419 South, US 460 West, US 11 South, VA 311 North, WV 311 North, VA 311 North, WV 311 North, I 64 West, US 60 West to Warm Springs VA, US 60 East, I 64 East to Covington VA, US 60 West, I 64 West, I 77 North to Mineral Wells WV
Day 2. I 77 North, OH 80 North, OH 37 West, OH 13 North, I 70 West, I 294 South, US 23 North, I 294 West, OH 315 North, US 23 North, OH 15 West, I 75 North, Ohio Turnpike West, OH 96 North, US 127 North to East Lansing MI
Local Roads around Lansing/East Lansing including Bus 69, MI 43, US 127
Day 3. US 127 South, I 96 East to Livonia MI
Day 4. I 275 South, US 24 South, I 75 South, I 475 West, I 75 South, US 15 East, US 23 South, US 30 East, I 71 South, OH 36 East, OH 83 South, I 70 East, I 77 South, US 460 West to Princeton WV
Day 5. US 460 West to Bluefield VA, US 19 East, US 460 West, US 52 South, Blue Ridge Parkway North, US 58 East, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill
Notes
On VA 311 there is a odd double tunnel with one span stone and one span corrugated steel culvert.
In Blufield VA, US 19 through town is signed both US 19 and US 460 with old cutout shields. In Blufield WV, the US 460 designation is dropped and the shields become modern shields. VA also uses old cutouts along US 52 in several small towns.
The I-73 corridor is signed along US 220 south of Roanoke VA and along US 460 between Princeton and Bluefield WV.
OH 83 and OH 37 run through oil country with working wells right next to the road.
In downtown Columbus, there are multiple signs to OH 315 from US 23, even one that looks like OH 315 is multiplexed with US 30, but OH 315 parallels US 23 and they never cross.
Results
Seventeen counties for a total of 880.
In Virginia, clinch VA 311, US 52 and I 581.
In West Virginia, clinch US 460 and WV 311.
In Ohio, clinch US 23 and OH 315.
In Michigan, clinch US 24 and US 127.

Clinching NC 62 and US 311

2005-03-31T20:12:00.000-08:00

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, Future I 840 North, US 70 West, US 220 North, Local Roads
US 220 South, NC 62 West, NC 109 North, Business I 85 South, US 52 North, NC 8 South, Business I 85 North, NC 109 North, US 311 South, Business I 85 North, I 85 North, NC 54 East
Notes
The I 85 Bypass of Greensboro is open again.
There are detour signs for US 29 North and US 70 West from I 40/85 onto Future I 840. This has been for construction at the NC 6 and US 29 North interchange. Since I was headed into Greensboro, I followed them. However, I did not notice any more detour signs on Future I 840 or on US 70 West.
US 311 South has Future I 74 Corridor signs south of I 40. There are none on the new bypass of High Point, which definitely is meant to be I 74.
Since the bypass was built, I no longer had US 311 clinched.
Results
Clinch NC 62 and reclinch US 311.

Augusta GA - A family funeral

2005-03-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, Bus I 85 South, I 85 South, I 77 South, SC 277 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 104, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 485 East, I 85 North, Bus I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
Exit 149 on I 85 is now open as University Drive to Elon. Elon has been removed from the exit 141 signs. This may cause a problem with truckers who have notes regarding the Elon exit on I 85/I 40.
I 485 West is still marked on the GBS on I 77 South and North as Future I 485.
There is the 44 Motel at exit 44 on I 20 in SC. There are businesses named after highways. How many are named after exit numbers?
The rest area at mile 63 on I 77 in SC used to have payphones with large signs saying "Chester" because they were served by the Chester Telephone Company. Now they just say "Sprint". A bit of local color has disappeared.
Results

