A highway project that has drawn criticism from its inception will move ahead next month.
The latest intersection improvements on U.S. 74 at Lake Waccamaw will get underway next month. Department of Transportation spokesman Andrew Barksdale said the intersection with Chaunceytown Road will be converted to an interchange, while Old Lake Road will have an overpass with no direct access to the highway.
Roundabouts will also be installed where the ramps join Chaunceytown Road, as well as at the intersections of Chaunceytown with N.C. 214.
Georgia Road – currently a dead-end dirt road that roughly parallels the four lane – will be paved, widened and extended to old Lake Road to provide access to East Columbus Junior-Senior High School.
The entire project is 1.3 miles long. Local leaders wanted to maintain at least some access at Old Lake and U.S. 74 for emergency vehicles and local traffic, but federal highway standards – which must be followed to obtain federal funding – prohibit interchanges closer than two miles. Proponents of the two interchange plan, however, pointed out that exceptions to the guideline are common across the state.
The original plan also called for an additional roundabout at N.C. 214 and Old Lake Road. However, that part of the plan was dropped due to large truck traffic moving through the area.
BMCO of Lumberton was awarded the $44 million dollar project, one of the most ambitious changes along U.S. 74 in years. NCDOT’s long term plans are to upgrade the entire four-lane to Interstate standards.
The contractor has until the summer of 2025 to complete all of the improvements, Barksdale said.
Currently, U.S. 74 has at-grade intersections at Chaunceytown and Old Lake Road. Last year, the NCDOT converted these two junctions into reduced conflict intersections, which redirect drivers into turning right onto the highway, to improve safety until the permanent changes under the new contract can be built.
