North Carolina

[FLRoads]

Have the exit numbers along I-795 been corrected to reflect its mileage and not US 117's?

[74/171FAN]

Inspired by the "Garden Pkwy" thread even though not related to it, the new NCTA has also sped up the process on the Mid-Currituck Bridge connecting US 158 on the mainland to NC 12 on the Outer Banks around Corolla.  Honestly I don't believe that the connection will relieve that much traffic on US 158(and it won't north of the bridge) and NC 12 as most head to Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills anyhow.  http://www.ncturnpike.org/projects/Mid_Currituck/

[Alex]

$659.2 million for that span! 

Having driven NC-12 up to Corolla many times, that cost is unjustified. The road more or less serves a number of expensive beach homes, including vacation residences of Tom Cruise and Bruce Willis.

[Alex]

And No Build is the option they should take...

[Bryant5493]

Tell me if my understanding of the Greensboro Urban Loop is correct.

I had read a Wikipedia article and saw a YouTube video, concerning the routing of I-40 in/around Greensboro, NC. I-40 and I-85 were moved out of Downtown Greensboro, to follow the southern bypass toward Durham and Raleigh. Then, because of protests from residents (and confusion between I-40 and I-40 Business), I-40 was moved back through Greensboro, eliminating I-40 Business altogether. Also, I-85 is still along the southern portion of the Loop.

Again, is my understanding of this routing correct?

Lastly, is I-40 East through Greensboro a quicker route to Raleigh-Durham? Or is I-85 North around Greensboro quicker to get to Raleigh-Durham?

Be well,

Bryant

[FLRoads]

Yes, your understanding is correct. Interstate 40 has been routed back onto its original route through downtown Greensboro.

I'm surprised you didn't mention Interstate/Future 73, which also enters the mix on the western portion of the beltway between Interstate 85 and Interstate 40 at Exit 212...

[Bryant5493]

^^ You know, I saw that (Future I-73) on the Urban Loop page, but I didn't know where it started. It seemed to just appear out of nowhere (lol).

Thanks for the confirmation.


Be well,

Bryant

[OracleUsr]

Dude, I live in Statesville, and use the temp alignment of I-40 to get to my mother's house in Haw River (between Greensboro and Raleigh) all the time.  I hate Death Valley, and the speed is 65mph on the entire "bypass" of I-73 to I-85.  I don't think it's that much further.

[Chris]

Isn't the I-73/I-74 to be rerouted via High Point across US 311? It would connect to the US 220 near Randleman. But what number does the Randleman - Greensboro section get? Just US 220?

The 2009 RandMcNally map says I-40 is still taking the southern bypass. I guess they aren't sure either.

[Bryant5493]

OracleUsr said:
Dude, I live in Statesville, and use the temp alignment of I-40 to get to my mother's house in Haw River (between Greensboro and Raleigh) all the time.  I hate Death Valley, and the speed is 65mph on the entire "bypass" of I-73 to I-85.  I don't think it's that much further.

Bryant5493 says:
Okay, thank you.

froggie said:
The complaints about noise from residents along the southwest side of the loop was a red herring.  The real reason why I-40 was moved back onto its previous route through Greensboro was so that NCDOT wouldn't lose Interstate Maintenance funds.

Bryant5493 says:
So, with the Business Interstate designation, NCDOT wouldn't be able to keep the Interstate Maintenance funds?


Be well,

Bryant

[Alex]

I updated all of the area guides to reflect the current alignments for Interstate 40 (what a pain in the butt it was). There is also a blog post I made last fall about it too.

When we drove through there in December, and from what I've read from Bob Malme's Future NC Interstates pages, signage will not be replaced until later this year.

[Bryant5493]

^^ I saw the updates and read the blog -- Good work!


Be well,

Bryant

[74/171FAN]

I busted out laughing when I heard I-40 was being put back in Greensboro as I had read something(it might have been the nonexistent NCRoads.com(I'm not sure though)) that said that many would still use I-40 through Greensboro whatever number it is was called due to supposedly faster travel time. 

[Bryant5493]

^^ Why's that?


Be well,

Bryant

[Bryant5493]

^^ Oh, okay. Didn't know that. The more you know, the more you grow.


Be well,

Bryan

[Alex]

And they have shuffled around the U.S. highways into useless multiplexes too. I was pondering what will happen with U.S. 220 once Interstate 73 is completed northwest of town. Will Wendover Avenue be devoid of any numbered route when that happens as U.S. 220 uselessly overlaps with the new freeway? That is if the route even survives the completion of Interstate 73 through N.C.

[74/171FAN]

Don't forget about how US 421 now follows the SW portion of the loop to I-40 before multiplexing with I-40 to Winston-Salem and multiplexing with all of Winston-Salem's Business I-40 along with US 158.

[jackson1300]

In my opinion the stupidest part of the whole thing is why did NC DOT renumber the old I-40 & I-85 to Business 40 & 85 instead of either make the entire Greensboro Loop I-840 and kept I-40 & 85 on their current alignments or, renumber the old I-40 & I-85 to 3di interstates.  In my opinion the Business Loops of I-40 & I-85 are not used what they are intended for and they are located way too close in distance. The two Business 85's begin and end within 5 miles of each other (High Point's Bus. 85 and Greensboro's Bus. 85), and the two Business 40's (Winston-Salem & Greensboro).  I thought a Business I- designation was not intended for "freeway" purposes, but to guide travelers into a city for food, lodging, and fueling purposes with an easy access return to the interstate, not just to "cover up" the old interstate designation, and cause way too much confusion with travelers who are not too familiar with these areas.

[Bryant5493]

^^ I think that makes sense, signing the loop with one continuous number. The other routes could be secondary, but one primary route number would be great.

Ex: The Athens Perimeter Highway/Paul Brouwn Parkway (SR 10 Loop) -- this route also has concurrencies with US 29, US 78, US 129, US 441, SR 8 and SR 15, but the SR 10 Loop (SR 422 Loop, which isn't signed) is the only continuous number on the loop; the others turn off onto surface streets.


Be well,

Bryant

[Alex]

The business loop for Interstate 85 is considered to be joined with Interstate 85 on the five-mile stretch between the two independent segments. That is why the exit numbers are in the 30s through Greensboro. They were going to do the same with Business Loop I-40 and continue the Winston-Salem exit numbers.

[74/171FAN]

And No Build is the option they should take...

But the NCTA has now signed a development agreement with ACS  http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/4134

[njroadhorse]

Depending on the location, it could be an alternative to getting into Corolla and Nags Head and avoid the beach traffic that funnels in near Roanoke Island between 64, 158 and 264.

[74/171FAN]

http://www.myfox8.com/wghp-loop-confusion-090508,0,3682388.story   Beginning Sunday NCDOT plans to start fixing signage in the Greensboro area along I-40 and so on.  However, this article did not include the exit renumberings along I-40 and I-73 but I assume that they are a part of the signage switch. 

[njroadhorse]

Wouldn't it be better to sign Bus I-40 and Bus I-85 as regular 3di's, or just keep their original routes through Greensboro?
Sheesh, this scheme is hard to keep up on, especially when the routes kept changing. 

[74/171FAN]

Wouldn't it be better to sign Bus I-40 and Bus I-85 as regular 3di's, or just keep their original routes through Greensboro?

Business I-85 yes(of course not the portion multiplexed with I-40), Business I-40 maybe but I prefer just leaving I-40's original route through Greensboro.