New Interstate 885 in Durham

[bob7374]

Does anyone have any info on when I-885 might be open? I believe the contract estimated completion date is in October, so perhaps the road could open sometime this summer. I haven't seen anything in the local press about this.

Haven't heard anything in the press either. The NCDOT project website says the road will be open at the same time the project is completed, November 2020. That would be unusual, as you've suggested, typically a road can open up to several months before the project is over.

One thing to be on the lookout for is the next AASHTO US Route numbering Committee applications report. The committee's planned meeting at the AASHTO Spring Meeting on May 26 has, no surprise, been canceled. According to the Committee website, they are planning a virtual meeting sometime this month to approve submitted applications. If I-885 is on the applications list, NCDOT could be planning to open the route prior to November. If not, a November or later opening should be expected. NCDOT apparently already has FHWA approval for an interstate designation, AASHTO then needs to officially approve the number which I guess the agency assumes will happen without any problems.

[sprjus4]

I've tweeted NCDOT in regards to the opening dates for both the I-885 East End Connector and the first segment of the I-74 Winston-Salem Beltway. I'll post back here once I get a response.

[Roadsguy]

inb4 NCDOT just signs I-885 and waits years to actually apply for it

[goobnav]

Yep, signs are mostly up with the Interstate shields.  Cannot see why it would not be approved but, as far as status, no striping has been on the ramps leading from NC 147, aka Future I-885, so they are definitely behind schedule, drove it on Saturday the 16th.  With NCDOT furloughing personnel, don't see it being opened prior to November, unfortunately.

[bob7374]

Yep, signs are mostly up with the Interstate shields.  Cannot see why it would not be approved but, as far as status, no striping has been on the ramps leading from NC 147, aka Future I-885, so they are definitely behind schedule, drove it on Saturday the 16th.  With NCDOT furloughing personnel, don't see it being opened prior to November, unfortunately.

Thanks to David Johnson, have photos of some of the newer I-885 signage. Along NC 147 South, unlike the previously placed 1/4 mile advance sign with the wrong exit number, the two new signs (1/2 mile advance and exit ramp) appear to have the numbering right. Here's the new sign at the ramp with the uncovered exit number 1A:


It appears the major holdup in completing the Connector is along US 70 where the future I-885 South lanes are still being constructed. This can be seen along with other sign photos at: http://www.malmeroads.net/ncfutints/fut885.html

[sprjus4]

I've tweeted NCDOT in regards to the opening dates for both the I-885 East End Connector and the first segment of the I-74 Winston-Salem Beltway. I'll post back here once I get a response.

According to NCDOT, the East End Connector is still projected to be open to traffic by the end of the year.

https://twitter.com/ncdot_triangle/status/1262788783436685312

[bob7374]

Looks like they are finally getting around to completing the work on NC 147 North for the East End Connector Project:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-06-04-nc-147-north-traffic-shift.aspx

[Gnutella]

Yep, signs are mostly up with the Interstate shields.  Cannot see why it would not be approved but, as far as status, no striping has been on the ramps leading from NC 147, aka Future I-885, so they are definitely behind schedule, drove it on Saturday the 16th.  With NCDOT furloughing personnel, don't see it being opened prior to November, unfortunately.

Thanks to David Johnson, have photos of some of the newer I-885 signage. Along NC 147 South, unlike the previously placed 1/4 mile advance sign with the wrong exit number, the two new signs (1/2 mile advance and exit ramp) appear to have the numbering right. Here's the new sign at the ramp with the uncovered exit number 1A:


It appears the major holdup in completing the Connector is along US 70 where the future I-885 South lanes are still being constructed. This can be seen along with other sign photos at: http://www.malmeroads.net/ncfutints/fut885.html

NCDOT has a weird habit of placing supplementary sign tabs in between the exit tab and the main sign.

[LM117]

Upcoming nightly closures on NC-98.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-06-08-us-70-bridge-over-nc-98.aspx

[bob7374]

NCDOT press release regarding closures relating to work to complete the new US 70 East (Future I-885 South) bridge over NC 98 in Durham. According to the project timetable, this work is to be completed by July 9, so close to being on schedule, the text also says the Connector is still on schedule to open by the end of the year:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-06-30-us-70-overhang-nc-98-closure.aspx

[LM117]

Part of Herbert Street will be permanently closed Friday.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-08-12-herbert-st-permanent-closure.aspx

[LM117]

According to an NCDOT employee on City-Data forum (TrafficSys), it looks like the connector won't open until next spring.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/raleigh-durham-chapel-hill-cary/3149412-ncdot-delays-most-upcoming-projects-8.html

It will likely be the spring - just learned that yesterday. Yes, been very quiet about it. I drove the US 70 part today and there's a lot of ramp work to do. Hopefully it'll be a mild winter and they can finish the work.

[wdcrft63]

According to an NCDOT employee on City-Data forum (TrafficSys), it looks like the connector won't open until next spring.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/raleigh-durham-chapel-hill-cary/3149412-ncdot-delays-most-upcoming-projects-8.html

It will likely be the spring - just learned that yesterday. Yes, been very quiet about it. I drove the US 70 part today and there's a lot of ramp work to do. Hopefully it'll be a mild winter and they can finish the work.

Arrgh. Durham has waited half a century for this road and it just keeps receding into the future.

[The Ghostbuster]

"What do we want?" "INTERSTATE 885 OPEN!" "When do we want it?" "NOW!"

