ORRUM – Another section of U.S. 74 in southeastern North Carolina will be upgraded to interstate standards, after the state Transportation Department awarded a $24.6 million contract last week.
The project will combine two nearby U.S. 74 intersections – N.C. 72 and N.C. 130 – into one route that will cross over U.S. 74 on a new bridge east of Orrum. Roundabouts will be built at each on/off ramp for the new interchange, as this 2018 public meeting map illustrates.
The circular intersections further improve safety, lowering the risk of serious crashes, and reduce back-ups or engine idling associated with traffic lights or stop signs.
C.M. Lindsay & Sons Inc. of Lumberton can begin work in April by clearing the site of brush, weeds, stumps and other debris. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2026.
Future I-74 Corridor
This is one of several projects to upgrade this corridor to an interstate and, thereby, improve safety, regional travel and economic opportunities. Below are two such projects not far from Orrum:
• The construction of an interchange in Boardman in Columbus County began in 2021 and is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2024; and
• The conversion of a reduced conflict intersection of Creek Road at U.S. 74 into an overpass (but not an exit) is scheduled to start construction in 2027
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