​​​​​​Study Overview

The I-74 corridor has been identified as a Strategic H​ighway Corridor. This proposed interstate in Brunswick and Columbus counties would upgrade North Carolina's transportation infrastructure to improve safety and efficiency as well as support long-term economic growth in the southeastern part of the state.

Completed in 2005, the I-74 Feasibility Study looked at additional alignment alternatives for the proposed interstate from Union Valley Road (S.R. 1585) in Whiteville in Columbus County to the South Carolina state line in Brunswick County. It was the initial step in the planning and design process for this project and is not the product of exhaustive environmental or design investigations.

The purpose of the study was to describe the proposed project, including costs, and identify potential issues that could require consideration in the planning and design phases.

The study proposed a four-lane divided interstate freeway with full control of access, including a variable median from 46 to 70 feet, 12-foot travel lanes, 10-foot full-depth outside and 4-foot full-depth inside paved shoulders, interchanges, grade separations, and service roads within a minimum state-maintained right of way of 350 feet.