I-485

[CanesFan27]

In a letter to NC Secretary of Transportation, Gene Conti, Chief Deputy Attorney General Grayson G. Kelly declared the "design-build-finance" plan for the missing Interstate 485 as legal.

More Details and Commentary:
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2010/01/nc-attorney-generals-office-i-485.html

The Letter:
http://www.ncdoj.com/About-DOJ/Legal-Services/Legal-Opinions/Opinions/Design-Build-Finance-Agreements-for-the-Constructi.aspx

Story Link:
http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/queen_city_agenda/2010/01/beltway_plan_wins_state_endorsement.html

[CanesFan27]

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has recently announced the four finalists for construction of the final five miles of Interstate 485 in Mecklenburg County.

The four teams of contractors/consultants/financiers are:

    * Barnhill/English, a joint venture of Barnhill Contracting Co. and W.C. English Inc., and HDR Engineering Inc. of the Carolinas;
    * Blythe Construction Inc. and Wilbur Smith Associates;
    * Kiewit Southern Co. and Parsons Transportation Group Inc.; and
    * The Lane Construction Corp. and The LPA Group of North Carolina, P.A.

Currently, NCDOT is in the earlier stages of reviewing each group's Request for Proposal (RFP).  It is an approximately three month process that will ultimately end with the awarding of a bid on May 28th.

The final five miles of I-485 is the first of three parts of a major $540 million construction project.  The second part includes widening of Interstate 85 from I-485 to Cabarrus County.  The third is for the actual reconstruction of the existing I-85/485 interchange.  Both remaining parts of the project will go through the same awarding process.

For more:
https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/pio/releases/details.aspx?r=3302

[rickmastfan67]

Just saw this story on the Charlotte Observer's website.  They are moving up by a year the widening of the highway between South Boulevard and Johnston Road.  They will also construct the missing flyover at the Johnston Road (US-521) interchange to allow people to avoid the left turn onto Inner I-485 from US-521 North.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/08/04/1601707/i-485-widening-now-on-for-2014.html

[6a]

Just saw this story on the Charlotte Observer's website.  They are moving up by a year the widening of the highway between South Boulevard and Johnston Road.  They will also construct the missing flyover at the Johnston Road (US-521) interchange to allow people to avoid the left turn onto Inner I-485 from US-521 North.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/08/04/1601707/i-485-widening-now-on-for-2014.html

I thought I'd never see the day.  I lived in Charlotte (Pineville) ten years ago and traffic on 485 was asinine then.  I can only imagine what it's like now.  I wonder if they've figured out a solution to the 485/77 exit on the north side.  I know when it was in the planning stages there were to be 4 lanes of 485 dumping onto 2 lanes of 77, so they tossed in a quick third lane on 77, but again that was 10 years ago.

[CanesFan27]

Even better news:

After years of delays, funding shortfalls, and contractor disputes, Charlotte commuters have received more good news when it comes to Interstate 485.

The much needed widening of six miles of highway in the Pineville/Ballantyne area in Southern Mecklenburg County will begin in June 2012 vs. the planned start date of October 2013.  The widening will increase I-485 from four to six lanes from Interstate 77 (Exit 67) east to Johnston Road (Exit 61).

The project has an estimated cost o $77 million.  It will add a new travel lane in each direction - these lanes will be built within the median.  In addition, improvements to the Johnston Road interchange will be part of the project.  A flyover ramp will be constructed connecting Northbound traffic to the "Inner" Westbound lanes of Interstate 485.  The project should be completed by the fall of 2015.

Story:
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/26807306/detail.html

Just saw this story on the Charlotte Observer's website.  They are moving up by a year the widening of the highway between South Boulevard and Johnston Road.  They will also construct the missing flyover at the Johnston Road (US-521) interchange to allow people to avoid the left turn onto Inner I-485 from US-521 North.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/08/04/1601707/i-485-widening-now-on-for-2014.html

[CanesFan27]

NCDOT recently released the interchange designs for the remaining 5.4 miles of I-485 soon to be under construction.  Interestingly, all of the interchanges will be the first of its kind in  NC. There are three interchanges in total.

Heading east from the current terminus at NC 115:

Prosperity Church Road - a split-diamond, consisting of two access roads and six roundabouts
Mallard Creek Road - A Diverging Diamond Interchange - this replaces a planned SPUI.
I-85 - a Turbine Interchange.  This replaces a planned 4 level stack interchange.  NCDOT sees the Turbine as a less expensive to build and operate, it won't take up as much space, and it won't disturb existing I-85 traffic as greatly while under construction.

