100-593: Interstate 77 ( I-77 ) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs 610.10 miles (981.86 km) from Cayce, South Carolina to Cleveland, Ohio . In the U.S. state of North Carolina , I-77 travels a total of 105.7 miles (170.1 km) from the South Carolina state line in the city of Charlotte to the Virginia state line north of Mount Airy . The major landscapes traversed by I-77 include
200-522: A concurrency or overlap. For example, I‑75 and I‑85 share the same roadway in Atlanta ; this 7.4-mile (11.9 km) section, called the Downtown Connector , is labeled both I‑75 and I‑85. Concurrencies between Interstate and US Highway numbers are also allowed in accordance with AASHTO policy, as long as the length of the concurrency is reasonable. In rare instances, two highway designations sharing
300-1048: A public–private partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The express lanes replaced the first and only HOV lanes in North Carolina, which existed from 2004 to 2015. The 26-mile (42 km) high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes are contained entirely within the median of I-77, with various connecting points to and from the general purpose lanes and direct access to northbound I-85 and southbound I-277/ North Carolina Highway 16 (NC 16; Brookshire Freeway). The express lanes begin with four lanes (two lanes for each direction) at Brookshire Freeway (exit 11), in Charlotte; reduce to two lanes (one lane for each direction) at Catawba Avenue (exit 28), in Cornelius; and end at NC 150 (exit 36), near Mooresville. The tentative maximum speed limit
400-637: A 28-year-old brevet lieutenant colonel, accompanied the trip "through darkest America with truck and tank," as he later described it. Some roads in the West were a "succession of dust, ruts, pits, and holes." As the landmark 1916 law expired, new legislation was passed—the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 (Phipps Act). This new road construction initiative once again provided for federal matching funds for road construction and improvement, $ 75 million allocated annually. Moreover, this new legislation for
500-672: A bustling pedestrian friendly Main Street, with restaurants, antiques, a winery/tasting room, shops, Civil War Marker, Overmountain Victory Trail, NC Mountain-to-Sea Trail (Main Street), and a future visitor center. U.S. Route 21 (US 21)passes through Elkin. Old Business Hwy 21 is also called Bridge Street, and intersects the entire town of Elkin from the Yadkin River up to where it joins with US 21 heading north towards State Road, then to Sparta. US 21
600-476: A change in the numbering system as a result of a new policy adopted in 1973. Previously, letter-suffixed numbers were used for long spurs off primary routes; for example, western I‑84 was I‑80N, as it went north from I‑80 . The new policy stated, "No new divided numbers (such as I-35W and I-35E , etc.) shall be adopted." The new policy also recommended that existing divided numbers be eliminated as quickly as possible; however, an I-35W and I-35E still exist in
700-608: A community newspaper published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, provides coverage of Elkin as well as nearby Jonesville and parts of Wilkes County and Yadkin County . The Winston-Salem Journal and Mount Airy News , larger daily newspapers, also cover Surry County. WIFM 100.9 FM radio station broadcasts from 813 N. Bridge Street in Elkin. Elkin is part of the Piedmont Triad radio and television market, but many broadcasts from
800-735: A craft brewery festival each fall in called The Big Elkin Brewfest. It is held in the Municipal Park, which was a mustering field during the American Revolution . Elkin was the easternmost encampment along Overmountain Victory Trail and there a marker at the park, near the recreation center, along Hwy 268. Trails are abundant in Elkin, including the Overmountain Victory Trail, the North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail, and
900-418: A higher rate with additional fees. Toll rates are based on a dynamic pricing , which means toll prices will fluctuate periodically throughout the day based on real-time traffic conditions and demand to maintain an average travel speed of 48 mph (77 km/h); toll rate changes may occur as frequently as every five minutes, though drivers will only pay the rate displayed when entering the express lanes. When
1000-468: A news helicopter crashed near I-77 at Nations Ford Road in South Charlotte, killing pilot Chip Tayag and meteorologist Jason Myers, who were employees of local TV station WBTV . The I-40/I-77 interchange (exit 51) underwent major upgrade in three phases: reconstruction of nearby intersections on both Interstates, reconstruction and widening of I-40/I-77 interchange, and construction of new ramps at
1100-576: A numbering scheme in which primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, and shorter routes which branch off of longer ones are assigned three-digit numbers where the last two digits match the parent route. The Interstate Highway System is partially financed through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself is funded by a combination of a federal fuel tax and transfers from the Treasury's general fund. Though federal legislation initially banned
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#17328764601631200-402: A program of " urban renewal ". In the two decades following the 1956 Highway Act, the construction of the freeways displaced one million people, and as a result of the many freeway revolts during this era, several planned Interstates were abandoned or re-routed to avoid urban cores. Construction of the original Interstate Highway System was proclaimed complete in 1992, despite deviations from
