The "Future" I-26 is arriving finally

[Henry]

That's great news! Now I-26 is one step closer to being completed through western NC.

[The Ghostbuster]

We still have quite a ways to go before Interstate 26's upgrade is completed. The projects have been delayed quite a bit (the extensions through Tennessee happened in 2003 and 2007), and the Interstate 240 co-currency will be the most difficult part to upgrade. The sooner the upgrades are finished, the better.

[sprjus4]

We still have quite a ways to go before Interstate 26's upgrade is completed. The projects have been delayed quite a bit (the extensions through Tennessee happened in 2003 and 2007), and the Interstate 240 co-currency will be the most difficult part to upgrade. The sooner the upgrades are finished, the better.

The I-240 concurrency, along with the bridge crossing will all be complete with this project. The only remaining portion will be I-26 north of Asheville, where the shoulders will need to be widened for the most part.

[Plutonic Panda]

Wow, they're really just gonna reconstruct the existing I 40/I 26 interchange and add a couple missing connections? That entire interchange is substandard with left exits, and needs to be completely redesigned and reconfigured. What a joke. The rest of the project is great.

The I-40/I 26 interchange should just be its own project if NDOT can't afford to do it the right way.

[sprjus4]

Wow, they're really just gonna reconstruct the existing I 40/I 26 interchange and add a couple missing connections? That entire interchange is substandard with left exits, and needs to be completely redesigned and reconfigured. What a joke. The rest of the project is great.

The I-40/I 26 interchange should just be its own project if NDOT can't afford to do it the right way.

I agree... and it looks like from the video, they originally planned to fully reconstruct the interchange into a stack... but instead there will remain several left exits.

This is the same NCDOT that's building a diamond interchange down I-26 a few miles... and making I-26 North / West have a left exit / entrance on a mountain climb... terrible engineering.

[silverback1065]

Wow, they're really just gonna reconstruct the existing I 40/I 26 interchange and add a couple missing connections? That entire interchange is substandard with left exits, and needs to be completely redesigned and reconfigured. What a joke. The rest of the project is great.

The I-40/I 26 interchange should just be its own project if NDOT can't afford to do it the right way.

I agree... and it looks like from the video, they originally planned to fully reconstruct the interchange into a stack... but instead there will remain several left exits.

This is the same NCDOT that's building a diamond interchange down I-26 a few miles... and making I-26 North / West have a left exit / entrance on a mountain climb... terrible engineering.

i wouldn't say terrible engineering more than cost cutting 

[sprjus4]

Wow, they're really just gonna reconstruct the existing I 40/I 26 interchange and add a couple missing connections? That entire interchange is substandard with left exits, and needs to be completely redesigned and reconfigured. What a joke. The rest of the project is great.

The I-40/I 26 interchange should just be its own project if NDOT can't afford to do it the right way.

I agree... and it looks like from the video, they originally planned to fully reconstruct the interchange into a stack... but instead there will remain several left exits.

This is the same NCDOT that's building a diamond interchange down I-26 a few miles... and making I-26 North / West have a left exit / entrance on a mountain climb... terrible engineering.

i wouldn't say terrible engineering more than cost cutting 

Sure, cost cutting by breaking design standards. Can't imagine an 18 wheeler trying to merge into the left lane of an 8 lane interstate highway on an incline, with the left lane moving 70+ mph as the truck struggles to go above 20 mph. It will end well.

[silverback1065]

Wow, they're really just gonna reconstruct the existing I 40/I 26 interchange and add a couple missing connections? That entire interchange is substandard with left exits, and needs to be completely redesigned and reconfigured. What a joke. The rest of the project is great.

The I-40/I 26 interchange should just be its own project if NDOT can't afford to do it the right way.

I agree... and it looks like from the video, they originally planned to fully reconstruct the interchange into a stack... but instead there will remain several left exits.

This is the same NCDOT that's building a diamond interchange down I-26 a few miles... and making I-26 North / West have a left exit / entrance on a mountain climb... terrible engineering.

i wouldn't say terrible engineering more than cost cutting 

Sure, cost cutting by breaking design standards. Can't imagine an 18 wheeler trying to merge into the left lane of an 8 lane interstate highway on an incline, with the left lane moving 70+ mph as the truck struggles to go above 20 mph. It will end well.

left exits do not break design standards.

[sprjus4]

Wow, they're really just gonna reconstruct the existing I 40/I 26 interchange and add a couple missing connections? That entire interchange is substandard with left exits, and needs to be completely redesigned and reconfigured. What a joke. The rest of the project is great.

The I-40/I 26 interchange should just be its own project if NDOT can't afford to do it the right way.

I agree... and it looks like from the video, they originally planned to fully reconstruct the interchange into a stack... but instead there will remain several left exits.

This is the same NCDOT that's building a diamond interchange down I-26 a few miles... and making I-26 North / West have a left exit / entrance on a mountain climb... terrible engineering.

i wouldn't say terrible engineering more than cost cutting 

Sure, cost cutting by breaking design standards. Can't imagine an 18 wheeler trying to merge into the left lane of an 8 lane interstate highway on an incline, with the left lane moving 70+ mph as the truck struggles to go above 20 mph. It will end well.

left exits do not break design standards.

