I-73/74 North-South Corridor

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The I-73/74 North-South Corridor is a High Priority Corridor on the National Highway System in the United States. It is defined by federal law to run from Charleston, South Carolina, to Detroit, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep10/nhs/hipricorridors/hpcor.html NHS High Priority Corridors Description] ]

The corridor passes through the states of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Michigan. Ohio and Michigan do not plan to build any parts of the corridor. West Virginia is building its section (mostly along U.S. Route 52) as a four-lane divided highway, not meeting Interstate standards. On the other hand, South Carolina and North Carolina have built sections and Virginia plans to build its part. Thus Interstate 73 will, once scheduled projects are completed, run from South Carolina to Roanoke, Virginia, and Interstate 74 will run from South Carolina to somewhere along its overlap with Interstate 77. This I-74 will not connect to the Interstate 74 that ends in Cincinnati, Ohio, unless West Virginia and Ohio decide to build and upgrade their sections.

General routing

outh Carolina and North Carolina

I-73 and I-74 both begin at Georgetown, South Carolina, and run to Myrtle Beach. I-73 splits to the northwest to Rockingham, North Carolina, and then heads north along U.S. Route 220 via Greensboro to Virginia. I-74 continues northeasterly from Myrtle Beach along U.S. Route 17 into North Carolina. There it arcs northwest and follows U.S. Route 74 to Rockingham. I-73 and I-74 overlap to Asheboro, where I-74 splits northwest along U.S. Route 311 through High Point to Winston-Salem and U.S. Route 52 to Interstate 77 near the Virginia state line.

Virginia

In Virginia, I-73 is defined to use U.S. Route 220 and U.S. Route 460. I-74 is completely overlapped with Interstate 77 in Virginia.

West Virginia

In West Virginia, I-73 follows U.S. Route 460 west from the Virginia state line to Bluefield. There it joins I-74, which splits from Interstate 77 just across the border from Virginia. The two routes combine for the rest of the corridor along U.S. Route 52 to Huntington and Ohio.

Ohio

In Ohio, the corridor follows U.S. Route 52 to Portsmouth. A four-lane controlled highway known as the Portsmouth Bypass is to be built. This bypass will run from U.S. Route 52 to U.S. Route 23, just north of Lucasville. Interstates 73 and 74 would continue north to State Route 32. At this point, I-74 would follow State Route 32 west to Cincinnati and the current Interstate 74. I-73 would head north along U.S. Route 23, via Columbus and Toledo. In Columbus, I-73 would most likely follow State Route 315 through Columbus. In Toledo, I-73 will most likely run where I-280 runs. It will also most likely run with I-475 before branching off with U.S. Route 23 into Michigan. However, routes in the Columbus and Toledo areas have not yet been officially determined.

Michigan

The Michigan branch of I-73 splits northwest from U.S. Route 23 along U.S. Route 223, then taking U.S. Route 127 north via Jackson and Lansing. The corridor merges with I-75 at the north end of US 127 and uses I-75 to the International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie.

References