1300-540: A report called Toll Roads and Free Roads , "the first formal description of what became the Interstate Highway System" and, in 1944, the similarly themed Interregional Highways . The Interstate Highway System gained a champion in President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was influenced by his experiences as a young Army officer crossing the country in the 1919 Motor Transport Corps convoy that drove in part on
1400-409: A single digit prefixed to the two-digit number of its parent Interstate Highway. Spur routes deviate from their parent and do not return; these are given an odd first digit. Circumferential and radial loop routes return to the parent, and are given an even first digit. Unlike primary Interstates, three-digit Interstates are signed as either east–west or north–south, depending on the general orientation of
1500-769: A speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) because it is a parkway that consists of only one lane per side of the highway. On the other hand, Interstates 15, 80, 84, and 215 in Utah have speed limits as high as 70 mph (115 km/h) within the Wasatch Front , Cedar City , and St. George areas, and I-25 in New Mexico within the Santa Fe and Las Vegas areas along with I-20 in Texas along Odessa and Midland and I-29 in North Dakota along
1600-456: A speed limit of 80 mph (130 km/h). Other Interstates in Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming also have the same high speed limits. In some areas, speed limits on Interstates can be significantly lower in areas where they traverse significantly hazardous areas. The maximum speed limit on I-90 is 50 mph (80 km/h) in downtown Cleveland because of two sharp curves with
1700-467: A suggested limit of 35 mph (55 km/h) in a heavily congested area; I-70 through Wheeling, West Virginia , has a maximum speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) through the Wheeling Tunnel and most of downtown Wheeling; and I-68 has a maximum speed limit of 40 mph (65 km/h) through Cumberland, Maryland , because of multiple hazards including sharp curves and narrow lanes through
1800-564: A toll. In July 2019, NCDOT and the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization announced a project that would convert segments of I-77 shoulders to travel lanes to be used only during peak periods between I-485 and Mooresville. Another set of HOT lanes is currently being studied along I-77 from south of Uptown Charlotte to the South Carolina border. I-277 is the only auxiliary route in
1900-494: Is 65 mph (105 km/h) with a minimum speed limit at 45 mph (72 km/h). There are two exits in the stretch that are exclusive to the express lanes: at Lakeview Road in Charlotte and at Hambright Road in Huntersville. Only vehicles with two axles or motorcycles are allowed on the express lanes. Emergency vehicles when responding to emergencies and mass transit vehicles are exempt and are not tolled. On June 1, 2019,
2000-630: Is a town in Surry and Wilkes counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina , along the Yadkin River . Elkin shares its name with the surrounding township of Elkin Township . The population was 4,122 at the time of the 2020 census . According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.4 km ), of which 6.2 square miles (16.2 km )
2100-534: Is also commonly believed the Interstate Highway System was built for the sole purpose of evacuating cities in the event of nuclear warfare . While military motivations were present, the primary motivations were civilian. The numbering scheme for the Interstate Highway System was developed in 1957 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The association's present numbering policy dates back to August 10, 1973. Within
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#17328764601632200-454: Is broken into two parts: the first is constructing new travel lanes from I-485 interchange (exit 19) to West Catawba Avenue (exit 28), at an estimated cost of $ 57 million, and the second would be to convert the existing HOV lanes from Brookshire Boulevard (exit 11) to I-485 (exit 19). After completion, drivers and motorcyclists can still use the lane for free if qualified under HOV rules; noncompliant drivers will be charged
2300-592: Is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km ) (1.10%) is water. Elkin is approximately 15 minutes south of Stone Mountain State Park , and 20 minutes from the entrance of the Blue Ridge Parkway off Hwy 21 (heading towards Sparta). Elkin enjoys mild weather patterns and extremely clean air. Its downtown is also situated along the Yadkin River, and offers a paddlers boat ramp and small camp site. Six local outfitters provide supplies for anyone interested in floating on
2400-647: Is planned to have its existing southbound travel lanes widened (not add more lanes), between I-277/NC 16 (Brookshire Freeway) to I-85 in Charlotte. Estimated to cost $ 16.5 million, the purpose of the project is to widen the lanes back to proper Interstate standards as agreed with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), when NCDOT were given design exceptions when adding the HOV lanes in 2004. Construction began in late 2016. As of June 2016, HOT lanes are being constructed along I-77. The project
