An objective of the US 64-NC 49 Corridor Study was to gain an understanding of the travel patterns on US 64 and NC 49 as well as I-40 and I-85 in the study area. This was of particularly importantance because a major goal of this study is to examine the potential for improvements to the US 64 and NC 49 corridors to divert current and future-year traffic from I-40 and I-85. The determination of existing travel patterns and characteristics was conducted through the analysis of information obtained through a variety of travel surveys, which are briefly described below.

A video license plate survey of vehicles traveling at selected locations on I-40 and I-85 was conducted using high-specification video camcorders positioned on an overpass at each of the video stations. The point-to-point movements of vehicles between video stations were obtained by matching the license plates of vehicles passing the survey stations. The plate records of vehicles passing in a given direction at each station were matched against the plate records of vehicles passing all other stations in order to determine the volume of movement from one station to another. In addition, a record was kept of in-state and out-of-state license plates at each survey station. The survey was conducted for a twelve-hour period. The videotapes were destroyed following completion of the US 64-NC 49 Corridor Study.

View the Video Origin-Destination Survey Report (683 KB).

A postcard survey was conducted using license plate information collected from one of the video origin-destination survey locations. Postcard surveys were sent out to 32,953 motorists who were recorded at the video survey site location. Postcard recipients were asked to complete the survey and return the self-addressed, postage-paid reply card. 3,384 postcard surveys were returned. 2,934 surveys were entirely filled out and provided a complete and usable set of origin and destination location data. All returned surverys were destroyed following completion of the US 64-NC 49 Corridor Study.

View the Postcard Origin-Destination Survey Report (1.5 MB).

Three locations were selected for roadside surveys: two on US 64 and one on NC 49. The roadside survey was designed to capture the origin, destination, purpose, and frequency of each interviewed motorist's trip as well as the number of people in the vehicle and other routes typically used to make a similar trip. The North Carolina Department of Transportation conducted vehicle classification counts at each survey location in order to determine the sample size of the survey and to allow for expansion of the data. An objective of this study was to interview approximately 10% of the daily traffic at each survey location, which was achieved.

View the Roadside Origin-Destination Survey Report (3.3 MB).

A series of travel time surveys were undertaken to record the average vehicle travel times and speeds for trips between Charlotte and Raleigh and Statesville and Charlotte utilizing I-40 and I-85, and US 64 and NC 49. The surveys were conducted over a period of six weekdays. Multiple trips were taken in each direction along each route during both peak and off-peak periods. The travel time surveys were conducted using a Global Positioning System (GPS) equipped vehicle.

View the Travel Time Survey Report (715 KB).