Interstate 73

Interstate 73 (I-73) is a north–south Interstate Highway, currently located entirely within the US state of North Carolina. It travels 93.5 miles (150.5 km), from south of Ellerbe, North Carolina to northeast of Stokesdale, providing a freeway connection to Greensboro and Asheboro. Other than a short 9.5 miles (15.3 km) segment near the Piedmont Triad International Airport west of Greensboro, the interstate runs concurrently with at least one other route.

I-73 was planned to be a much longer corridor, defined by various federal laws to run from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. North Carolina continues to build sections of the route, while South Carolina has shown support for building it but lacks the funding to see the project through. However, once active projects are completed, it will only run from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to the North Carolina-Virginia state along U.S. Route 220. Michigan is not planning to build the interstate as they abandoned the I-73 project after June 12, 2001, diverting the funds to safety improvement projects along the corridor instead. Ohio does not plan to build any part of the highway because the I-73 corridor in that state is already served by existing freeways or four-lane highways that will eventually be upgraded to freeways. However, there has been a renewed push for the extension of I-73 corridor within the state. West Virginia is building its section, mostly along US 52, as a four-lane divided highway, but not meeting the Interstate Highway standards, and Virginia does not plan to fund the construction of the interstate in the foreseeable future.

Associated with these plans are those for the extension of I-74 from Cincinnati to Myrtle Beach, with several highway overlaps contemplated.