2500-546: Is the route travelers would take to access North Carolina's Stone Mountain State Park. The town is served by Elkin Municipal Airport . Ground transportation is also available. Aircraft Maintenance is available along with Fixed Wing and rotorcraft flight instruction. Commercial flights are available through Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro and Charlotte Douglas International Airport . The Tribune ,
2600-525: Is to have the highway route extend from Tamaulipas , Mexico to Ontario , Canada. The planned I-11 will then bridge the Interstate gap between Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada , and thus form part of the CANAMEX Corridor (along with I-19 , and portions of I-10 and I-15 ) between Sonora , Mexico and Alberta , Canada. Political opposition from residents canceled many freeway projects around
2700-474: The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Texas, and an I-35W and I-35E that run through Minneapolis and Saint Paul , Minnesota, still exist. Additionally, due to Congressional requirements, three sections of I-69 in southern Texas will be divided into I-69W , I-69E , and I-69C (for Central). AASHTO policy allows dual numbering to provide continuity between major control points. This is referred to as
2800-530: The Elkin City Schools system. It currently ranks among the top 5 schools in North Carolina. It operates an elementary school (grades 1–6) with a population of approximately 700, a middle school (grades 7–8) and Elkin High School (grades 9–12) with approximately 384 students. The high school has had new developments made to the building; the construction of the new science, math, and CTE programs completed in
2900-538: The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 into law. Under the act, the federal government would pay for 90 percent of the cost of construction of Interstate Highways. Each Interstate Highway was required to be a freeway with at least four lanes and no at-grade crossings. The publication in 1955 of the General Location of National System of Interstate Highways , informally known as the Yellow Book , mapped out what became
3000-603: The Grand Forks area have higher speed limits of 75 mph (120 km/h). As one of the components of the National Highway System , Interstate Highways improve the mobility of military troops to and from airports, seaports, rail terminals, and other military bases. Interstate Highways also connect to other roads that are a part of the Strategic Highway Network , a system of roads identified as critical to
3100-515: The Lincoln Highway , the first road across America. He recalled that, "The old convoy had started me thinking about good two-lane highways... the wisdom of broader ribbons across our land." Eisenhower also gained an appreciation of the Reichsautobahn system, the first "national" implementation of modern Germany's Autobahn network, as a necessary component of a national defense system while he
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3200-499: The US Department of Defense . The system has also been used to facilitate evacuations in the face of hurricanes and other natural disasters. An option for maximizing traffic throughput on a highway is to reverse the flow of traffic on one side of a divider so that all lanes become outbound lanes. This procedure, known as contraflow lane reversal , has been employed several times for hurricane evacuations. After public outcry regarding
3300-464: The US Highways , which increase from east to west and north to south). This numbering system usually holds true even if the local direction of the route does not match the compass directions. Numbers divisible by five are intended to be major arteries among the primary routes, carrying traffic long distances. Primary north–south Interstates increase in number from I-5 between Canada and Mexico along
3400-541: The West Coast to I‑95 between Canada and Miami, Florida along the East Coast . Major west–east arterial Interstates increase in number from I-10 between Santa Monica, California , and Jacksonville, Florida , to I-90 between Seattle, Washington , and Boston, Massachusetts , with two exceptions. There are no I-50 and I-60, as routes with those numbers would likely pass through states that currently have US Highways with
3500-653: The contiguous United States and has routes in Hawaii , Alaska , and Puerto Rico . In the 20th century, the United States Congress began funding roadways through the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , and started an effort to construct a national road grid with the passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 . In 1926, the United States Numbered Highway System was established, creating
3600-613: The 2006–2007 school year, and the English and history building completed in 2011. Elkin will incorporate the STEAM program throughout all grades K-12. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math). The football program captured state titles in 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. They also won one in 1967 as a 3A program. Elkin High has also produced numerous fencing, soccer, volleyball, tennis, swimming, and wrestling state championships. Interstate 77 passes along
3700-559: The Congress Hotel in Chicago. In the plan, Mehren proposed a 50,000-mile (80,000 km) system, consisting of five east–west routes and 10 north–south routes. The system would include two percent of all roads and would pass through every state at a cost of $ 25,000 per mile ($ 16,000/km), providing commercial as well as military transport benefits. In 1919, the US Army sent an expedition across
