Interstate 73

Interstate 73 (I-73) is an intrastate Interstate Highway, located within the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of a longer planned corridor, defined by various federal laws to run from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, but only the part south of West Virginia is under study as of 2012. 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 part of the highway, as the I-73 corridor in both of these states is already served by existing freeways or 4-lane highways that will eventually be upgraded to freeways. West Virginia is building its section, mostly along U.S. Highway 52, as a four-lane divided highway, but not meeting the Interstate Highway standards. On the other hand, North Carolina and South 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, where it will end at Interstate 81. Associated with these plans are those for the extension of Interstate 74 from Cincinnati to Myrtle Beach, with several highway overlaps contemplated.

Interstate 73 in South Carolina

Interstate 73 (I-73) is the designation for a future Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of South Carolina. When completed, it will connect the Grand Strand area with the state's interstate system.

Route description

Currently, Interstate 73 appears only as future corridor signs along SC 22, US 501, and SC 38, from the Grand Strand area to the North Carolina state line.

History

Authorized by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), Interstate 73 was established as a north-south high priority corridor from Charleston, South Carolina to Detroit, Michigan.

In 1993, the proposed route through South Carolina followed US 1 and US 52 to Florence, with 73 miles of new road in Marion and Horry Counties, and following US 17 from North Myrtle Beach to Charleston.

When I-73 crossed a border between two states, the federal law authorizing the road required that the two states agree that their sections meet. Originally, both Carolinas selected a route running south from Rockingham, North Carolina. However, North Carolina had more money to spend on roads, and on May 10, 1995, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved North Carolina's plan for I-73 to run eastward to the coast and enter South Carolina at North Myrtle Beach. Later that year, officials in both states agreed that I-73 would enter South Carolina south of Rockingham and that the other highway would be I-74. This raised the possibility of I-73 bypassing the Myrtle Beach area entirely, since I-74 would run to the Myrtle Beach area.

Interstate 73 in Virginia

Interstate 73 (I-73) is a planned Interstate Highway in Virginia. It currently only exists in North Carolina. Proposed extensions would create a freeway from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Grayling, Michigan, passing through the Commonwealth of Virginia. One Future I-73 Corridor sign is marked on I-581 Southbound after the on-ramp from VA 117 North.

Route description

In Virginia, I-73 will continue north from the state line parallel to the US 220 corridor all the way to Roanoke. US 220 is a rural four-lane highway with many safety issues. As such, Virginia has decided to have I-73 immediately diverge from US 220 upon entering the commonwealth from North Carolina and travel around the east side of Martinsville, with US 220 as a freeway around the west side of Martinsville. The two will meet briefly south of Rocky Mount. I-73 will continue its northbound journey paralleling US 220 to the east until they converge south of Roanoke. At that point, I-73 and US 220 will run concurrent to I-581, which I-73 will follow to I-81.