Lansing MI

2005-03-08T10:53:00.000-08:00

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, Bus 40 West, US 52 North, I 74 West, I 77 North, Ohio Turnpike West, US 23 North, I 96 West
Side Trip - I 96 West, I 69 South, Bus 69 South (Charlotte) and return
Local Roads - I 496, Bus 69 (Lansing), Bus 96, M 43
Return - I 96 East, US 23 South, I 75 South, OH 15 East, US 23 South, I 270 West, OH 315 South, I 71 South, I 270 East, US 23 South, US 35 East, I 64 East, I 77 South, I 74 East, US 52 South, Bus 40 East, I 40 East, NC 86 South

Notes
I 85 is blocked with barricades on the ramp from I 40/I 85 West east of Greensboro. Construction through Canton OH is done.
The turnpike plazas just east of Toledo OH look about ready to open.
There is no weather info in the turnpike plazas. My brother the trucker talked to another trucker to get info about conditions farther up into the snow storm.
Took the new US 35 freeway from US 50 to Richmond Dale OH. There are stubs of pavement from the old US 35 carriageway.

Results
Clinched I 69 completely.

Chatham County Trip

2005-02-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

Route
Old Greensboro Highway West, NC 49 South, local road, US 421 South, US 64 West, Old US 421 South, NC 902 West, Local Roads, NC 42 East, US 421 West, NC 902 East, Local Road, US 64 East, US 15/501 North

Notes
My trips crisscrossing central North Carolina have covered many of the counties. I have clinched the state and US highways in Orange, Durham, Person and Granville counties. The only highways in Chatham county that I had not clinched (in the county) were US 421 and NC 42. My travels tend to cross these roads, but not travel along them. Since business took me to southwest Chatham county, I turned it into a roadtrip to cover those roads, at least in southwest Chatham county.

US 421 is being upgraded to four lane divided from Sanford to Goldston. The bypass around Goldston is a Super-2, but not for long.

Results
The only state highway left to clinch Chatham county is NC 42 from Corinth east.

Xmas in Georgia; Visit to GA Tech

2004-12-27T08:41:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 104, I 520, GA 383, Local Roads
I 20 West, I 75/85 North to GA Tech
Local Roads, I 75 South, I 285 East, I 20 West to Augusta
I 20 East, SC 144 North, US 25 North, US 378 East, SC 39 North, SC 56 North, SC 72 East, I 26 West, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
Exit 149 on I 85 is now open as University Drive to Elon. Elon has been removed from the exit 141 signs.
When the HOV lane on I 77 South ends, the lane ends and you have to merge right.
I 485 West is still marked on the GBS on I 77 South as Future I 485
I 485 South has Rock Hill as its control city from I 85 South and Pineville as its control city from I 85 North.
Results
One County (Saluda SC), for a total of 863

Mount Rogers

2004-12-06T06:40:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, Bus I 40 West, US 52 North, I 74 West, I 77 North, US 52 West, VA 600 North
Notes
Previously, we went to Mount Rogers by way of Sparta NC, but this way is faster.
All lanes are open on I 85/I 40 at the bridge construction at Mile 140 west of Burlington NC, eliminating a bottle neck.
All lanes are open on Business I 40 from Kernersville NC to US 52.
Galax VA is one of smallest Independant Cities in Virginia. I had both of the counties that Galax is between, but not Galax.
In Greensboro NC, the BGSs on Eastbound I 40/Bus 85/US 421 at US 220 and Bus 85 do not mention I 85 at all now. You have to know that to get to I-85 South, you take Bus 85 South or go all the way to the I 40/I 85 split east of Greensboro.
Results
Picked up mileage on US 58. One county (Galax VA) for a total of 861.