3800-587: The Elkin Municipal Park, and there is even a golf cart rental at the Rec Center for handicapped individuals who would like to enjoy the trails. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 4,122 people, 1,618 households, and 1,087 families residing in the town. The median income for a household in the town was $ 57,711, and the median income for a family was $ 81,369. Males had a median income of $ 28,225 versus $ 20,647 for females. The per capita income for
3900-506: The Interstate Highway System. Assisting in the planning was Charles Erwin Wilson , who was still head of General Motors when President Eisenhower selected him as Secretary of Defense in January 1953. Some sections of highways that became part of the Interstate Highway System actually began construction earlier. Three states have claimed the title of first Interstate Highway. Missouri claims that
4000-485: The Interstate Highway program. The Interstates of Alaska and Puerto Rico are numbered sequentially in order of funding without regard to the rules on odd and even numbers. They also carry the prefixes A and PR , respectively. However, these highways are signed according to their local designations, not their Interstate Highway numbers. Furthermore, these routes were neither planned according to nor constructed to
4100-820: The US to determine the difficulties that military vehicles would have on a cross-country trip. Leaving from the Ellipse near the White House on July 7, the Motor Transport Corps convoy needed 62 days to drive 3,200 miles (5,100 km) on the Lincoln Highway to the Presidio of San Francisco along the Golden Gate . The convoy suffered many setbacks and problems on the route, such as poor-quality bridges, broken crankshafts, and engines clogged with desert sand. Dwight Eisenhower , then
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4200-687: The United States, including: In addition to cancellations, removals of freeways are planned: The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has defined a set of standards that all new Interstates must meet unless a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is obtained. One almost absolute standard is the controlled access nature of the roads. With few exceptions , traffic lights (and cross traffic in general) are limited to toll booths and ramp meters (metered flow control for lane merging during rush hour ). Being freeways , Interstate Highways usually have
4300-637: The Yadkin River State Park 'Blue' Trail. Elkin is considered an official Trail Town as the NC MST is now directed into downtown Elkin along Main St. A local volunteer group (elkinvalleytrails.org) is responsible for grooming over 24 miles of the trail from Elkin to Stone Mountain State Park. The group are working on the E&;A Rail Trail, which boasts mountain bike trails, walking trails, and trout fishing, all beginning at
4400-717: The Yadkin to or from Elkin. There are also numerous vineyards in the Yadkin Valley area (over 40 in and around Elkin), and the Yadkin Valley Wine Festival is held each May at the Elkin Municipal Park, which is situated along Big Elkin Creek, a tributary of the Yadkin River. Elkin is centrally located in the Yadkin Valley Wine Region (a certified American Viticulture Area). Elkin has also has two microbreweries and hosts
4500-473: The act was signed, and paving started September 26, 1956. The state marked its portion of I-70 as the first project in the United States completed under the provisions of the new Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The Pennsylvania Turnpike could also be considered one of the first Interstate Highways, and is nicknamed "Grandfather of the Interstate System". On October 1, 1940, 162 miles (261 km) of
4600-648: The cancellation of the Somerset Freeway . This situation was remedied when the construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project started in 2010 and partially opened on September 22, 2018, which was already enough to fill the gap. However, I-70 remains discontinuous in Pennsylvania , because of the lack of a direct interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike at
4700-438: The city of Charlotte and its urban core , the smaller suburban communities in the Piedmont region, and the rural foothills of Western North Carolina . The Interstate has one auxiliary route, I-277 , a partial beltway around Uptown. The freeway bears several names in addition to the I-77 designation. Throughout the state, the freeway is known as the Blue Star Memorial Highway , a name shared with multiple Interstates across
4800-445: The city of Charlotte as a major north–south corridor, connecting Uptown Charlotte with the suburbs of Pineville , Huntersville , Cornelius , and Davidson . Shortly after entering North Carolina, it expands to six lanes. Between I-485 (exit 2) and I-277 (exit 9), the highway experiences massive traffic congestion during weekday rush hours (7:00–9:30 am/4:00–6:30 pm) due to commuter traffic. I-77 later encounters
4900-538: The city. In some locations, low speed limits are the result of lawsuits and resident demands; after holding up the completion of I-35E in St. Paul, Minnesota , for nearly 30 years in the courts, residents along the stretch of the freeway from the southern city limit to downtown successfully lobbied for a 45 mph (70 km/h) speed limit in addition to a prohibition on any vehicle weighing more than 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) gross vehicle weight . I-93 in Franconia Notch State Park in northern New Hampshire has
5000-401: The collection of tolls, some Interstate routes are toll roads , either because they were grandfathered into the system or because subsequent legislation has allowed for tolling of Interstates in some cases. As of 2022 , about one quarter of all vehicle miles driven in the country used the Interstate Highway System, which has a total length of 48,890 miles (78,680 km). In 2022 and 2023,
