# Road construction in NC and VA
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 10, 2000, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411 "2000-10-10T15:28:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/1 "2000-10-10T15:28:45Z")
I’m taking a trip to VA and NC this weekend and was wondering if any one knew of any road construction along these roads:
I-77 in VA from the intersection of I-81 to I-40 in NC
I-40 in NC from the intersection of I-77 to I-81 in TN
I-81 in TN from the intersection of I-40 to I-77 in VA
I’m basically making a big triangle from I-77 S to I-40W to I-81 N or the other way around so if anyone know of any construction or any other activities that will slow stop traffic this weekend, Saturday mostly, I’d like to know. Yes I know there are web sites that list this information but they are not always current. Thanx
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/2 "2000-10-10T15:33:03Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I-77 in VA from the intersection of I-81 to I-40 in NC
>
> I-40 in NC from the intersection of I-77 to I-81 in TN
All I can say for these two is _i doubt it_. There are much worse problems in and around Charlotte that arent getting any attention so I seriously doubt these lower population streches of road are having anything done to them. But dont take my word for it…BTW, anyone remember when NC used to be called “The Good Road State”? LOL!
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### Author:  [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/3 "2000-10-10T16:17:25Z")
I-77 there’s construction just south of the NC-VA line. It’s sometimes just two lanes of traffic going in either direction and can get pretty backed up.
The other areas I don’t really know about, but I seem to remember Satan posting something about driving I-40 between TN and NC and experiencing delays.
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### Author:  [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/4 "2000-10-10T16:43:38Z")
[Virginia Department of Transportation](http://www.vdot.state.va.us/traf/construction.html) construction projects.
[North Carolina Department of Transportation](http://www.dot.state.nc.us/projects/) construction projects.
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/5 "2000-10-10T17:11:52Z")
hey Cabbage, that part of I-77 is only two lanes anyway. The only place it is more than 2 lanes in NC is from La Salle St to SC (about 12 miles).
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### Author:  [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/6 "2000-10-10T17:12:48Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Cabbage \*
>
> \*\*The other areas I don’t really know about, but I seem to remember Satan posting something about driving I-40 between TN and NC and experiencing delays. \*\*
That was because a truck with hazardous chemicals overturned at the TN/NC border there and it took them 18 hours to clean it all up. An isolated thing, I think.
* * *
Yer pal,
Satan - Commissioner, [The Teeming Minions](http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/full/show?lid=39428&page=leaguehome)
_I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR:
Six months, one day, 15 hours, 17 minutes and 16 seconds.
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### Author:  [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/7 "2000-10-10T17:47:27Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Cabbage \*
> \*\*I-77 there’s construction just south of the NC-VA line. It’s sometimes just two lanes of traffic going in either direction and can get pretty backed up.
> \*\*
I hit this LAST October and it took me two hours to get through. That was on a Friday night though. how is it on Sat morning or Sat afternoon. Unless some one knows a way around all that stuff, that would be cool too.
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### Author:  [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/8 "2000-10-10T19:56:01Z")
> [@](#):
>
> hey Cabbage, that part of I-77 is only two lanes anyway. The only place it is more than 2 lanes in NC is from La Salle St to SC (about 12 miles).
Yeah, that didn’t come out quite as I intended it to. I meant to say there’s only one lane in each direction, two lanes **total**. I did go through there last weekend and it was four lanes total, but I don’t think construction is complete, so that’s subject to change.
If you’re taking 77 to connect 81 South and 40 West, the only way I know to avoid the construction south of the VA/NC border would be 52. You can get on 52 South at Fancy Gap, VA, then take it to around Mt. Airy, NC, where you cut over I-74 West to get back onto I-77. That _might_ get you south of the construction, I’m not sure how far south the construction goes. Now that I think about it, the last time I drove the length of I-77 through NC there was intermittent construction throughout (this was back in March, though).
If you’re talking about this weekend, I don’t think you’ll have any significant problems on 77. It may be a little slow in places, but probably nothing you could improve much on by taking a different route.
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### Author:  [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/9 "2000-10-10T20:10:58Z")
As far as I know there is still construction on 77 in NC near Mt. Airy (a.k.a. Mayberry) at 74. I think it’s repaving and possibly a juction of 77 and 74. I think 74 is going to be extended all the way to Cincinnati where the first part of it ends, so there might be construction there for a while, but it’s in a low populated area so traffic is not a problem. By the way 74 is closed temporarily to finish the juction/end.
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### Author:  [@Indiana\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indiana_Jones)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/10 "2000-10-10T20:40:43Z")
On I-81 the first 10 miles in Virginia is under construction . It doesn’t slow you down unless there is a lot of traffice. Be careful of speeding since the VA troopers patrol it very heavily.
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### Author:  [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/11 "2000-10-10T21:44:53Z")
In my experience, that stretch of 40 moves pretty well, construction or not. Not a lot of people live around there. 40 around Asheville might have a little traffic, but there is no construction that I know of. (I live in Asheville)
Honk the horn as you drive by.
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### Author:  [@GasDr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GasDr)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/12 "2000-10-10T22:12:30Z")
There is some construction at the TN/VA state line mostly in Bristol (there has been for some years now). Traffic seems to move well though. Beware of the cops in VA!
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### Author:  [@Rock-n-Rolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rock-n-Rolga)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2000, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/13 "2000-10-10T22:44:15Z")
Just got home from Asheville (I live in Greensboro) and there is construction on I-40 between Marion and Old Fort. The road goes down to two lanes for a few miles. It was moving fairly steadily today, but on Sunday (the 8th) it was pretty backed up going east. The area of I-40 around I-77 looked all right though.
Hope this helps,
R-n-R
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### Author:  [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2000, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/14 "2000-10-11T12:03:56Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Lance Turbo \*
> \*\*In my experience, that stretch of 40 moves pretty well, construction or not. Not a lot of people live around there. 40 around Asheville might have a little traffic, but there is no construction that I know of. (I live in Asheville)
>
> Honk the horn as you drive by. \*\*
I’ll probably be coming by around 6am so I’ll not wake you. 😉 can you tell me the quickest way to the Asheville Art Museum from 40W? I can’t seem to find it no the maps. As for 77 there may not be a lot of people in that area but I’ve seen loads of traffic there.
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### Author:  [@Rock-n-Rolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rock-n-Rolga)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2000, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-construction-in-nc-and-va/36411/15 "2000-10-11T15:29:11Z")
May I tell you how to get to the Art Museum anyway?
Righty then:
Take I-40 West to I-240 and take Exit 5A/Merrimon Road. The museum is in Pack Place - you should see brown signs for Pack Place as soon as you exit. Take Highway 25 south a couple three blocks and it should be at the College road intersection opposite the fountain. According to my little map, there is a parking garage just a little farther south on Biltmore (Hwy 25) across from Mast General Store. If you pass the General Store looking for the museum and Pack Place, you’ve gone too far, though…
Have fun, Eddie the 'Ed! (sorry, just had to say it!) Are you going to be in Asheville on Saturday or Sunday?