Clinch US 220 in NC

2004-11-10T20:25:00.000-08:00

Route
I 40 West, NC 87 North, US 158 West, US 220 North, US 220 Business, NC 135 East, US 220 North, VA 87 South, NC 87 South, US 158 East, US 29 Bypass South, NC 150 East, US 158 East, NC 86 South
Notes
My NC State Highway Map shows US 311 going through Madison on US 220 Business and NC 135 East to Eden. I took the detour to see for myself. There is an End sign at US 311 and US 220 Business as before. The new route has not been signed.
US 220 is signed as Future I 73 Corridor in both North Carolina and Virginia.
US 28 Bypass has had its mileposts renumbered. The exits show the old exit numbers and new exit numbers, differing only by a mile or two. What was the point?
Results
Clinch US 220 in NC, VA 87

Sandhills

2004-10-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 South, US 1 South, US 15/501 South, US 15/401 South, SC 381 West, NC 381 West, NC 79, NC 381 West, US 74 Business West, NC 38 South, Local Roads, US 1 N to NC 177
US 1 South, US 220 North, US 220 Alt North, NC 705, US 220 Alt North, NC 159 North, Local Roads, NC 42 East, NC 22 North, NC 62 East, US 421 North, I 40 East, I 840 North, US 70 East, I 40 East
Notes
Construction continues at a snail's pace on US 15/501 from Chapel Hill to Pittsboro and the US 1 Vass Bypass.
Crossed the South Carolina border on US 15, NC 75 and US 1. On each there are several dead Video Poker parlors. They look pathetic.
Lots of construction south of Candor on the US 220/I 73/I 74 extension to Rockingham. Nice view of bridge construction west of US 220.
The only exit on Future I 840 is numbered 19, which should count around the future loop from the other end at current I 40.
Results
Clinched US 1, US 15, NC 381, NC 38, NC 705, NC 159, NC 22. Almost clinched US 220, need the northern end.
Photographed NC 79 Southern Terminus and NC 177 Northern Terminus

College Visit to JHU

2004-10-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

Route
US 15/501 North, I 85 North, I 95 North, I 295 (Md/DC) North, DC 295 North, Baltimore-Washington Parkway North, MD 295, Local Roads to JHU
Local Roads, I 83 South, Local Roads, I 395 South, I 95 South, VA 7100 South, US 1 South to Stafford, I 95 South, I 85 South, US 15/501 South to Chapel Hill
Notes
Going north, no delays at Springfield or the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Night construction is going on the Virginia approach to the bridge.
The Balitmore-Washington Parkway is a strange duck. It is signed like the Blue Ridge Parkway or the Jamestown/Yorktown Parkway , but appears just to be a highway connecting government complexes and the cities.
Going south, significant delays at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge from both directions. However, once you hit the bridge, traffic went to highway speed.
The BGS north of Richmond illustrating that I-295 goes around Richmond has got to be the stupidest BGS in the southeast.
Results
Clinch I 95, I 295, DC 295, I 495 in DC
Clinch I 295, Baltimore-Washington Parkway, MD 295, I 395 in MD
5 counties in MD, total now 858

Shenandoah National Park

2004-10-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

Route
NC 86 North, I 29 North, VA 6 West, VA 151 North, US 250 West to the Skyline Drive
Notes
There is construction of the Sweetbrier interchange at the south end of Amherst bypass, US 29 reduced to both directions on one carriageway. This is the north end of the US 29 bypass of Lynchburg from the existing US 460 freeway.
US 29 has two names, "Seminole Trail", which hearkens back to when roads were named, and "The 29th Infantry Division Memorial Highway".
There is a very tall water spout on the James River west of the US 29 bridge. The US-29 freeway through Lynchburg is awful. Someday I am going to figure out how to get through Lynchburg without hitting the section of US 29 in front of Walmart. Supposedly, taking US 460 to US 501 is better.
A new entrance to the National Park is being built a little south of the current one. The road, curbing and foundation is in. There is parking in both driections, making getting backcountry permits a little easier, if they move the backcountry permit box to the new entry way.
On some bridge north of Lynchburg, I saw little signs "Lift Blade at Joint". It took a little thinking to realize that these were for snowplows to lift their blades over the bridge joints.
Virginia's secondary roads (round signs) appear to number up into the 1000's. I did see one in the 9000's and one which was numbered "F287", which I assume is a farm road.
Shenandoah National Park is beautiful in October. On our way out, there was a line of cars at the entranceway.
There is a small green "Future I 785 Corridor" sign on US 29 S/US 58 W just west of the interchange with US 58 E. This indicates that I 785 will extend around Danville, at least to US 58 W. Continuing around on the US 29 Bypass would make sense.
Results
Picked up mileage on VA 6, VA 151 and US 250.

