North Carolina

[LM117]

The CF Harvey Parkway isn't mentioned in the bill...that was the proposed connection to I-42 that Kinston wanted because of it's proximity to the Global TransPark. It'll be interesting to see how NCDOT will connect the new interstate to I-42.

Surely the Harvey Parkway would be part of this proposed interstate.

It may be. I was just going by the wording of the bill. Either way, it would make sense to use the parkway since it's interchange with US-70 is already built and the recently opened section between US-70 and US-258 already meets interstate standards. The old section between US-258 and NC-58 will need upgrading due to the at-grades (including a railroad crossing) and narrow shoulders. The proposed Harvey Parkway extension from NC-58 to NC-11 will meet interstate standards once it's built.

https://ncdot.gov/projects/CFharveyPkwyExt/default.html

[ARMOURERERIC]

I was in Shelby NC for the first time today made a morning trip to Cleveland Mall and Tractor Supply in the evening with going to the Cleveland County fair in the middle.  Wow, is Bypass 74 a mess, multiple signal cues on 74 at Biz 74 and NC 180 ALL Freaking DAY.  The freeway bypass cannot come too soon.  I wish I could see a map of where the eastern section will go.  I drove past where I think it will cross NC 18 and 150, but it seems somewhat built up.

[LM117]

Business 40 in Winston-Salem has been re-designated as "Salem Parkway".

http://m.journalnow.com/news/local/business-renamed-salem-parkway/article_f1ff63f8-dc8f-5452-975f-db84e9ccb63e.html?mode=jqm

Gov. Pat McCrory made the official announcement Friday that Business 40 is being renamed Salem Parkway as work lines up for a $100 million do-over of a mile-long segment of the downtown freeway.

Standing in front of BB&T Ballpark, McCrory announced the new name as a sign was unwrapped behind him bearing the words Salem Parkway and the U.S. 421 road designation.

The name was chosen by Triad residents from among four finalist names, which were selected by a panel from among hundreds of entries.

"We are going to make Business 40 safe,"  McCrory said, before revealing the name. "We are going to make it beautiful. We are going to make it flow better and it is going to be an entryway into one of the most beautiful cities in America – Winston-Salem."

Among the four finalist names, Salem Parkway was the overwhelming favorite among those casting more than 9,800 votes. Salem Parkway got 5,215 votes, or 53 percent, while the next-highest favorite, Piedmont Corridor, received 3,055 votes, or 31 percent. There were 911 votes cast for Golden Leaf Parkway (9 percent) and 698 votes for Innovation Highway (7 percent).

The four names all expressed some aspect of local culture: Golden Leaf alluded to the region's tobacco-growing and processing heritage, while Salem of course refers to the Moravian settlement founded in 1766. Piedmont Corridor alludes to the city's geographic location in a highly developed part of the state while Innovation Highway tipped the hat to the area's high-tech aspirations.

Pat Ivey, the division engineer for the N.C. Department of Transportation in Forsyth County, said the signs bearing the new name will likely go up in late 2020 as upgrade work finishes on the downtown portion of the highway.

For years, the road has had the double designation of Business 40 and U.S. 421, but when plans evolved to give the road a fresh look, they also came to include a fresh name for the roadway.

Business 40 was once Interstate 40, before a freeway bypass was built that took over the I-40 name and carried traffic through the southern side of the city.

The road name has caused confusion over the years among people unfamiliar with the local road layout since motorists had to be sure whether they wanted to be on Interstate 40 or Business 40.

Emergency personnel and police have long dodged the problem by calling the downtown freeway U.S. 421.

McCrory talked about the problems drivers experience with the short ramps on Business 40, and compared the road to Greensboro's infamous "death valley"  where I-40 passes through that city.

Joining McCrory for the announcement were N.C. Transportation Secretary Nick Tennyson; Jake Alexander, a member of the N.C. Transportation from this area; Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines; Dave Plyler, the chairman of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners; and other lawmakers and officials.

Construction on the Business 40 project starts in 2017 with work to replace the Peters Creek Parkway interchange. When that's finished in late 2018, a mile-long segment of U.S. 421 downtown will close for renovations.

That work involves closing some ramps so that the remaining ones can be lengthened. The road will also see landscaping and other design changes such as brickwork and artistically enhanced bridges put forward by a local group called the Creative Corridors Coalition.

Part of the freeway will reopen in the latter part oflate 2019, and the whole project is scheduled for completion by the end of July in 2020.