They're not a good engineering practice, and picking left exits over slightly more expensive, proper right exits is a cheap, cost saving measure that will cause more traffic conflicts - such as the scenario I posed.

If they were accepted practice, you'd see far more left exits, but you don't.

[wdcrft63]

Wow, they're really just gonna reconstruct the existing I 40/I 26 interchange and add a couple missing connections? That entire interchange is substandard with left exits, and needs to be completely redesigned and reconfigured. What a joke. The rest of the project is great.

The I-40/I 26 interchange should just be its own project if NDOT can't afford to do it the right way.

I agree... and it looks like from the video, they originally planned to fully reconstruct the interchange into a stack... but instead there will remain several left exits.

This is the same NCDOT that's building a diamond interchange down I-26 a few miles... and making I-26 North / West have a left exit / entrance on a mountain climb... terrible engineering.

i wouldn't say terrible engineering more than cost cutting 

Sure, cost cutting by breaking design standards. Can't imagine an 18 wheeler trying to merge into the left lane of an 8 lane interstate highway on an incline, with the left lane moving 70+ mph as the truck struggles to go above 20 mph. It will end well.

left exits do not break design standards.

The plans appear to address these concerns by providing plenty of lanes. There are four lanes coming into the interchange from all four directions, so overhead signs can sort traffic well before the splits. Leaving the interchange there are four lanes on I-26 and five lanes on I-40, so time to gradually merge the traffic can be provided.

[Georgia]

so now the trucks have to cross more lanes to get to the left exit?

[Plutonic Panda]

Wow, they're really just gonna reconstruct the existing I 40/I 26 interchange and add a couple missing connections? That entire interchange is substandard with left exits, and needs to be completely redesigned and reconfigured. What a joke. The rest of the project is great.

The I-40/I 26 interchange should just be its own project if NDOT can't afford to do it the right way.

I agree... and it looks like from the video, they originally planned to fully reconstruct the interchange into a stack... but instead there will remain several left exits.

This is the same NCDOT that's building a diamond interchange down I-26 a few miles... and making I-26 North / West have a left exit / entrance on a mountain climb... terrible engineering.

i wouldn't say terrible engineering more than cost cutting 

Sure, cost cutting by breaking design standards. Can't imagine an 18 wheeler trying to merge into the left lane of an 8 lane interstate highway on an incline, with the left lane moving 70+ mph as the truck struggles to go above 20 mph. It will end well.

left exits do not break design standards.

It should be a violation of design standards.

[Strider]

Wow, they're really just gonna reconstruct the existing I 40/I 26 interchange and add a couple missing connections? That entire interchange is substandard with left exits, and needs to be completely redesigned and reconfigured. What a joke. The rest of the project is great.

The I-40/I 26 interchange should just be its own project if NDOT can't afford to do it the right way.

I agree... and it looks like from the video, they originally planned to fully reconstruct the interchange into a stack... but instead there will remain several left exits.

This is the same NCDOT that's building a diamond interchange down I-26 a few miles... and making I-26 North / West have a left exit / entrance on a mountain climb... terrible engineering.

This was the result of local public backing and cutting costs. My only dislike about the project is that I-240 will make an odd "U" turn at the future I-26/I-240 interchange. (where US 19-23-25 & 70 freeway is)

[The Ghostbuster]

I believe left-hand exits are contrary to driver expectations on a roadway. One also has to potentially have to cross over to access left-hand exits. I believe it is much safer to have exit and entrance ramps to solely be on the right-hand side, which is the case with the majority of exit and entrance ramps nationwide. Of course, there are instances in certain urban areas where moving ramps to the right-hand side would be difficult due to potential right-of-way dislocations that would result from doing so. Nevertheless, I believe left-hand ramps should be discouraged as much as possible.

[CtrlAltDel]

This current upgrade is definitely an improvement, but it would have been nice if it had come sooner.

The best time to plant a tree was thirty years ago. The second best time is now.

[wdcrft63]

so now the trucks have to cross more lanes to get to the left exit?

Maybe. But here's the problem. Whenever two heavily used freeways meet, we are going to have splits where we need two or more lanes on each side of the fork. For example, the I-40/85 split for westbound traffic coming into Greensboro. There we have 5 lanes coming into the split, two on the right continuing on I-40 and three on left continuing on I-85. Trucks going to Greensboro will be moving right and trucks going to Charlotte will be moving left. Which fork is the "exit"?

In the case of I-40 and I-26, we currently have 4 lanes coming in eastbound on I-40. The right lane goes to I-26 East, the two center lanes continue on I-40, and only the left lane goes to I-26/240 into Asheville. It's obviously bad for trucks bound to Asheville that have to shift all the way to the far left lane.

