New Interstate 885 in Durham

[bob7374]

Sign plans were released today by NCDOT for the East End Connector project in Durham  for the project letting in October. Not too surprising to me is that it comes with a new interstate designation for North Carolina, I-885, which will start at the US 70 East exit of I-85 in Durham use the new connector to get to NC 147 (the Durham Freeway) South and use that route to terminate at I-40. It will be signed as a North-South route. Construction is to start on the Connector by the end of the year.

The sign plans can be accessed at the bottom of this page: http://dotw-xfer01.dot.state.nc.us/dsplan/2014%20Highway%20Letting/10-21-14/Plans%20and%20Proposals/Durham%20U-0071%20C203394/Roadway/Part%20III/

[TheStranger]

Wasn't Route 147 between I-85 and I-40 originally proposed as a routing of I-40?  If that's the case, interesting that part of it (between the East End Connector and I-40) is now returning to the Interstate system through this project.

[Strider]

I-885? that is going to be interesting. Why don't they use I-685?  (I-285, I-485 and I-785 are already taken).

[CanesFan27]

Wasn't Route 147 between I-85 and I-40 originally proposed as a routing of I-40?  If that's the case, interesting that part of it (between the East End Connector and I-40) is now returning to the Interstate system through this project.

Chris,

You're correct - http://www.gribblenation.com/ncpics/history/i40.html

[Henry]

I-885? that is going to be interesting. Why don't they use I-685?  (I-285, I-485 and I-785 are already taken).

My guess is that they're saving I-685 for any future upgrade of I-85 Business in Greensboro, but even that's a total shot in the dark as we speak.

[Strider]

I-885? that is going to be interesting. Why don't they use I-685?  (I-285, I-485 and I-785 are already taken).

My guess is that they're saving I-685 for any future upgrade of I-85 Business in Greensboro, but even that's a total shot in the dark as we speak.

That's because Greensboro got I-785.

[NJRoadfan]

What are they going to do with NC-147 (TOLL) south of I-40?

[CanesFan27]

What are they going to do with NC-147 (TOLL) south of I-40?

No change.

[WashuOtaku]

What are they going to do with NC-147 (TOLL) south of I-40?

No change.

Though I'm not surprised that NC 147 Toll will continue as normal since NCDOT had to quickly back-peddle on I-540 south of I-40 when they decided to make all that a toll road too.  But it seems silly since NC 147 will be in concurrency with new I-885 for a section of it.  Also, I haven't seen this on their proposed route change page yet; guessing it was decided more recently and it will be something they will hopefully request this Fall to AASHTO.

[TheStranger]

  But it seems silly since NC 147 will be in concurrency with new I-885 for a section of it. 

This though isn't particularly novel for new 3dis in NC (785 with 840/US 29, 795 with US 264 and for a while US 117) - come to think of it, the only part of new 885 that will NOT be concurrent with another route is the East End Connector!

[Strider]

  But it seems silly since NC 147 will be in concurrency with new I-885 for a section of it. 

This though isn't particularly novel for new 3dis in NC (785 with 840/US 29, 795 with US 264 and for a while US 117) - come to think of it, the only part of new 885 that will NOT be concurrent with another route is the East End Connector!

Yeah I find that odd as well.

[froggie]

Odd perhaps, but not unprecedented on the Interstate system.  Plus, given that the Interstate system is considered the top tier in the highway hierarchy, one could consider that any US or state route concurrency is just secondary.

[cl94]

Odd perhaps, but not unprecedented on the Interstate system.  Plus, given that the Interstate system is considered the top tier in the highway hierarchy, one could consider that any US or state route concurrency is just secondary.

I-587 and I-790 immediately come to mind. Concurrent with NY 28 and NY 5, respectively, for their entire length. Ditto with I-99 and US 15/220. Or the I-86/NY 17 concurrency that currently exists.

[sturmde]

There has been a tendency among the Southern states (AL, GA, SC, NC) to avoid duplicating x85's across the states.  If you look back at the "sequence" of number issuances over time, it sort of goes like this:

285 GA
485 GA (planned, never built)
185 SC
385 SC
585 SC
185 GA (first duplication)
485 NC (Charlotte loop, number never signed in GA)
985 GA
785 NC (planned US 29 upgrade)
285 NC (planned US 52 upgrade)
685 AL (unsigned on temporary I-85 through Montgomery)

So, 885 has never been used in a state so far.  I think that's part of it.
Otherwise, why did they choose I-785 years ago?  To not repeat SC's
185/385/585, or GA's 985.

I-885? that is going to be interesting. Why don't they use I-685?  (I-285, I-485 and I-785 are already taken).

[sturmde]

What are they going to do with NC-147 (TOLL) south of I-40?

I sort of think if they were given a "redo", they'd end 147 at the interchange with I-885... and redo the southern end beyond I-40 as a NC 885 (TOLL)

[WashuOtaku]

What are they going to do with NC-147 (TOLL) south of I-40?