Story with some images:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/03/01/2101170/last-outerbelt-junctions-to-display.html

[froggie]

NCDOT apparently doesn't see it as such, but I-40/Exit 195 (at NC 109) in Winston-Salem, is very much a split-diamond.

[Buummu]

Is Interstate 485 now on way to its completion, right?

[rickmastfan67]

Is Interstate 485 now on way to its completion, right?

According to NCDOT's site on I-485, they are starting this summer.
http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/charlotteouterloop/

[Buummu]

both the completion of I-485 and the Interstate 85 widening are starting this summer? ... it is gonna be a full of workzones...

[Henry]

So when the whole thing is finished, they can expect a Circle Interchange South at the eastern I-85 junction? Interesting.

[rickmastfan67]

So when the whole thing is finished, they can expect a Circle Interchange South at the eastern I-85 junction? Interesting.

Yep.  They have a similar one down in Florida on FL-9A @ FL-202.
http://maps.google.com/?ll=30.252654,-81.516345&spn=0.013457,0.027874&t=h&z=16

[Buummu]

It's called the Turbine interchange...

[Henry]

It's called the Turbine interchange...

I just looked it up on Wikipedia. In Chicagoland, everyone calls it the Circle Interchange, and I've been accustomed to calling similar designs as such.

[Buummu]

yeah the Circle Interchange, or Turbine Interchange (as we in NC called it).. it is still the same design though.... it gotta be interesting when I-485 is finally finished...... Will it help traffic move around? I don't know. But the mainline I-85 needs widening badly and they are getting it....

[Alex]

Carter passed along this article to me today:

Plans to expand I-485 in south Charlotte under way

There will be nine miles of new lanes  from Interstate 77  to Rea Road.

The design team is  now  deciding how to put it all in place and  how to tweak the plans on the additional lanes and a massive flyover at the Johnston Road interchange.

Thompson said drivers should expect some lane closings when work gets underway next summer, but she does not expect the interstate to close completely.

[alex5793]

When I was in Charlotte on business late last year, I was surprised by (1) that I-485 was only 2 lanes in each direction and (2) how bad the traffic was going westbound, from Independence to near I-77, in the AM Peak.  I am sure this project is sorely needed.

[rickmastfan67]

https://goo.gl/maps/WLL8V

Google recently updated their imagery in the Charlotte area.  You can see a good amount of the construction done to the point that they are paving the new highway in some places.

[Alps]

https://goo.gl/maps/WLL8V

Google recently updated their imagery in the Charlotte area.  You can see a good amount of the construction done to the point that they are paving the new highway in some places.

I spy a DDI! Nice work, Google.

[Katavia]

https://goo.gl/maps/WLL8V

Google recently updated their imagery in the Charlotte area.  You can see a good amount of the construction done to the point that they are paving the new highway in some places.

I spy a DDI! Nice work, Google.

Their making DDI's on Poplar Tent Rd and NC-73 at I-85. See the project information at the NCDOT page.

[Henry]

I wouldn't be surprised if the final segment was completed on time, if not ahead of it. (that is, despite the recent winter storms that socked the South and most of the East Coast with massive snow and ice)

[rickmastfan67]

So, does anybody know the current status on which ramps are open at the I-85/I-485 'Turbine' interchange?

Want to have it up-to-date as with the current configuration in OSM. https://www.openstreetmap.org/note/80169

[WashuOtaku]

So, does anybody know the current status on which ramps are open at the I-85/I-485 'Turbine' interchange?

Want to have it up-to-date as with the current configuration in OSM. https://www.openstreetmap.org/note/80169

Still planned to be open in December, same with the last stretch of I-485 and the Pineville widening project.  All complete or mostly done in December.

Some of the turbine is being used now by the existing open exits at the interchange and new signage is already up (with some covered towards Huntersville).

[rickmastfan67]

Just saw this story on the Charlotte Observer's website.  They are moving up by a year the widening of the highway between South Boulevard and Johnston Road.  They will also construct the missing flyover at the Johnston Road (US-521) interchange to allow people to avoid the left turn onto Inner I-485 from US-521 North.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/08/04/1601707/i-485-widening-now-on-for-2014.html

The new flyover will open tomorrow per NCDOT.
https://apps.ncdot.gov/newsreleases/details.aspx?r=10126

[WashuOtaku]

NCDOT has posted a route request form for the last section of I-485 on their website:  Request Form, Map and Diagram.

This request should appear in AASHTO's Fall Meeting.