State officials said the construction project would involve the hiring of some 500 people and provide more business to restaurants, hotels and stores during construction.

Jason Thiel, the president of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, said that with the improvements coming a new name for the downtown freeway is appropriate.

""˜Business 40' reminds me of a bypass route that doesn't seem to do the road justice,"  Thiel said.

[74/171FAN]

So is I-40 Business planned to be decommissioned?  (obviously the other designations of US 158 and NC 150 on its portions would presumably stay)

[LM117]

So is I-40 Business planned to be decommissioned?  (obviously the other designations of US 158 and NC 150 on its portions would presumably stay)

Yes. Between I-40 near Kernersville and I-40 west of Winston-Salem at the US-421 interchange.

[froggie]

The article doesn't actually specify that they're removing the BUSINESS-40 designation.  Just that they will be emphasizing the US 421 designation afterwards.

[wdcrft63]

So is I-40 Business planned to be decommissioned?  (obviously the other designations of US 158 and NC 150 on its portions would presumably stay)

If so, that would be news; NCDOT has always referred to this freeway as Business 40 and that's what it's called on the project documents on the NCDOT web site.

[bob7374]

So is I-40 Business planned to be decommissioned?  (obviously the other designations of US 158 and NC 150 on its portions would presumably stay)

If so, that would be news; NCDOT has always referred to this freeway as Business 40 and that's what it's called on the project documents on the NCDOT web site.

From the text of the article it appears the new signage will be going up after the reconstruction project is complete in 2020, with probably new signs going up along the entire corridor. So, if there were to be any decommissioning it would then be after the 'Business 40' project is over.

[LM117]

So is I-40 Business planned to be decommissioned?  (obviously the other designations of US 158 and NC 150 on its portions would presumably stay)

If so, that would be news; NCDOT has always referred to this freeway as Business 40 and that's what it's called on the project documents on the NCDOT web site.

From the text of the article it appears the new signage will be going up after the reconstruction project is complete in 2020, with probably new signs going up along the entire corridor. So, if there were to be any decommissioning it would then be after the 'Business 40' project is over.

+1.

[hbelkins]

Maybe not decommissioned, but hidden?

[wdcrft63]

Maybe not decommissioned, but hidden?

Rereading the article in the Winston-Salem Journal, it seems clear to me that the city wants to eliminate the designation Business 40 and call the road US 421 only. So I think we can be sure that will happen when the construction is complete.

[froggie]

I have e-mail confirmation from NCDOT that the Business 40 designation "will be removed as part of the Business 40 project."  As a business route, it does not require AASHTO approval.

[Strider]

Yeah, Business 40 designation will be removed after the project is finished. It will solely be called US 421. (US 158 and NC 150 in the multiplex.) This makes me wonder if they plan on removing Business 85 designation in the future for the Lexington-Greensboro section?

[LM117]

I have e-mail confirmation from NCDOT that the Business 40 designation "will be removed as part of the Business 40 project."  As a business route, it does not require AASHTO approval.

I thought decommissioning business routes had to be approved by AASHTO since states have applied for business route designations before? I know FHWA approval isn't required.

[hbelkins]

I have e-mail confirmation from NCDOT that the Business 40 designation "will be removed as part of the Business 40 project."  As a business route, it does not require AASHTO approval.

I'm of an age that I can remember traveling on I-40 when it went through downtown W-S (and also when it ended at Greensboro).

Would this be a rare occasion where a former signed Interstate freeway completely loses its Interstate designation? It will have gone from I-40 to Business 40 to no Interstate designation of any type at all.

And I'm curious as to why this became Business 40 when the new bypass was built, and not an x40 in the manner that I-75 south of I-640 in Knoxville became I-275.

[plain]

Just my opinion.... it seems so silly to me to do away with the Business 40 designation. It's such a logical designation to begin with. Approaching it from either direction on I-40, it just screams "this is the way to the Central BUSINESS District of Winston-Salem" so it makes since to just leave it there. Then again, NOTHING surprises me about NC anymore smmfh. Like I-87. Really?????

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe when the Business 40 designation is dropped, the exit numbers could be renumbered to reflect the mileage of US 421.

[WashuOtaku]

I have e-mail confirmation from NCDOT that the Business 40 designation "will be removed as part of the Business 40 project."  As a business route, it does not require AASHTO approval.

