Signs of construction along U.S. 25 northbound near East Flat Rock south of Hendersonville (compare this scene with this 2007 view). Widening of the two-lane highway is underway to bring it up to four-lane Interstate standards. At-grade intersections with Kay Road and other residential roads will be handled by a new frontage road built along the northbound (east) side of the new freeway. Completion of the overall project is expected by August 2012.

New signs (see the old ones here) posted at Exit 49 (junction U.S. 64) on Interstate 26 west & U.S. 25 north still ignore the fact that U.S. 74 shares the same stretch of highway. Southbound (eastbound) signs also omit the overlap.

Associated with ARRA projects, Interstate 26 at North Carolina 146 work involves the widening of N.C. 146 between N.C. 191 and U.S. 25 near Skyland. The concrete surface of Interstate 26 from Exit 37 north toward Exit 33 is now asphalt. What appeared to be a new configuration of the Exit 37 diamond interchange was nothing more than the building of Biltmore Park Town Square nearby. See the 2007 photo of the same location for the changes to the area.

This diagrammatical overhead is no more as sign changes at Exit 31A of Interstate 26 are the first to indicate Johnson City, Tennessee for the 2003-extension of I-26 northward into the Volunteer State. Sign lighting is also no more. Work on the I-26 Connector between Interstate 240 and U.S. 19 & 23 north of Asheville is still pending. A new 5.1-mile alignment for Interstate 26 will carry the freeway across a new French Broad River crossing and avoid the substandard interchange between Interstate 240 and the U.S. 19 & 23 freeway at downtown Asheville. While ARRA money was allocated to the half-million dollar project, construction is still a few years away.

Clearview-fonted signs are continuing to become the standard within the state of Virginia. Signs for Interstate 381 north at Interstate 81 now are now in Clearview.

Not all signs in Virginia are new, as this set of U.S. 52 cutouts continues to live. Cutouts were generally dropped as a standard for route markers in 1970, though a handful of states continued into the mid-70s.

Rains and clouds from the outflow of the short-lived Tropical Storm Nicole fed a storm system stretching northward along the entire East Coast. We hit rainfall in Wytheville and intermittent drizzle and sprinkles northward into West Virginia. This set of Clearview-based signs was one of the few installed along Interstate 77 between Interstate 81 and the WV line. It replaced this previously illuminated set of signs.

The West Virginia Turnpike reaches its highest elevation at Flat Top, 3,252 feet above sea level. From this point northward, Interstate 77 descends to the first of three main line toll plazas along the 95.5-mile toll road. Passenger vehicles are charged $2.00 per plaza. EZPass discounts are only applied to those with a WV EZPass.

Interstate 64 west joins Interstate 77 north along the West Virginia Turnpike for 56.2 miles through to the toll road end at Charleston. Interstate 64 bypasses Beckley to the south en route to Lewisburg and Lexington, Virginia. North of Beckley, the turnpike changes landscape, entering a deep valley along side Paint Creek.

Near milepost 75, Interstate 64 west & 77 north pass over Four Mile Road and a glimpse of the original Memorial Tunnel comes into view. This two-lane tube was bypassed in 1987 with the current four-lane alignment to its north. The tunnel is used today for a variety of testing purposes from terrorist response drills to fire prevention systems. It is not open to the general public.

Interstate 64 west & 77 north span the Kanawha River at the West Virginia Turnpike end. Known as the Bender Bridge, the original span, now southbound, opened in 1954 to coincide with the initial Turnpike completion. The northbound span was added in 1975.

Interstate 79 draws to a close at the ramp split to Interstate 77 north and south. Although most brown sign bridges in Charleston saw their background screens removed, a handful along Interstate 79 retain them.

All signage for Interstate 77 north of the Interstate 79 terminus and south from Ripley was replaced with new panels utilizing Clearview font. Additionally, on-ramps to Interstate 77 now include California-style Freeway Entrance assemblies. Pictured in this scene is the U.S. 33 westbound merge with Interstate 77 north at Exit 138. U.S. 33 uses the freeway through to Exit 146.

