High Country Roads Included in NCDOT Draft Plan For 10 Year Prioritization

Last Updated on December 29, 2014 5:58 pm

In early December the North Carolina Department of Transportation released its draft of the 10 year State Transportation Improvement Program, otherwise known as STIP. The draft schedules the projects proposed for full or partial funding across the state in the Final 2016-2025 STIP. This is one of the final steps toward implementing the new Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) Law.

The Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) Law allows NCDOT to maximize the state's existing transportation funding to enhance the state’s infrastructure and support economic growth, job creation and high quality of life. STI establishes the Strategic Mobility Formula, a new way of allocating available revenues based on data-driven scoring and local input.

Under the new law NCDOT will be able fund 303 more projects and create about 126,000 more jobs than under the old formula. This is a 273% increase in highway projects and a 172% increase in jobs compared to the old formula according to NCDOT. Using the new formula over 10 years NCDOT will fund 478 highway projects and 300,000 jobs, compared to 175 highway projects and 174,000 jobs using the old formula.

The current draft includes nearly 1,100 projects statewide and includes some key transportation routes in the High Country.

NCDOT will hold a public comment period and public meetings in March and April to seek input on the Draft STIP. The Board of Transportation is expected to approve the Final 2016-2025 STIP in June 2015.

At the bottom of the page you can find maps and the complete PDF of the draft plan.

Projects in the list for the High Country are listed below starting with ID Number, Location/Description, Length.

Watauga County

R-2566*
US 221 to SR 1107 (NC 105 Bypass) in Boone. Widen To Multi-lanes.
14.8 Miles.
*note – part of project in Avery County – US 221 in Avery County to SR 1136 (Clarks Creek Road) in Watauga County.*
SR 1136 (Clarks Creek Road) to SR 1107 (NC 105 Bypass) in Boone and construct new bridge over Watauga River and left-turn lane at SR 1112 (Broadstone Road).

R-2915
US 221
US 421 in Watauga County to US 221 Business/NC 88 in Jefferson. Widen To Four Lanes Divided.
16.1 Miles.
*notes – US 421 in Watauga County to SR 1003 (Idlewild Road) in Ashe County – Right Of Way In Progress,
SR 1003 (Idlewild Road) to north of South Fork New River – Right Of Way In Progress,
north of South Fork New River to south of NC 194, south of NC 194 to US 221 Bypass – Right Of Way In Progress,
US 221 Bypass to US 221 Business/NC 88 In Jefferson.

R-2237*
US 321
North of NC 268 to multi-lanes north of Blowing Rock. Widen To Multi Lanes.
15.3 Miles.
*notes – north of NC 268 To SR 1370 (Kirby Mountain Road) – Complete,
SR 1370 (Kirby Mountain Road) To SR 1500 (Blackberry Road) – Complete,
SR 1500 (Blackberry Road) to US 221 at Blowing Rock – Under Construction

R-2615*
US 421/US 321
US 321/US 421 Junction Near Vilas to SR 1107 (105 Bypass) – Termini Of Proposed Boone Bypass (U-2703). Widen To Multi Lanes.
3.5 Miles.

R-5525
Blowing Rock Post Acute Care Facility. Construct Access Road.
0.25 Miles

U-5705
US 221/321
NC 105 Intersection. Construct Upgrades.

U-5715
Watauga US 321/421, NC 194 (King Street)
College Street Intersection. Construct Improvements.

U-5603
NC 105
US 321 (Blowing Rock Road) to NC 105 Bypass. Upgrade Roadway.
2.1 Miles

U-5867
NC 194
US 421 (King Street) To SR 1306 (Howards Creek Road). Widen To Multi Lanes.
1.6 Miles

U-5810
SR 1514 (Bamboo Road); SR 1523 (Wilson Ridge)
US 421/US 221 To SR 1522 (Deerfield Road). widen roadway to 12-feet lanes With 4-feet paved shoulders.
1.9 Miles

B-5829
NC 105
Replace Bridge No. 5 Over Watauga River.

B-4670
SR 1130 (Worley Road)
Replace Bridge No. 200 Over Creek.

BK-5119
SR 1225
Replace Bridge No. 25 Over Creek.

B-5386
SR 1227 (North Fork Road)
Replace Bridge No. 87 Over North Fork Creek.

B-4836
SR 1331 (Roby Greene Road)
Replace Bridge No. 59 Over South Fork New River.

B-5532
SR 1359 (Brownwood Road)
Replace Bridge No. 142 Over Creek

B-5177
SR 1540 (Tweetsie Railroad)
Replace Bridge No. 278 Over Middle Fork Creek And Realign Intersections of Us 321 With SR 1540 and SR 1531.

B-5118
SR 1557 (Shull's Mill Road)
Replace Bridge No. 55 Over Creek.

E-4955
Boone
Phase I: Wilson Drive In Boone. Construct Four-foot Paved Shoulders.

Non – Highway Program

TI-6101
Coach America
Intercity Bus – Boone to Charlotte

EB-5527
Blowing Rock
Middle Fork Greenway, Phase I. Tweetsie Railroad To Sterling Creek Park. Construct 10 Feet Wide Multi Use Path Along Middle Fork New River.

EB-5612
Boone Greenway
South Side of US 421 to north side Of 600 US 421 at the New River. Construct Underpass Along The Western Bank Of River.

TI-6103
Coach America
Intercity Bus – Greensboro to Boone

Ashe County

R-2915
US 221
US 421 in Watauga County to US 221 Business/NC 88 In Jefferson. Widen To Four Lanes Divided
16.1 Miles
*notes – US 421 In Watauga County To SR 1003 (Idlewild Road) in Ashe County – Right Of Way In Progress,
SR 1003 (Idlewild Road) To North Of South Fork New River – Right Of Way In Progress,
North Of South Fork New River To South Of NC 194, South Of NC 194 To US 221 Bypass – Right Of Way In Progress,
US 221 Bypass To US 221 Business/NC 88 In Jefferson.

U-3812
NC 88
NC 194 To US 221 Business In Jefferson. Upgrade Existing Roadway.
1.6 Miles

B-5821
US 221
Replace Bridge No. 10 Over South Fork New River.

B-4704
NC 88
Replace Bridge No. 49 Over Buffalo Creek.

B-5823
Replace Bridge No. 355 Over South Fork New River.

B-5830
SR 1181 (Hartsog Ford Road)
Replace Bridge No. 177 Over Beaver Creek.

B-4016
SR 1347 (Teaberry Road)
Replace Bridge No. 273 Over Big Horse Creek.

B-3804
SR 1351 (Campbell Road)
Replace Bridge No. 296 Over North Fork New River.

B-4705
SR 1376 (Joe Thomas Road)
Replace Bridge No. 69 Over Little Helton Creek.

B-5504
SR 1503 (Low Water Bridge Road)
Replace Bridge No. 337 Over North Fork New River.

B-5147
SR 1509 (Claybank Road)
Replace Bridge No. 327 Over Creek.

B-5838
SR 1523 (Silas Creek Road)
Replace Bridge No. 309 Over Silas Creek.

B-4706
SR 1527 (Helton Road)
Replace Bridge No. 48 Over Big Helton Creek.