Complete 540 Project Visualization - from NCDOT Feb 2018

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Highway

That one always got me, they built over 1000 miles of road in less than 2 years, in some of the harshest, most remote conditions. Using technology from 80 years ago, primative heavy equipment.

 

Built, but not well ....

Although it was completed on October 28, 1942, and its completion was celebrated at Soldier's Summit on November 21 (and broadcast by radio, the exact outdoor temperature censored due to wartime concerns), the "highway" was not usable by general vehicles until 1943. Even then there were many steep grades, a poor surface, switchbacks to gain and descend hills, and few guardrails. Bridges, which progressed during 1942 from pontoon bridges to temporary log bridges, were replaced with steel bridges where necessary. A replica log bridge, the Canyon Creek bridge, can be seen at the Aishihik River crossing; the bridge was rebuilt in 1987 and refurbished in 2005 by the Yukon government as it is a popular tourist attraction. The easing of the Japanese invasion threat resulted in no more contracts being given to private contractors for upgrading of specific sections.

Some 100 miles (160 km) of route between Burwash Landing and Koidern, Yukon, became nearly impassable in May and June 1943, as the permafrost thawed, no longer protected by a layer of delicate vegetation. A corduroy road was built to restore the route, and corduroy still underlays old sections of highway in the area. Modern construction methods do not allow the permafrost to thaw, either by building a gravel berm on top or replacing the vegetation and soil immediately with gravel. The Burwash-Koidern section, however, is still a problem as the new highway built there in the late 1990s continues to experience frost heave.

 

U.S. 70 West Loop to I-40 East to Close Permanently (ncdot.gov)

70 west bypass ramp to 40 east to close July 6

 

That's the blue line for those that need visualization.

 

thanks I am a visual kind of person. So how now will we go from 70 bypass west bound to I-40 east bound?

 

70 west to 42 west to 40 east

 

^ joy. more traffic at that already congested area.

 

https://jocoreport.com/us-70-west-loop-to-i-40-east-to-close-permanently/

 

I know my above link says close permanently. I wonder if actually after the 14 month build time if they will have a 70 west to I-40 east ramp

 

Hey Jess82nc. You seem very knowledgeable about the construction in the area. My question is. Are they finished with White Oak Road over I-40? Its very bizarre how they made the bridge and then not go and re-align the road to go along with it. Are they going to be building a second bridge next to it? They have kept the Jersey barriers on the new bridge and also kept the construction signs. I have to drive that way at 5:15am and again at about 7:49pm on days i work. Each time i have to slow down to go around. Just wondering. Thanks RHV.

 

Ah this now makes sense. I was wondering where the traffic came from. There was heavy traffic 10 am in the 40/42 area today and the same a couple days before. Maybe they should have buttoned up the 40/42 construction before closing a major exit. Yikes

 

Barber Mill replacement bridge

 

Funny you mention that as we drove over that yesterday and was wondering why there has been no work. My guess is there is some parts or something they need that are backordered. They probably need some kind of barrier on the north side. I have no idea why else they would not have finished yet.

 

Everything with the Red X's goes away eventually. The green arrows show the permanent way to go from I-42 West (US70 currently) to I-40 East.

 

latest video (from July 2, 2022)
US 401 to Sunset Lake Rd
NC-540, Aerial view from Hwy-401 to Sunset Lake Rd (7-2-22) - YouTube

 

And this one shows the I 40 widening, new ramps etc. between 42 and Cornwallis. (same date 7/2/22)
I-40 from NC-42 to Cornwallis Rd. - YouTube

 

I remember when they showed all the options back at the Elementary school over on Cleveland School road a few years ago. I even thought back then they should of also added exit/entrance ramps at Cornwallis/I-40 just to help with traffic issues that will arise at Cleveland School/I-40

 

The option they chose was to add an exit at Cleveland School Road. The bridge over I40 will be 4-6 lanes across to facilitate widening of Cleveland School to 4 lanes across from NC42 to past the School.

 

If memory serves me. They will have to shut down 42 bridge entirely and re route traffic to Cleveland school while rebuilding the hwy 42 bridges. That's why i was thinking that they should also do the Cornwallis road as an exit just for the folks that live further down to be able to bypass all the traffic headaches.

 

They have already replaced one of the 42 bridges and the other is under construction now. So 42 should not be shutdown very much, if at all, over the next year or so. Once complete, they will do an overnight shutdown while they restripe all the lines to go to reverse traffic flow for the diverging diamond.