U.S. 50 travels along a freeway from Interstate 77 west to the Blennerhassett Island Bridge across the Ohio River. The freeway begins west of the modified diamond interchange with Interstate 77 (Exit 176) and quickly splits with the original U.S. 50 alignment of 7th Street (now signed as West Virginia 618).

The Blennerhassett Island Bridge opened on June 13, 2008 at a cost of $120 million. Known as a Network Arch Bridge, the U.S. 50 span across the Ohio River concludes the Parkersburg south bypass to join U.S. 50 with an expressway bypass of Belpre, Ohio.

A signing oddity occurs with the U.S. 250 Business loop at New Philadelphia, Ohio. Traveling along the U.S. 250 freeway bypass to the south, motorists see green U.S. 250 Business Loop shields on guide signs for the ramps to High Avenue at Schoenbrunn.

Once on the business loop, signs see U.S. 250 Business within a small green guide sign.

A new diamond interchange is nearing completion between Interstate 77 and Tuscarawas County Road 80 in north Dover, Ohio. Work began on September 16, 2009 and completion is expected on November 23, 2010.

Sources:

• "U.S. 25 widening to begin." Times-News Online, June 4, 2009.
• West Virginia Turnpike @ Wikipedia.org.
• Blennerhassett Island Bridge @ Wikipedia.org.

Many thanks go to Jamie Dzencelowcz, who documented the new road this morning. Guides to Interstate 485 now include his efforts along the new stretch in both directions:

• Interstate 485 index
• Inner Loop
• Outer Loop
• Interstate 77 North
• Interstate 77 South

Sources:

• Malme, Bob. “Latest I-485 Segment is (Finally) Open.” Online posting, Yahoo! Groups Southeast Roads and Transport, December 5, 2008.
• “Drivers And Businesses Benefit From New Stretch Of I-485.” WSOC Charlotte, December 5, 2008.

Interstate 485, as envisioned, is a 67-mile beltway encircling the city of Charlotte through its suburbs. The first segment to open was the connector between then-U.S. 521 (South Boulevard) and North Carolina 15 (Pineville-Matthews Road), though a portion of freeway from Interstate 85 to U.S. 29 on the northeast side predated the Interstate designation by several decades. The final segment to open is the northeastern quadrant, between North Carolina 115 and Interstate 85. Currently construction is delayed until 2015 with a possible 2017-18 completion.

Recent updates on SouthEastRoads include a split of our 2001-created Interstate 485 guide into inner and outer loop pages, with complete coverage of the outer belt, and photos of the inner belt between North Carolina 24 & 27 and the temporary end at North Carolina 16 (Brookshire Boulevard).

• Interstate 485 Inner
• Interstate 485 Outer

Sources:

• “Next Leg Of I-485 Could Steer Future Of Northlake Mall Area.” WSOCtv, October 16, 2008.
• “Key voice backs I-485 widening of I-85 widening.” Charlotte Observer, September 21, 2008.

Interstate 85′s original alignment was renumbered to Business Loop Interstate 85 in 2004, and the majority of motorists now travel the bypass if they are not headed toward Greensboro. The shield swap did not cause problems in the long run and the designations stuck. Interstate 40′s relocation did its job of relocating through traffic away from the city through the southwest suburbs, but at the dismay of area residents who complained about the noise level associated with the many trucks that use the cross-country route. That problem was compounded with numerous complaints leveled at the Business Loop vs. Interstate 40 designations and the confusion that they caused. So just seven months after opening the new Interstate 40, the designation was returned to its original alignment through the city.

The September 2008 relocation of Interstate 40 back into Greensboro left new Interstate 73 alone along Painter Boulevard between Future Interstate 840 and the merge with Interstate 85. Additionally Interstate 73 follows a portion of the northwest Greensboro beltway with Future Interstate 840 to Bryan Boulevard.