5100-417: The commission voted to route the highway just west of Mount Airy , saying the route would serve the most people. With construction beginning in the 1960s, I-77 would gain additional mileage in October 1964 when a two-mile (3.2 km) extension was granted by the US Bureau of Public Roads. Instead of ending at I-85, I-77 now ended at Independence Boulevard ( US 74 ) in Uptown Charlotte. Another extension
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#17328764601635200-431: The construction and improvement of highways. The nation's revenue needs associated with World War I prevented any significant implementation of this policy, which expired in 1921. In December 1918, E. J. Mehren, a civil engineer and the editor of Engineering News-Record , presented his "A Suggested National Highway Policy and Plan" during a gathering of the State Highway Officials and Highway Industries Association at
5300-407: The contiguous United States, primary Interstates—also called main line Interstates or two-digit Interstates—are assigned numbers less than 100. While numerous exceptions do exist, there is a general scheme for numbering Interstates. Primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, while shorter routes (such as spurs, loops, and short connecting roads) are assigned three-digit numbers where
5400-567: The discontinuity, but they have been blocked by local opposition, fearing a loss of business. The Interstate Highway System has been expanded numerous times. The expansions have both created new designations and extended existing designations. For example, I-49 , added to the system in the 1980s as a freeway in Louisiana , was designated as an expansion corridor, and FHWA approved the expanded route north from Lafayette, Louisiana , to Kansas City, Missouri . The freeway exists today as separate completed segments, with segments under construction or in
5500-448: The dissemination of public information. As a result, the 2005 evacuation of New Orleans, Louisiana, prior to Hurricane Katrina ran much more smoothly. According to urban legend , early regulations required that one out of every five miles of the Interstate Highway System must be built straight and flat, so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war. There is no evidence of this rule being included in any Interstate legislation. It
5600-445: The eastern end of the concurrency near Breezewood . Traveling in either direction, I-70 traffic must exit the freeway and use a short stretch of US 30 (which includes a number of roadside services) to rejoin I-70. The interchange was not originally built because of a legacy federal funding rule, since relaxed, which restricted the use of federal funds to improve roads financed with tolls. Solutions have been proposed to eliminate
5700-417: The eastern side of Elkin. Exit 85 provides the midpoint entrance into Elkin via Hwy 268, or CC Camp Road. North Carolina Highway 67 You can also enter Elkin by exiting off NC 67 (exit 82 at Jonesville), then heading west on NC 67 until crossing over the Yadkin River (this becomes old Business Hwy 21). At this point, you'll be entering the historic downtown district at Elkin's southern border where you'll find
5800-450: The economy. Not just as a public works measure, but for future growth. Clay's committee proposed a 10-year, $ 100 billion program ($ 1.13 trillion in 2023), which would build 40,000 miles (64,000 km) of divided highways linking all American cities with a population of greater than 50,000. Eisenhower initially preferred a system consisting of toll roads , but Clay convinced Eisenhower that toll roads were not feasible outside of
5900-447: The enactment of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 . Unlike the earlier United States Numbered Highway System, the interstates were designed to be all freeways, with nationally unified standards for construction and signage. While some older freeways were adopted into the system, most of the routes were completely new. In dense urban areas, the choice of routing destroyed many well-established neighborhoods, often intentionally as part of
6000-439: The existing, largely non-freeway, United States Numbered Highways system. By the late 1930s, planning had expanded to a system of new superhighways. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave Thomas MacDonald , chief at the Bureau of Public Roads, a hand-drawn map of the United States marked with eight superhighway corridors for study. In 1939, Bureau of Public Roads Division of Information chief Herbert S. Fairbank wrote
6100-470: The express lanes first opened in September 2018, they used a fixed rate based on the segment and time of day for the first 180 days of operation, with a total one-way rate range within $ 0.30–$ 11.00 with valid transponder. As of March 5, 2022, the total one-way northbound rate will range within $ 2.70–$ 70.45 and the total one-way southbound rate will range within $ 2.45–$ 58.00 with valid transponder. Vehicles with three passengers or more may use
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#17328764601636200-408: The express lanes for free, provided they have a E-ZPass Flex Transponder or notify via the HOV mobile app/website, with at least 15 minutes before traveling. Violators are subject to a fine of up to $ 100 plus court costs; as well as two points against their driver's license for each HOV infraction. Motorcycle drivers with a valid transponder may use the express lanes for free. I-77 was not part of
