Interstate 73 (
I-73) is an
intrastate Interstate Highway, located within the U.S. state of
North Carolina. It is part of a longer planned corridor, defined by various federal laws to run from
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, but only the part south of
West Virginia is under study as of 2012. The corridor passes through the states of
South Carolina, North Carolina,
Virginia,
West Virginia,
Ohio, and
Michigan. Ohio and Michigan do not plan to build any part of the
highway, as the I-73 corridor in both of these states is already served by existing freeways or 4-lane highways that will eventually be upgraded to freeways. West Virginia is building its section, mostly along
U.S. Highway 52, as a four-lane
divided highway, but not meeting the
Interstate Highway standards. On the other hand, North Carolina and South Carolina have built sections and Virginia plans to build its part. Thus Interstate 73 will, once scheduled projects are completed, run from South Carolina to
Roanoke, Virginia, where it will end at
Interstate 81. Associated with these plans are those for the extension of
Interstate 74 from
Cincinnati to Myrtle Beach, with several highway overlaps contemplated.