The numbering debacle that arises is that area freeways will receive their third exit renumbering in four years. Interstate 40′s exit numbers will return to the short-lived Business Loop and they will replace the Business Loop Interstate 85 numbering convention used between “Death Valley” and junction Interstate 840. But that is not the end of it, as Painter Boulevard’s southwest quadrant will also be renumbered to match the mileage of the easy-to-follow Interstate 73.

The Exit numbering scheme of the Greensboro Interstate system after the February 21, 2008 opening of new Interstate 40 & 73.

How the exits will be renumbered with the mid-September announcement that Interstate 40 will return to its original route.

Through all of this, Interstate 40′s statewide mileage will again be accurate. During the Business Loop Interstate 40′s time, the mileage figures from Durham eastward were significantly off from the actual distance to Tennessee due to the additional mileage gained from the Greensboro bypass. U.S. 421 also was shifted from its in-city routing along the Joseph M. Hunt Jr. Expressway and Interstate 40 to Interstates 85 and 73 along the bypass route. No other changes are expected in the Greensboro area until the completion of Interstate 840 and the building of Interstate 785, two projects still many years away due to funding needs.

Painstakingly done, all of our North Carolina guides affected by the return of Interstate 40 to Greensboro are now updated. Additionally Interstate 73 gets its own guide for the first time on SouthEastRoads:

• http://www.southeastroads.com/i-040_nc.html
• http://www.southeastroads.com/i-073_nc.html
• http://www.southeastroads.com/i-085_nc.html
• http://www.southeastroads.com/bl-040_nc.html
• http://www.southeastroads.com/bl-085_nc.html

Exit number maps created by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). See their press release on the Interstate 40 relocation here.

Interstate 85 south (and now Interstate 40 west) merge with Interstate 73 at the U.S. 220 interchange south of central Greensboro. Photo taken by Jamie Dzencelowcz (February 23, 2008).

Work on the $122 million project began in February 2004, that now fully relocates relocated Interstate 40 away from its in-city alignment until September 2008. Exit numbers along old Interstate 40 now carry a numbering scheme originating from the Business Loop through Winston-Salem, with an implied overlap along Interstate 40. This is similar to the scheme implemented along old Interstate 85 with an extension of Business Loop Interstate 85 northward from High Point.

The new freeway carries six lanes and a high speed design speed for through traffic interests between Winston-Salem and Durham. Interstate 73 joins the southwest bypass between Future Interstate 840 near PTI Airport and the U.S. 220 freeway leading south to Asheboro. The signing of Interstate 73 creates only the third set of three two-digit Interstates in the country (I-39/90/94 and I-55/64/70 being the other) to overlap.

Approaching Business Loop Interstate 85 north, Interstate 85, and U.S. 29-70 on Interstate 40 east (and Interstate 73 south). Photo taken by Jamie Dzencelowcz (February 23, 2008).

Additional work on the Greensboro beltway is slated for 2011 and beyond according to NCDOT’s draft seven year 2009-2005 STIP. Construction of Interstate 840 will next open the stretch between U.S. 70 (Exit 19) and the U.S. 29 expressway northeast of Greensboro. U.S. 29 of course, is part of the future Interstate 785, a corridor with seemingly no active construction. Other sections of the eventual Interstate 840 remain unfunded at this time.

AARoads contributor Jamie Dzencelowcz drove the new Interstate 40 on Saturday and provides us with detailed photos of the new roadway. See the following pages for new coverage:

• http://www.southeastroads.com/i-040ec_nc.html
• http://www.southeastroads.com/i-085b_nc.html
• http://www.southeastroads.com/i-040wd_nc.html

NCDOT has a page covering the new route and the Greensboro Beltway overall at Greensboro Urban Loop

More coverage from Jamie Dzencelowcz involving Future Interstate 840 north of Interstate 40 will be added this week.

