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Besides widening the shoulders and perhaps raising a few bridges, its already close to interstate quality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarheelhombre
I think this is a great idea, except US 421 should be an interstate all the way to Boone, if not to the Tri-Cities.
Have you ever driven 421 west of Boone? It would cost BILLIONS of dollars to build a entirely new highway from east of Boone to the Tri Cities. It would have to be a brand new road because it would be impossible to even make 421 dual laned through that stretch.
I honestly don't see why Wilkesboro needs an interstate. It's a small town with nothing significant enough (that I'm aware of) to warrant an interstate. That would be like NCDOT building I-795 just to have it permanently end at Fremont or Pikeville.
Safety improvements to 421 such as wider shoulders are fine, but it's not worth the effort of going through red tape to get an interstate shield thrown on it, IMO.
I honestly don't see why Wilkesboro needs an interstate. It's a small town with nothing significant enough (that I'm aware of) to warrant an interstate. That would be like NCDOT building I-795 just to have it permanently end at Fremont or Pikeville.
Safety improvements to 421 such as wider shoulders are fine, but it's not worth the effort of going through red tape to get an interstate shield thrown on it, IMO.
Trying to upgrade 421 to interstate standards isn’t necessarily about a small city/town of seeming insignificance like Wilkesboro needing an interstate.
Trying to upgrade 421 to interstate standards seems to be very much about attempting to generate a significantly increased amount of economic development along the 421 corridor between Winston-Salem and Wilkesboro.
It looks like they’re trying to turn 421 into much more of a developmental highway that would attract much more industry and many more economic development opportunities by having a three-digit interstate spur designation (like an Interstate 340 number) on it.
Trying to upgrade 421 to interstate standards isn’t necessarily about a small city/town of seeming insignificance like Wilkesboro needing an interstate.
Trying to upgrade 421 to interstate standards seems to be very much about attempting to generate a significantly increased amount of economic development along the 421 corridor between Winston-Salem and Wilkesboro.
It looks like they’re trying to turn 421 into much more of a developmental highway that would attract much more industry and many more economic development opportunities by having a three-digit interstate spur designation (like an Interstate 340 number) on it.
Yes, that is usually the reason given for projects like this. I'm with LM117 - it doesn't seem like a wise use of resources, even if it all comes from OPM like the federal infrastructure bill. I would hope that anyone looking to relocate a company would be sophisticated enough to recognize that 421 is already functionally an interstate.
Businesses would have to be pretty dumb to relocate to the Wilkesboro area just because of a shield change on the road. US-421 is more than adequate to get goods to/from market for any business. This seems like a waste of limited resources.
Believe it or not, interstate designation matters to industry and economic development.
I don't believe anything without proof and still maintain that its a waste of tax money with no tangible benefit to North Carolinians.
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It would cost BILLIONS of dollars to build a entirely new highway from east of Boone to the Tri Cities. It would have to be a brand new road because it would be impossible to even make 421 dual laned through that stretch.