In the new plan there is a split of 4 lanes, two on the right continuing on I-40 and two on the left going to I-26/240. Trucks bound for Asheville still have to shift left but not all the way to the far left lane. If you consider those two left lanes to be a "left exit" you can redesign the interchange so the two right lanes go to I-26/240 and the two left lanes continue on I-40. But then trucks continuing on I-40 will be shifting left. There's no way to avoid some need for lane changing. The only thing we can do is give all drivers information about the split as soon as possible and provide the extra lanes for as far as possible.

[Strider]

so now the trucks have to cross more lanes to get to the left exit?

Maybe. But here's the problem. Whenever two heavily used freeways meet, we are going to have splits where we need two or more lanes on each side of the fork. For example, the I-40/85 split for westbound traffic coming into Greensboro. There we have 5 lanes coming into the split, two on the right continuing on I-40 and three on left continuing on I-85. Trucks going to Greensboro will be moving right and trucks going to Charlotte will be moving left. Which fork is the "exit"?

In the case of I-40 and I-26, we currently have 4 lanes coming in eastbound on I-40. The right lane goes to I-26 East, the two center lanes continue on I-40, and only the left lane goes to I-26/240 into Asheville. It's obviously bad for trucks bound to Asheville that have to shift all the way to the far left lane.

In the new plan there is a split of 4 lanes, two on the right continuing on I-40 and two on the left going to I-26/240. Trucks bound for Asheville still have to shift left but not all the way to the far left lane. If you consider those two left lanes to be a "left exit" you can redesign the interchange so the two right lanes go to I-26/240 and the two left lanes continue on I-40. But then trucks continuing on I-40 will be shifting left. There's no way to avoid some need for lane changing. The only thing we can do is give all drivers information about the split as soon as possible and provide the extra lanes for as far as possible.

The exit fork for western I-40/I-85 split in Greensboro is I-40. I-40 leaves I-85 at exit 131 since the road follows I-85 mileage. The same thing goes for the eastern I-40/I-85 split, as I-40 leaves I-85 at exit 163.

[wdcrft63]

I wouldn't call any of those major forks an exit, but it's not a big deal for me. My problem with the 40/26 interchange is I think the ramps from 40 East to 26 East and 26 West to 40 West should be two lanes instead of one.

[silverback1065]

left exits sometimes are required in urban areas, particularly downtown because to the spacing of exits and weaving issues between them. that is usually the only place you see left exits anymore is urban areas near or in downtown.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

The only remaining one lane left exit will be from I-40 west to I-26 east. When the improvements are built, the exiting lane will begin a mile to the east. The three other exits will have two lanes after the upgrades. I-26 west will have four lanes that split into two lanes for I-40 west and two lanes to continue on I-26/I-240. Two lanes will continue to I-40 instead of narrowing to one as it does now. I-40 eastbound approaching the interchange will have five lanes, with two exiting right to I-26 east (one as an option lane to continue on I-40), then four lanes splitting into two to the left for I-240 or continuing straight on I-40. Truck volumes are not very high on I-240, and most of the truck traffic is between I-26 and I-40. The I-40 EB to I-26 EB ramp is moving forward this year before the rest of the interchange improvements.

The I-26 WB to I-40 WB movement will probably be the most problematic leg of the interchange in the future due to the high volumes on I-26 south of the interchange and trucks having to get into the left lanes in advance of the exit. I-40 to the west is not going to hold up for much longer without being widened, but that project is not funded. Westbound backups are frequent in the summer, fall and on weekends when it goes back to two lanes.

[Strider]

I wouldn't call any of those major forks an exit, but it's not a big deal for me. My problem with the 40/26 interchange is I think the ramps from 40 East to 26 East and 26 West to 40 West should be two lanes instead of one.

Not a big deal? then you shouldn't make a big deal about I-40/I-26 interchange. They're fixing it, so there.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I wouldn't call any of those major forks an exit, but it's not a big deal for me. My problem with the 40/26 interchange is I think the ramps from 40 East to 26 East and 26 West to 40 West should be two lanes instead of one.

Not a big deal? then you shouldn't make a big deal about I-40/I-26 interchange. They're fixing it, so there.

IIRC, 40 east to 26 east is getting widened to 2 lanes.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Bidding for Asheville's I-26 Connector higher than expected, DOT to negotiate offers

The construction estimate was around $825 million.

[Strider]

Bidding for Asheville's I-26 Connector higher than expected, DOT to negotiate offers

The construction estimate was around $825 million.

Exactly why NCDOT should not delay the I-26 connector to start with.

[ran4sh]

I believe left-hand exits are contrary to driver expectations on a roadway. One also has to potentially have to cross over to access left-hand exits. I believe it is much safer to have exit and entrance ramps to solely be on the right-hand side, which is the case with the majority of exit and entrance ramps nationwide. Of course, there are instances in certain urban areas where moving ramps to the right-hand side would be difficult due to potential right-of-way dislocations that would result from doing so. Nevertheless, I believe left-hand ramps should be discouraged as much as possible.

So, in your opinion, extra cost from urban ROW acquisition is a valid reason to use left exits/entrances, but extra costs for reasons other than urban ROW acquisition (such as, maybe, terrain/geography etc), are not a valid reason to use left exits/entrances?