I had the chance to check out and clinch the new Interstate 795 this week in North Carolina. With the early sunsets and low sun angle, I almost missed out, but for a preview of the northbound side of the freeway, see our new Interstate 795 guide at southeastroads.

And for some photos covering the south end, see U.S. 70 North Carolina @ Southeastroads.

New Interstate 355 will be open to bicyclists and walkers during a Veterans Day celebration to mark the completion of the roadway. 9,000 people are expected to attend.

Looking south on the new Interstate 355 near its terminus with Interstate 80. The Original Interstate 355 (North-South Tollway) opened in 1989. Photo taken by Bill Burmaster (10/13/07).

Meanwhile in North Carolina, sign crews will begin installing red, white, and blue Interstate 795 signs throughout the 20-mile plus route appoved by AASHTO this fall. Interstate 795 replaces U.S. 117 on a freeway northward from U.S. 70 at Goldsboro to U.S. 264 at Wilson and joins U.S. 264 west to Interstate 95. U.S. 117 signs along the north-south freeway will be moved onto the original U.S. 117 alignment in the process. Signing of the newest Interstate should be completed by Spring 2008.

Sources:

1 – “I-355 extension will open Nov. 12.” DailySouthtown, November 2, 2007.

2 – “NCDOT TO BEGIN INSTALLING I-795 SIGNS IN WAYNE, WILSON COUNTIES.” NCDOT, November 7, 2007.

Interstate 95 northbound at the new northern terminus of Interstate 795 south (east). A cloverleaf interchange with collector/distributor roadways joins the two freeways.

Interstate 795 signs will follow soon there after along the U.S. 264 Wilson bypass between Interstate 95 Exit 119 and the U.S. 117 freeway situated between Exits 42 and 43. A partial “Y” interchange joins the U.S. 264 east with U.S. 117 south, where Interstate 795 will turn south along the new freeway to U.S. 70 at Goldsboro. Essentially U.S. 117 is now obsolete north of the U.S. 70 Goldsboro bypass, though it remains to be seen whether or not the highway will see truncation.

Source:

“U.S. 117 gets OK to allow truck.,” Goldsboro News-Argus, October 2, 2007.

Steve Delery sends us the following photos covering the newest section of Interstate 485 from early April 2007:

Interstate 485 northbound continues through the interchange with Interstate 85. Until December 15, 2006, all traffic was forced to use the ramps to the right.

The first interchange along Interstate 485 north of Interstate 85 is the diamond with Moores Chapel Road. Exit 12 features roundabouts at the off-ramp ends in place of signalized intersections, a concept used along Interstate 70 at West Vail and Avon, Colorado.

Interstate 485 passes over the CSX Transportation Railroad and enters the interchange with North Carolina 27 (Exit 14). Barrels shunt drivers onto the single lane off-rmap to Mt. Holly Road. Mt. Holly Road carries North Carolina 27 west from Charlotte into Mt. Holly a city in eastern Gaston County.

A lot of headway on the construction of Interstate 485 beyond the Exit 14 gore point is already made.

The southbound beginning of Interstate 485 at the CSX Transportation Railroad overpass south of Exit 14 (North Carolina 27). Interstate 485 main line shields north of Interstate 85 feature “Future” banners.

Overall Interstate 485 will travel 67 miles around North Carolina’s largest city. All of the loop is open south of Interstate 85 as of November 2004, and construction continues on the freeway between North Carolina 27 and Interstate 77. Ground has yet to be broken on the final segment between Interstate 77 and 85 to the northeast, but officials are hopeful for an opening between 2012 and 2013.

• South Carolina
• North Carolina
• Connecticut

Coverage to be added later includes portions of the freeway in the Boston area, New Hampshire, and Maine. Gaps to fill include sections in Florida, New Jersey, and updates to the Virginia guides.