NCDOT seeks $2 million study to plan I‑73/US‑220 upgrades in Rockingham County
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Summary
NCDOT told the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners it has $2 million for a preliminary engineering study to begin environmental review and concept design for upgrading US‑220 to interstate standards (I‑73) between I‑73 and NC‑135; construction funding is not yet secured and the study could take about three years.
Jeremy Dunlap of the North Carolina Department of Transportation told the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 16 that NCDOT has secured $2,000,000 to fund a preliminary engineering (PE) study to begin environmental documentation and concept design for upgrading US‑220 to interstate standards between I‑73 and NC‑135.
The study will identify likely interchange footprints, potential overpasses and where service roads may be required to preserve access for existing businesses and homes, Dunlap said. He told the board the work is expected to take roughly three years and will include public outreach so residents can comment on proposed designs.
"We acquired $2,000,000 to do a PE study from I‑73 right there on 220 near Newnham Road up to NC 135," Dunlap said. He added that reaching interstate standards will require full‑control access, eliminating driveways and at‑grade connections where the highway is upgraded.
NCDOT staff said earlier feasibility work identified two existing interchanges (NC‑704 and NC‑135) and possibly two additional interchanges near Simpson Road and Sardis Church Road, plus overpasses at Williams Road and Ellisborough Road to tie into Taurus Road and NC‑704. The agency said it is dividing the corridor into smaller segments for scoring and funding purposes so each segment competes better against other statewide projects.
Dunlap emphasized that the major hurdle is funding: the project is not yet funded for design or construction and must proceed through NCDOT’s project scoring process and Board of Transportation approvals. He told commissioners that right‑of‑way acquisition, utility relocation and construction would follow only after design and funding approvals.
Commissioners asked whether existing water and sewer infrastructure would be affected; Dunlap confirmed utilities could need relocation depending on ultimate right‑of‑way and service‑road alignments. When asked about an overall calendar for project completion, Dunlap said a fully funded corridor conversion to interstate standards could be a decade‑scale effort: "I'm thinking 10 plus or minus years," he told the board.
The presentation did not include construction funding or a firm timeline for construction; NCDOT said those details will be determined through the scoring and funding process. The board was invited to participate in future public outreach once design alternatives are prepared.