6300-426: The federal government, Interstate Highways are owned by the state in which they were built. With few exceptions , all Interstates must meet specific standards , such as having controlled access, physical barriers or median strips between lanes of oncoming traffic, breakdown lanes , avoiding at-grade intersections , no traffic lights , and complying with federal traffic sign specifications. Interstate Highways use
6400-411: The first national road numbering system for cross-country travel. The roads were state-funded and maintained, and there were few national standards for road design. United States Numbered Highways ranged from two-lane country roads to multi-lane freeways. After Dwight D. Eisenhower became president in 1953, his administration developed a proposal for an interstate highway system, eventually resulting in
6500-450: The first portion of the I-77 Express lanes opened between Hambright Road in Huntersville and NC 150 in Mooresville. The remainder of the I-77 Express lanes south to I-277 in Charlotte were open in November 2019. The express lanes uses all-electronic tolling , with tolls payable with a valid transponder ( NC Quick Pass , E-ZPass , Peach Pass , or SunPass ) or bill by mail , which uses automatic license plate recognition and charge
6600-411: The first three contracts under the new program were signed in Missouri on August 2, 1956. The first contract signed was for upgrading a section of US Route 66 to what is now designated Interstate 44 . On August 13, 1956, work began on US 40 (now I-70) in St. Charles County. Kansas claims that it was the first to start paving after the act was signed. Preliminary construction had taken place before
6700-429: The first time sought to target these funds to the construction of a national road grid of interconnected "primary highways", setting up cooperation among the various state highway planning boards. The Bureau of Public Roads asked the Army to provide a list of roads that it considered necessary for national defense. In 1922, General John J. Pershing , former head of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe during
6800-429: The highest speed limits in a given area. Speed limits are determined by individual states. From 1975 to 1986, the maximum speed limit on any highway in the United States was 55 miles per hour (90 km/h), in accordance with federal law. Typically, lower limits are established in Northeastern and coastal states, while higher speed limits are established in inland states west of the Mississippi River . For example,
6900-435: The highly populated coastal regions. In February 1955, Eisenhower forwarded Clay's proposal to Congress. The bill quickly won approval in the Senate, but House Democrats objected to the use of public bonds as the means to finance construction. Eisenhower and the House Democrats agreed to instead finance the system through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself would be funded by a gasoline tax. In June 1956, Eisenhower signed
7000-506: The highway now designated I‑70 and I‑76 opened between Irwin and Carlisle . The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania refers to the turnpike as the Granddaddy of the Pikes, a reference to turnpikes . Milestones in the construction of the Interstate Highway System include: The initial cost estimate for the system was $ 25 billion over 12 years; it ended up costing $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 425 billion in 2006 or $ 618 billion in 2023 ) and took 35 years. The system
7100-402: The inefficiency of evacuating from southern Louisiana prior to Hurricane Georges ' landfall in September 1998, government officials looked towards contraflow to improve evacuation times. In Savannah, Georgia , and Charleston, South Carolina , in 1999, lanes of I-16 and I-26 were used in a contraflow configuration in anticipation of Hurricane Floyd with mixed results. In 2004, contraflow
7200-494: The interchange. The estimated cost for the entire project, including widening of a total of seven and half miles of both highways to eight lanes, is $ 260 million, and construction began in March 2012. The new partial turbine interchange replaced the cloverleaf interchange which was built in the late 1960s. All lanes opened December 22, 2023, but cold weather delayed further resurfacing and pavement markings until Spring 2024. I-77
7300-519: The last sections leading into Uptown Charlotte opened November 23 of that year. On February 1, 2018, NCDOT opened a new rest area located in the median of I-77, at milemarker 58. Construction of the 5,000-square-foot (460 m) $ 15-million (equivalent to $ 18.9 million in 2023) facility started in early 2015. With the opening of the facility, four older rest areas in Iredell and Yadkin counties, built in 1972–1973, were closed. On November 22, 2022,
7400-431: The last two digits match the parent route (thus, I-294 is a loop that connects at both ends to I-94 , while I-787 is a short spur route attached to I-87 ). In the numbering scheme for the primary routes, east–west highways are assigned even numbers and north–south highways are assigned odd numbers. Odd route numbers increase from west to east, and even-numbered routes increase from south to north (to avoid confusion with
7500-450: The mainline. Some auxiliary highways do not follow these guidelines, however. The Interstate Highway System also extends to Alaska , Hawaii , and Puerto Rico , even though they have no direct land connections to any other states or territories. However, their residents still pay federal fuel and tire taxes. The Interstates in Hawaii, all located on the most populous island of Oahu , carry
