Interstate 74 bridge construction

Interstate 74 was designated in North Carolina during the mid-1990s. Initially the route comprised just the U.S. 220 freeway between Asheboro and Candor in the central part of the state. Additional sections of preexisting freeway were added and signed as Future Interstate 74. This includes U.S. 220 north from Asheboro to Randleman and a portion of the Hamlet bypass of U.S. 74. The Mt. Airy bypass opened in 2000 and was signed as the I-74 mainline in 2001. U.S. 52 between the bypass end and Winston-Salem will double as Interstate 74 once upgrades to Interstate standards are completed. Until that time the route is only signed as a future I-74 Corridor.

   
Photo by Samuel E Burns

New stretches of freeway for Interstate 74 opened at Rockingham (signed as Future I-74) in 2000, between the U.S. 74 Laurinburg bypass and N.C. 41 outside Lumberton in 2008, and between Candor and Ellerbe in January 2008. U.S. 311 between I-40 at Winston-Salem and U.S. 29-70 at High Point was upgraded to a freeway in portions between 1984 and 2004. This stretch of freeway was initially thought to become part of the I-73 corridor before that shifted east to Greensboro. New construction extended the High Point bypass southeast from Business Loop I-85 to Glenola as both relocated U.S. 311 and new Interstate 74 in November 2010. Work continues on new freeway between Glenola and Randleman through to spring 2013.

   
Photo by Samuel E Burns

When finished, this will be the new exit to Hamlet, NC.

 
Photo by Samuel E Burns