[Roadsguy]

According to an NCDOT employee on City-Data forum (TrafficSys), it looks like the connector won't open until next spring.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/raleigh-durham-chapel-hill-cary/3149412-ncdot-delays-most-upcoming-projects-8.html

It will likely be the spring - just learned that yesterday. Yes, been very quiet about it. I drove the US 70 part today and there's a lot of ramp work to do. Hopefully it'll be a mild winter and they can finish the work.

Arrgh. Durham has waited half a century for this road and it just keeps receding into the future.

And they're going to truncate NC 147, completely replacing it with I-885 (and NC 885 on the Triangle Expressway), yet I don't think there's been a peep from NCDOT about this in the press releases. I would think they would want to publicize this well in advance. All they've mentioned is the original plan to just create I-885 concurrent with 147.

[LM117]

According to an NCDOT employee on City-Data forum (TrafficSys), it looks like the connector won't open until next spring.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/raleigh-durham-chapel-hill-cary/3149412-ncdot-delays-most-upcoming-projects-8.html

It will likely be the spring - just learned that yesterday. Yes, been very quiet about it. I drove the US 70 part today and there's a lot of ramp work to do. Hopefully it'll be a mild winter and they can finish the work.

Arrgh. Durham has waited half a century for this road and it just keeps receding into the future.

And they're going to truncate NC 147, completely replacing it with I-885 (and NC 885 on the Triangle Expressway), yet I don't think there's been a peep from NCDOT about this in the press releases. I would think they would want to publicize this well in advance. All they've mentioned is the original plan to just create I-885 concurrent with 147.

I'm glad they're truncating NC-147, though I don't understand why they don't just go ahead and move US-70 to NC-147's alignment through downtown.

[WashuOtaku]

I'm glad they're truncating NC-147, though I don't understand why they don't just go ahead and move US-70 to NC-147's alignment through downtown.

I guess they could to completely eliminate NC 147, but they would need permission from AASHTO to make that move.

[mvak36]

I'm glad they're truncating NC-147, though I don't understand why they don't just go ahead and move US-70 to NC-147's alignment through downtown.

I guess they could to completely eliminate NC 147, but they would need permission from AASHTO to make that move.

Why do they need AASHTO permission for changes to a state route? Is there something I am missing and this is a special case?

[sprjus4]

I'm glad they're truncating NC-147, though I don't understand why they don't just go ahead and move US-70 to NC-147's alignment through downtown.

I guess they could to completely eliminate NC 147, but they would need permission from AASHTO to make that move.

Why do they need AASHTO permission for changes to a state route? Is there something I am missing and this is a special case?

^ Permission from the AASHTO to re-route US-70.

[bob7374]

I'm glad they're truncating NC-147, though I don't understand why they don't just go ahead and move US-70 to NC-147's alignment through downtown.

I guess they could to completely eliminate NC 147, but they would need permission from AASHTO to make that move.

Why do they need AASHTO permission for changes to a state route? Is there something I am missing and this is a special case?

^ Permission from the AASHTO to re-route US-70.

Changes to the route of US 70 aside, it will be interesting to see if NCDOT has applied for I-885 at this fall's meeting to be held online in November (the approvals from the spring meeting have still not been added to the past meetings decision page) or they will wait again now that the East End Connector roadway will not open until next spring.

[mvak36]

I'm glad they're truncating NC-147, though I don't understand why they don't just go ahead and move US-70 to NC-147's alignment through downtown.

I guess they could to completely eliminate NC 147, but they would need permission from AASHTO to make that move.

Why do they need AASHTO permission for changes to a state route? Is there something I am missing and this is a special case?

^ Permission from the AASHTO to re-route US-70.

Changes to the route of US 70 aside, it will be interesting to see if NCDOT has applied for I-885 at this fall's meeting to be held online in November (it appears there was no meeting in the spring, the notice for the fall meeting was put up on the Committee website, but nothing was added to the past meetings decision page) or they will wait again now that the East End Connector roadway will not open until next spring.

Here are the results from the Spring meeting (not sure why they haven't posted on their site either): https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=27090.msg2535420#msg2535420

Hopefully they will apply for the designation in the fall meeting so that they can have it ready to go next spring (or whenever they complete construction).

[LM117]

The ramp from Briggs Avenue to NC-147 South will be closed this weekend.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-10-15-briggs-ave-nc-147-south-ramp-closure.aspx

[bob7374]

The ramp from Briggs Avenue to NC-147 South will be closed this weekend.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-10-15-briggs-ave-nc-147-south-ramp-closure.aspx

I checked out the NCDOT East End Connector project page linked to the press release. The official date of opening for traffic on the Connector is now June 2021. Work on NC 147 which was originally to be completed during the summer of 2019, then this past spring, is now listed with a November 2020 date, as the work on the Briggs Avenue ramp makes clear, work isn't complete there either. The NCDOT Construction Progress Report (which still says the project will be completed in January) says the project was 92.2% complete at the end of September.

[LM117]

Traffic on US-70 East will be shifted to it's final pattern tonight.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-10-23-us-70-east-traffic-shift-durham.aspx

[fillup420]

Traffic on US-70 East will be shifted to it's final pattern tonight.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-10-23-us-70-east-traffic-shift-durham.aspx

Finally! I drive that section frequently and the 4-lane undivided bit they've had going on for the last couple years is super sketch.