I thought decommissioning business routes had to be approved by AASHTO since states have applied for business route designations before? I know FHWA approval isn't required.

AASHTO doesn't care about Interstate Business Routes and have mention this several times when states think they need their approval.  So no, it can be removed without fanfare.

[froggie]

Just my opinion.... it seems so silly to me to do away with the Business 40 designation. It's such a logical designation to begin with. Approaching it from either direction on I-40, it just screams "this is the way to the Central BUSINESS District of Winston-Salem" so it makes since to just leave it there.

Two reasons.  First, non-natives were confusing Business 40 with I-40, which apparently was causing some sort of problem.  Second, Winston-Salem growth has leapfrogged I-40 for years now so there's probably no much loss in dropping the business designation.

[wdcrft63]

I have e-mail confirmation from NCDOT that the Business 40 designation "will be removed as part of the Business 40 project."  As a business route, it does not require AASHTO approval.

I'm of an age that I can remember traveling on I-40 when it went through downtown W-S (and also when it ended at Greensboro).

Would this be a rare occasion where a former signed Interstate freeway completely loses its Interstate designation? It will have gone from I-40 to Business 40 to no Interstate designation of any type at all.

And I'm curious as to why this became Business 40 when the new bypass was built, and not an x40 in the manner that I-75 south of I-640 in Knoxville became I-275.

The Wade Avenue freeway in Raleigh was initially signed as I-40. After I-40 was relocated to the south, it lost all numerical designations (it's an unsigned secondary route).

As for Business 40 at the time I-40 was relocated in Winston-Salem,  I don't think AASHTO would have approved a new interstate designation for it, since I'm sure it fell far short of interstate standards as they were at that time. And I believe it will still be short of contemporary standards even after the construction fixes up the worst parts.

[LM117]

I have e-mail confirmation from NCDOT that the Business 40 designation "will be removed as part of the Business 40 project."  As a business route, it does not require AASHTO approval.

I'm of an age that I can remember traveling on I-40 when it went through downtown W-S (and also when it ended at Greensboro).

Would this be a rare occasion where a former signed Interstate freeway completely loses its Interstate designation? It will have gone from I-40 to Business 40 to no Interstate designation of any type at all.

And I'm curious as to why this became Business 40 when the new bypass was built, and not an x40 in the manner that I-75 south of I-640 in Knoxville became I-275.

The Wade Avenue freeway in Raleigh was initially signed as I-40. After I-40 was relocated to the south, it lost all numerical designations (it's an unsigned secondary route).

As for Business 40 at the time I-40 was relocated in Winston-Salem,  I don't think AASHTO would have approved a new interstate designation for it, since I'm sure it fell far short of interstate standards as they were at that time. And I believe it will still be short of contemporary standards even after the construction fixes up the worst parts.

Given that it's NCDOT, I'm a bit as surprised as hbelkins that NCDOT hasn't considered upgrading Business 40 to modern interstate standards and attempting to have it designated as I-640 (only even 3-di left).

[Revive 755]

AASHTO doesn't care about Interstate Business Routes and have mention this several times when states think they need their approval.  So no, it can be removed without fanfare.

Interesting then that the application for presenting a proposal to AASHTO's route numbering committee - which was just updated this past August - has a line for establishing US and interstate business routes

[WashuOtaku]

AASHTO doesn't care about Interstate Business Routes and have mention this several times when states think they need their approval.  So no, it can be removed without fanfare.

Interesting then that the application for presenting a proposal to AASHTO's route numbering committee - which was just updated this past August - has a line for establishing US and interstate business routes

After further review, you were right.  However, I doubt AASHTO would object.

[WashuOtaku]

Yeah, Business 40 designation will be removed after the project is finished. It will solely be called US 421. (US 158 and NC 150 in the multiplex.) This makes me wonder if they plan on removing Business 85 designation in the future for the Lexington-Greensboro section?

I-85 Business is already playing second fiddle along the route now, with newer signage focusing on the US Highways instead (like on I-85 near Lexington).  I hope NCDOT pushes for its removal as well; we do not utilize Interstate Business routes like western states do anyway.

[hbelkins]

Given that it's NCDOT, I'm a bit as surprised as hbelkins that NCDOT hasn't considered upgrading Business 40 to modern interstate standards and attempting to have it designated as I-640 (only even 3-di left).

Actually, my surprise was that NC didn't leave I-40 running through downtown and sign the new route as an x40.