I-440 Raleigh Beltline reconstruction

[orulz]

NCDOT is planning to rebuild the final segment of the Raleigh Beltline, between I-40 and Wade Avenue. The beltline was originally built in the early 1960s and this is the only segment left still in its original configuration. The other segments of the were already reconstructed to more modern standards in the 1990s, and still feel like modern facilities today.

Improvements include widening to six lanes and full reconstruction of every interchange. One or two flyovers will be included at Wade Avenue, a much needed improvement. The I-40/I-440 interchange is also being considered for flyovers as well (currently it is a full cloverleaf with C/D lanes in some places.) The question at the I-40/I-440 interchange is whether they want to go ahead and make some changes now, or wait for an upcoming project to make more comprehensive improvements there.

There was a well-attended public meeting yesterday in Raleigh to discuss this project.

http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/i-440improvements/

[Zeffy]

Wow, I've never personally used I-440 before, but just by looking at the video provided on that page, I can tell those improvements would be a welcome addition to the highway. That short lane weave is a HORRIBLE design decision.

[1995hoo]

That will bring the demise of the anachronistic sign bridge on the northbound Beltline at Western Boulevard where the pull-through sign lists only US-1, not I-440, and still says "Cliff Benson Beltline" (as far as I can recall, the only sign that still bears his name). The road needs to be improved, and has needed it for many years, but it's always a shame to see curiosities like this disappear. (Note also the lack of exit tabs and the excessive space in "2 A" on the gore sign visible in the background.)

http://goo.gl/maps/evpi1


I found the I-40/I-440 document the most interesting because none of the flyover proposals involve using a flyover for people continuing on the Beltline (say, if you were coming from NC State and you wanted to head to Wilmington). Is the traffic volume making that maneuver (i.e., going from southbound I-440 to eastbound I-40) really that low? It surprises me a bit because I remember all the squawking back in the 1990s about how "confusing" the Beltline's route numbering was. The brief experiment with using "INNER" and "OUTER" signage began sometime between the fall of 1996 and May 1998–I recall this because I worked in Raleigh during the summer of 1996 and the "INNER/OUTER" signs weren't up yet, and I graduated from Duke in May 1998 and by then the signs were already in place. So it just seems to me if people were squawking 20 years ago about it being "unclear" how to continue on the Beltline down at that southwest corner, there must be some level of demand for that movement, and I was surprised to see it's apparently a lower demand.

[orulz]

I-440 and hence the Raleigh Beltline is now no longer signed along I-40 in southern Raleigh. It's now signed as an East-West route from I-40 exit 293 to exit 301.

Looking at 2011 traffic volumes, there is relatively little traffic, 8500vpd "continuing on the beltline", aka making the movement  I-440 <-> -40 East. Strangely, the movement where they actually propose a flyover, has the least traffic: 6300vpd, moving from I-440 <-> I-40 West.

In contrast, traffic to/from US1/64 onto I-40 is much heavier. 35,900 in 2011 go from US1/64 <-> I-40 East, and 32,100 for US1/64 <-> I-40 West. If anything actually need a flyover, it is the movements involving US1/64, not I-440.

Traffic numbers come from this feasibility study of a much larger reconfiguration at this interchange (which also includes diagrams of full stack, turbine, and "box diamond" variants.)
ftp://199.72.17.76/Engineering/FS-1005A%20(I-40%20Upgrades)/

[NJRoadfan]

Wow, I've never personally used I-440 before, but just by looking at the video provided on that page, I can tell those improvements would be a welcome addition to the highway. That short lane weave is a HORRIBLE design decision.

That section drives more like a NYC parkway, it even has a double guardrail in the median on some sections. That Western Blvd. interchange can be "fun" too.

[Strider]

About time, but should have been done a long time ago. There should be two flyovers on I-40/I-440/US 1/US 64 interchange instead of one, but I see the shopping center right next to it.