Clinch NC 96

2004-10-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

Route
I 40 East, US 70 East, US 70 Bus East, NC 96 South, NC 55 East, I 40 West, I 95 North, US 70 Bus West, NC 96 North, US 158 West, I 85 South to Durham NC
Notes
Due to misreading a map, I started out heading for Smithfield to explore the various US 70's there and then head north on NC 96, which I thought ended at US 301 in Selma. When I got to the intersection of US 70 Bus and US 301, I was surprised to see the NC-96 was multiplexed with US 301. Looking at the map, NC 96 continued to NC 55. Oops. I should have taken I 40 to NC 55 in the first place. The US 70's will have to wait.
NC 96 runs through a lot of cotton fields from NC 55 to Zebulon.
Results
Clinched NC 96.
Extended the central section of US 158 around Oxford. I need to connect US 158 from I 85 to the exit north of Henderson to have US 158 continuous from Merchant Millpond to Reidsville.

Drive the U-Haul from Dearborn MI to Chapel Hill NC

2004-09-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Route
US 24 South, I 94 West, I 275 South, I 75 South, I 280 South, I 80/90/Ohio Turnpike East, I 77 South, I 74 East, US 52 South, I 40 Bus East, I 40 East, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill NC
Notes
In a truck, stick to Interstates.
The interchange between US 24 and I 94 is under reconstruction into a SPUI. The unusual left exits from I 94 are gone and the bridges that carried them across US 24 are gone. Currently there is a detour for both exits.
The southern approaches to the new I 280 bridge look complete.
In the new Ohio Turnpike service areas, the diesel pumps are before the truck parking area. You have to fuel first.
Ohio Turnpike treats the truck as a car. West Virginia calls it a Class 5 vehicle with a $2.00 toll per plaza.
Results

College Visit to VPI and CMU

2004-07-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

Route

NC 86 North, US 58 West, VA 8 North, I 81 North, US 460 West to VA Tech
US 460 West, I 77 North, US 19 North, I 79 North, I 279 North, I 376 East to Carnegie-Mellon
I 579 North, I 279 South. I 79 South, US 19 South, I 77 South, I 74 East, US 52 South, I 40 East, US 220 South, I 85 East, I 40 East, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill NC

Notes

The 2004-6 Virginia map still shows the Danville and Stuart bypasses as being under construction. I know that the Danville bypass opened this spring, but the Stuart bypass has been done for a while.

On US-460 between Christiansburg and Blacksburg are BGS’s and exits for Smart Road support facilities.

US 460 is in the I 73 corridor. It would not take too much to upgrade it to Interstate.

US-19 is signed as the “Robert C. Byrd Appalachian Highway System”. It appears to be interstate grade except between Summersville and the New River Gorge.

The mess of construction on the I-279 bridge over the Mon is almost all complete.

When leaving the Pitt campus area, there are ramps for both I 279 and I 579. The ramp for I 579 is over the other following the river, when it takes a right turn downtown and becomes the interstate proper.

There is no ramp from I 579 N onto I 279 S. You have to find an exit and make a U-turn.

US-52 is marked “Future I-74 Corridor” into Winston-Salem, even past where the I-74 bypass is supposed to leave US-52.

I-74 and I-73 are signed as such on I-74 and US-220 where the road is interstate grade. If the road is not interstate grade, the route is sighed with a “Future I-7X Corridor” or with Future I-7X shields. Is there a reason for the two different signages?