7600-737: The maximum speed limit is 75 mph (120 km/h) in northern Maine, varies between 50 and 70 mph (80 and 115 km/h) from southern Maine to New Jersey, and is 50 mph (80 km/h) in New York City and the District of Columbia. Currently, rural speed limits elsewhere generally range from 65 to 80 miles per hour (105 to 130 km/h). Several portions of various highways such as I-10 and I-20 in rural western Texas, I-80 in Nevada between Fernley and Winnemucca (except around Lovelock) and portions of I-15 , I-70 , I-80 , and I-84 in Utah have
7700-404: The number of fatalities on the Interstate Highway System amounted to more than 5,000 people annually, with nearly 5,600 fatalities in 2022. The United States government's efforts to construct a national network of highways began on an ad hoc basis with the passage of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , which provided $ 75 million over a five-year period for matching funds to the states for
7800-417: The official Interstate Highway standards . On one- or two-digit Interstates, the mile marker numbering almost always begins at the southern or western state line. If an Interstate originates within a state, the numbering begins from the location where the road begins in the south or west. As with all guidelines for Interstate routes, however, numerous exceptions exist. Elkin, North Carolina Elkin
7900-465: The original 1956 plan and several stretches that did not fully conform with federal standards . The construction of the Interstate Highway System cost approximately $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 618 billion in 2023). The system has continued to expand and grow as additional federal funding has provided for new routes to be added, and many future Interstate Highways are currently either being planned or under construction. Though heavily funded by
8000-561: The original plans for 714 miles (1,149 km) of the nation's Interstate Highway System in North Carolina when they were conveyed in 1956 by the then-North Carolina State Highway Commission. I-77 was added in 1957, increasing the state's mileage to 776 miles (1,249 km). On August 4, 1959, the commission selected the routing of I-77 to run between I-85 in Charlotte and a point on the Virginia border in Elkin . That would change in late 1960 when
8100-453: The other end of I-277 at exit 11, with the northbound carriageway briefly splitting from the southbound one and making an S-curve underneath I-277 due to the presence of left-hand exit ramps (southbound has a straight-through setup). Just north of Uptown Charlotte, I-77 makes a unique interchange configuration with I-85 (exit 13), with north and southbound lanes crisscrossing briefly. Between I-85 and I-485 (exit 19), I-77 featured
8200-633: The planning phase between them. In 1966, the FHWA designated the entire Interstate Highway System as part of the larger Pan-American Highway System, and at least two proposed Interstate expansions were initiated to help trade with Canada and Mexico spurred by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Long-term plans for I-69 , which currently exists in several separate completed segments (the largest of which are in Indiana and Texas ),
8300-411: The prefix H . There are three one-digit routes in the state ( H-1 , H-2 , and H-3 ) and one auxiliary route ( H-201 ). These Interstates connect several military and naval bases together, as well as the important communities spread across Oahu, and especially within the urban core of Honolulu . Both Alaska and Puerto Rico also have public highways that receive 90 percent of their funding from
8400-525: The rest of I-77's stretch through North Carolina, the only possible rest stop is the town of Elkin ; the speed limit through this area is 70 mph (110 km/h). The final five miles (8.0 km) of I-77 is concurrent with I-74 to the Virginia state line (where I-74 ends), all within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains . The I-77 Express lanes were financed, developed, and constructed and are operated and maintained by I-77 Mobility Partners , in
8500-524: The route, without regard to the route number. For instance, I-190 in Massachusetts is labeled north–south, while I-195 in New Jersey is labeled east–west. Some looped Interstate routes use inner–outer directions instead of compass directions, when the use of compass directions would create ambiguity. Due to the large number of these routes, auxiliary route numbers may be repeated in different states along
8600-520: The routing was realigned toward Cleveland instead; the Detroit–Port Huron section became part of I-94 . I-77 received two extension approvals; the first in 1964, continuing south from I-85 to US Route 74 (US 74), and the second in 1969 to the South Carolina state line toward Columbia. The Interstate was completed in 1977. I-77 begins at the South Carolina state line, near Fort Mill , in concurrency with US 21 . I-77 goes through
8700-419: The same numbers, which is generally disallowed under highway administration guidelines. Several two-digit numbers are shared between unconnected road segments at opposite ends of the country for various reasons. Some such highways are incomplete Interstates (such as I-69 and I-74 ) and some just happen to share route designations (such as I-76 , I-84 , I‑86 , I-87 , and I-88 ). Some of these were due to