I sort of think if they were given a "redo", they'd end 147 at the interchange with I-885... and redo the southern end beyond I-40 as a NC 885 (TOLL)

Meh... Don't see that happening.  NC 147 will continue to exist, as that designation isn't going anywhere, both toll and non-toll section.

[WashuOtaku]

I-885? that is going to be interesting. Why don't they use I-685?  (I-285, I-485 and I-785 are already taken).

My opinion is that they trying to keep it somewhat organized by as it traverses through the state.  Sure, that's already blown with I-485 in Charlotte and Future I-285 in Lexington; but I could see them purposesly saving it for something in the Greensboro area or another interstate in the Durham area (i.e. Future NC 472).

[jcarte29]

I've always believed that I-685 would make sense for the entire circle around Greensboro so I-840 can be Business 40 in W-S when those upgrades are done....and before anyone says it I know this belongs in Fictional forum lol

[english si]

Does 73 not have all its 3dis free for renumbering 840, etc?

[WashuOtaku]

Does 73 not have all its 3dis free for renumbering 840, etc?

Well that's from left field. 

Yes, I-73 doesn't have any siblings as of yet, but why renumber a route that already exists?

[orulz]

Hi! New here, long time transportation geek.
Regarding I-885. I am not usually a big fan of all these interstate spur designations, but I do like this one.
Here's my addition:

• Designate the Durham Freeway through downtown and over the East End Connector as the primary route of US70
  
  
  
  • There are too many multiplexed US routes on top of I-85... Mainline US 15, 70, and 501 all share the route. This would simplify things by removing the US70 overlay except for the short stretch between exits 170-172, and any conflicts could be reduced by adding auxiliary lanes to I-85 on that short stretch.
  • This turns US 70 into a pure east-west route rather than going east-west/north-south/east-west
• Re-sign the toll portion of NC147 as NC885 (or do away with the rule preventing toll roads from being signed as interstates, and call it I-885)
• Retire the NC147 designation entirely. It had a good run.

Next step will be converting US70 between the East End Connector and I-540 to a freeway. Interchanges are planned at Brier Creek Pkwy, T.W. Alexander Dr, Aviation Parkway extension, Leesville/Page, Miami/Sherron, and Lynn/Pleasant. This will finally result in a true freeway grid with multiple routes through the triangle.

As a side note, US70 is one of the most interesting roads in NC. It has its own route for much of its length rather than being multiplexed on top of an interstate. I count seven places where it shares a route with an interstate:

• I-26 exit 19 in Weaverville to I-240 exit 5b in Asheville - 9 miles
• I-40 from exit 65 to exit 72 between Black Mountain and Old Fort - 7 miles
• I-85 from exit 84 to exit 87 between Salisbury and Lextingon - 3 miles
• I-85 from exit 118 to 119 in Greensboro - 1 mile
• I-40 from exit 220 to 223 in Greensboro - 3 miles
• I-85 from exit 170 to exit 178 in Durham - 8 miles (which could easily be reduced to 2 miles after EEC, as mentioned above)
• I-40 from exit 306 to 309 in Garner - 3 miles

Another bit of US-70 in NC trivia is that near where it crosses I-95 there are four separate, parallel routes signed as US 70: US 70, US 70 Bypass, US 70 Business, and US 70 Alternate.

[Henry]

I-885? that is going to be interesting. Why don't they use I-685?  (I-285, I-485 and I-785 are already taken).

My opinion is that they trying to keep it somewhat organized by as it traverses through the state.  Sure, that's already blown with I-485 in Charlotte and Future I-285 in Lexington; but I could see them purposesly saving it for something in the Greensboro area or another interstate in the Durham area (i.e. Future NC 472).

My belief is that all beltways are given a unique number (with the possible exception of I-270 that exists in Columbus and halfway around St. Louis), so the fact that I-285 was skipped over in favor of I-485 (Charlotte Outerbelt) makes sense, as I-285 is already in use for the Perimeter in Atlanta.

[bob7374]

Looks like word of the proposed I-885 in Durham has finally made it to Raleigh's 'Road Worrier':
http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/09/08/4134356_road-worrier-durhams-east-end.html

Looks like it won't be until 2019 though until you will see any signs, if approved.

[froggie]

This turns US 70 into a pure east-west route rather than going east-west/north-south/east-west

Strictly speaking, rerouting US 70 onto the East End Connector would result in it going southeast-north-southeast, rather than the east-south-southeast route it currently follows.

You offer some good reasons for rerouting US 70.  But the one I quoted is not one of them.

[orulz]

I guess what I mean by a pure east west route is that US70 would go more in a straight line through Durham rather than zig zagging around. There would have course be a small 1 mile zig zag over the EEC but that is much smaller than the zig zag that it currently makes.