US-220 between I-40 and I-85 is sighed with Future I-73 shields, even though I-73 is now to be routed along the to be built new I-40.

On I-85 just east of US-220, there is a I-40/I-85 shield pair. Not “TO I-40”. This is jumping the gun by years.

Results

Clinched I-279, I-579 in Pennsylvania
10 counties, 2 in VA, 2 in PA, 6 in WV, total now 853

NC Beach Trip

2004-06-16T05:35:00.000-07:00

Route
Chapel Hill to Oak Island: I 40 East, NC 133 South, NC 87 South, NC 133 South
Day Trip to Fort Fisher: NC 133 North, NC 210 South, Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry, US 412 North, River Road, US 117 North, US 421 North, US 17 South, NC 133 South
Day Trip to Myrtle Beach and Calabash: NC 133 North, NC 210 North, US 17 South, US 17 Business South, Ocean Boulevard, SC 73 East, US 17 Business North, US 17 North, SC 179 East, NC 179 East, NC 179 Business East, NC 179 East, US 17 Business North, US 17 North, NC 210 South, NC 133 South
Oak Island to Chapel Hill: NC 133 North, NC 87 North, NC 133 North, I 40 West

Notes
Getting There - Chapel Hill to Oak Island

There is a blank BGS on I 40 at Exit 414. There appear to be fewer signs on the route through Castle Hayne for the North Carolina Battleship Memorial. The battleship is supposed to be going to Norfolk for a refit. Perhaps they are taking signs down now.

US 117 and NC 133 used to go right at a Y in Castle Hayne, with NC-132 going left. Now US 117 goes left with NC 132. This is part of the 2002 rerouting of US 117. There is major construction on NC 133 for the I 140 bridge. NC 133 is widened to four lanes with at at least a half cloverleaf with the I 140 bridge which is starting to elevate there. There is a factory exit running into the interchange from the northwest. There are stoplights hung for both sets of ramps. The bridge is a long way from being complete. Perhaps the road from I 40 to NC 133 will be done before the bridge. Where NC 133 crosses the Cape Fear ( and US 117 continued into downtown ) , NC 133 has been rerouted onto a new bridge at right angles to the bank and intersecting with the old bridge at a forty degree angle. The roadway turns onto the north two lanes of the old bridge and crosses. The south two lanes and the entire bridge to the left of the new bridge is under construction. The new bridge aligns with the path of the Smith Creek Parkway, which will eventually connect from the east. It is not clear what the final configuration of the bridge will be.

Day Trip to Fort Fisher

Checked out the end of Independance Boulevard at River Road, which is where the new toll bridge is going to be built. This area is very low, so the bridge is going to have to be very high to get over the State Port Ship traffic and the approaches are going to be miles long. There are reassurance signs for US 117 at the entrance to State Port, but I did not see Begin or End signs.

Next to US 17/74/76 bridge over NC 133 South is a Begin NC 133 South sign. This is an error, because NC-133 starts at NC 120 north of Castle Hayne. NC 133 South exits from US 17/74/76 there and turns left under the bridge. They must have meant that this was the start of this nonmultiplexed section of NC 133 South. The Visitor Center at Brunswick Town State Historic Site has an new walkthrough display similar to one at Fort Fisher.

Day Trip to Myrtle Beach and Calabash

The Visitor Center on US 17 is under construction. There is a trailer in front for travel info.

NC 179 has been rerouted from Calabash to Sunset Beach. The old NC-179 to the Sunset Beach Bridge is now NC 179 Business. NC 179 proper multiplexes with NC-905 for a few miles more now and meets NC 179 Business at the intersection where the true business section of Sunset Beach is. NC 179 Business must be only Business Route that does not serve any significant business. There are a couple of businesses at the Sunset Beach bridge, but there isn’t much. At least that hard left turn that will take you into the Intercoastal if you miss the turn is on the Business route instead of the main road.

Results
Clinched NC 179 Business