8800-503: The same roadway are signed as traveling in opposite directions; one such wrong-way concurrency is found between Wytheville and Fort Chiswell , Virginia, where I‑81 north and I‑77 south are equivalent (with that section of road traveling almost due east), as are I‑81 south and I‑77 north. Auxiliary Interstate Highways are circumferential, radial, or spur highways that principally serve urban areas . These types of Interstate Highways are given three-digit route numbers, which consist of
8900-569: The state's only high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes , but, since 2019, they have been converted to express lanes that extend for 26 miles (42 km). After I-485, I-77 reduces to five lanes (three lanes northbound), then to four lanes after Gilead Road (exit 23). At Lake Norman , I-77 crosses into Iredell County and becomes a more suburban Interstate, passing through Mooresville and then Statesville , where it intersects with I-40 . It gradually becomes more rural outside of Statesville, becoming entirely rural after exiting Iredell County. For
9000-748: The state. Starting at the South Carolina state line, it is known as the General Paul R. Younts Expressway , switching at Woodlawn Road to the Bill Lee Freeway , ending at the Mecklenburg – Iredell county line. In Surry County , it is known as the Charles M. Shelton Highway . Not originally part of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 , I-77 was added the following year as a route between Charlotte and Port Huron, Michigan , via Detroit, Michigan . In 1958,
9100-565: The state. The auxiliary route loops around uptown Charlotte. Interstate Highway System [REDACTED] The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways , commonly known as the Interstate Highway System , or the Eisenhower Interstate System , is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States . The system extends throughout
9200-598: The town was $ 36,342. About 6.3% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over. Cedar Point , Downtown Elkin Historic District , Gwyn Avenue-Bridge Street Historic District , and the Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, (former) are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Elkin is served by
9300-490: The war, complied by submitting a detailed network of 20,000 miles (32,000 km) of interconnected primary highways—the so-called Pershing Map . A boom in road construction followed throughout the decade of the 1920s, with such projects as the New York parkway system constructed as part of a new national highway system. As automobile traffic increased, planners saw a need for such an interconnected national system to supplement
9400-465: Was added in Mooresville : exit 35 (Brawley School Road). The interchange was built with additional shoulder space and lights that will not need to be moved when I-77 is eventually widened in area. In 2015, NCDOT signed a contract with I-77 Mobility Partners to begin construction and eventual management of the toll lanes starting in 2018. However, new criticism erupted before the financial agreement
9500-541: Was employed ahead of Hurricane Charley in the Tampa, Florida area and on the Gulf Coast before the landfall of Hurricane Ivan ; however, evacuation times there were no better than previous evacuation operations. Engineers began to apply lessons learned from the analysis of prior contraflow operations, including limiting exits, removing troopers (to keep traffic flowing instead of having drivers stop for directions), and improving
9600-423: Was granted in the late 1960s that extended I-77 from Independence Boulevard to the South Carolina border. The latest extension also included a relocation of US 21 from the city's surface streets to the new Interstate. I-77 opened to traffic in the following segments: By 1972, I-77 was open from exit 28 ( NC 73 ) to exit 73 north of Elkin. The last two sections of the highway to open to traffic
9700-424: Was made when local politicians discovered the contract was amended in 2014 giving I-77 Mobility Partners a 50-year noncompete clause. The clause eliminated any future widening of additional free-lanes between Uptown Charlotte and Mooresville, or, if any additional free-lanes were added, then NCDOT would have to pay the developer compensation. The toll lanes between Mooresville and Huntersville opened June 1, 2019, and
9800-422: Was proclaimed complete in 1992, but two of the original Interstates— I-95 and I-70 —were not continuous: both of these discontinuities were due to local opposition, which blocked efforts to build the necessary connections to fully complete the system. I-95 was made a continuous freeway in 2018, and thus I-70 remains the only original Interstate with a discontinuity. I-95 was discontinuous in New Jersey because of
9900-543: Was serving as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe during World War II . In 1954, Eisenhower appointed General Lucius D. Clay to head a committee charged with proposing an interstate highway system plan. Summing up motivations for the construction of such a system, Clay stated, It was evident we needed better highways. We needed them for safety, to accommodate more automobiles. We needed them for defense purposes, if that should ever be necessary. And we needed them for
10000-399: Was the stretch from Cornelius to Charlotte in 1975 and from exit 73 to the Virginia state line in 1977. In April 2001, I-74 was overlapped with I-77 from the Virginia state line to exit 101. On December 17, 2004, I-77 was widened to six-lanes with HOV lanes, between I-85 to the proposed location of I-485 (later opened December 8, 2008). On June 28, 2013, a new interchange
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