Cleveland County leaders are considering multiple proposals to make the new U.S. 74 bypass part of an interstate-style freeway network that would connect the western and eastern ends of the state.
County leaders met this past week with commissioners from Rutherford and Polk counties to discuss support for the current U.S. 74 bypass project, which has been in talks for more than 30 years as an alternate route around Shelby, and for which construction is finally scheduled to begin.
The three counties are now discussing a plan to ask the N.C. Department of Transportation to study the possibilities and costs of creating an interstate-quality freeway section of U.S. 74 from Interstate 26 in Polk County through Rutherford County and into Cleveland and points farther east.
Bypass plans in Cleveland County currently call for the new highway section around Shelby to be built to interstate standards. The new proposal being discussed would increase the section of paved shoulder space along U.S. 74 from
3 feet to 12 feet from I-26 to I-85, meaning it would be built to what is known as freeway standards, said Cleveland County Commissioner Jason Falls.
An interstate-style U.S. 74 freeway would provide safer and faster travel times from I-26 to I-85, in addition to travel to N.C. routes 9, 221, 226 and 216, according to the resolution originally drafted by Rutherford County leaders and presented by Rutherford County Manager Carl Classen.
A second resolution is proposed by Rutherford County leaders to develop a group to study the feasibility of a South Economic Development Corridor, a freeway along the U.S. 74 route, from I-26 near Asheville to Wilmington to improve commerce between western North Carolina and eastern North Carolina.
According to the resolution — presented to local leaders this past week by Rutherford County Economic Development Director Matt Blackwell — officials would promote that U.S. 74 be developed as part of a wider freeway that would connect the mountains to the coast.
Rutherford and Polk county commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the two resolutions to encourage the study of the extended interstate-style highway.
ClevelandCountyleaders chose to study the resolutions further before voting.
NCDOT representative Kevin Lacey also attended the joint meeting between leaders of the three counties.
He said any resolutions approved in support or against the proposals are still subject to be changed.
Reach Jessica Pickens at 704-669-3332 or jpickens@shelbystar.com.
Current U.S. 74 bypass project
- The project is intended to help decrease traffic on the current U.S. 74 in Cleveland County.
- The new bypass is expected to cost about $296 million total to construct, according to NCDOT. That includes $238 million for highway segment construction and $57 million for right-of-way construction.
- Planned bypass segments include Westlee Street to Artee Road, Artee Road to N.C. 226, N.C. 226 to N.C. 150, N.C. 150 to Long Branch Road, Long Branch Road to U.S. 74 Business.
U.S. 74 bypass
Here are a few key points in the progression of the U.S. 74 bypass:
- 1979 — Talk begins for U.S. 74 bypass around Shelby.
- October 2012 — Right-of-way and construction on first segment of bypass — from Westlee Street to Artee Road — scheduled to begin.
- February 2012 — City of Shelby reaches agreement with N.C. Department of Transportation to relocate utility lines to make way for bypass.
- March 2013 — Graves, some more than 150 years old, relocated from Polkville Road to Zion Baptist Church cemetery to make way for bypass construction.
- March 2013 — Cleveland County leaders meet with Rutherford and Polk county leaders on a proposal to make U.S. 74 bypass part of an extended interstate-style freeway to help connect I-26 in western North Carolina to I-85 and points farther east
- 2030 — Current scheduled date for 74 bypass completion