I-40 in North Carolina

[wdcrft63]

Folks, how about a thread for North Carolina's longest interstate? In the Triangle area we have two major widening/reconstruction projects, one from I-440 to NC 42 including the giant interchange with Toll 540 and Future I-42 and another from I-85 to US 15/501. Reconstruction of the interchange with I-440/US 1/US 64 is probably coming later in the decade. Farther west the I-77 interchange does have its own thread. Scattered across the state are bridge replacement, interchange improvement, and repaving projects. Posts on these projects are hard to keep up with in the main North Carolina thread. We have good coverage of construction on the state's new interstates I-42, I-87, I-587, I-73/74, and even I-685. I'd like to see similar concentrated attention to the state's backbone interstate.

[wriddle082]

Yes!  I'd like to see updates regarding the Pigeon River bridge reconstruction going on between the Fines Creek and Maggie Valley exits out in the Smokies.  It seems like one direction of the other will have massive delays at any given time.  If you're going westbound on I-40 through Asheville you will see electronic signs estimating the travel times so you can decide whether to stay on 40 or divert to US 25/70.  But if you're coming up I-26 westbound from Hendersonville or point further southeast, you don't get those travel time signs.  Lately I've just been taking US 25/70 from Weaverville to Newport, TN anyway, and it's mostly a pleasant drive.  Only real slowdowns are in Hot Springs and Newport, but they don't seem nearly as serious as the slowdowns leading up to the construction zone lane drops.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I'm a regular for exits 71 to I-77, can keep you up to date

[architect77]

I-40 is being widened to 6 lanes from the Durham Freeway ? to the merge with I-85. It's a fairly long construction zone.

One or two interchanges are being rebuilt near RDU on I-40.

The 1990's rebuilding of I-40/I-85 duplex took an agonizing 8-9 years. It has held up well, and was one of my favorite stretches until I-85 was widened from Lexington to North Charlotte which is beautiful, wide, concrete-paved and more generously proportioned than the 85/40 duplex through Burlington.

The I-85/I-40 duplex between Greensboro and Durham now feels cramped and too crowned (pavement) comparated to I-85 North of Charlotte.

South of Greensboro, which was once the widest and best section of I-85, is now the crummiest, with deteriorating pavement and only 3 lanes wide. The many bypasses around Greensboro are not included in this though, and they are new and nice.

[sprjus4]

I-40 is being widened to 6 lanes from the Durham Freeway ? to the merge with I-85. It's a fairly long construction zone.

The project starts at US-15/US-501 near Chapel Hill where I-40 currently reduces from 6 lanes to 4 lanes. The project will widen that "gap"  between I-85 and US-15/US-501 to 6 lanes.

South of Greensboro, which was once the widest and best section of I-85, is now the crummiest, with deteriorating pavement and only 3 lanes wide. The many bypasses around Greensboro are not included in this though, and they are new and nice.

I drove this segment of I-85 recently driving between Greensboro and Charlotte, and the segment seemed to handle fine traffic wise. Traffic was easily flowing over 80 mph and was relatively smooth. A significant portion was recently resurfaced as well.

Due to recent widening between Lexington and Concord, I-85 drops from 8 lanes to 6 lanes heading north, but it's at a major interstate split with I-285 and traffic heading towards Winston-Salem, so it seems to handle well.

After dealing with notorious congestion on parts of I-64 between Williamsburg and Richmond, I-81 in general, I-95 south of DC, etc. in the past, this portion of I-85 was a perfect design the whole way between Charlotte and Greensboro. In addition, unlike a lot of North Carolina's rural interstates that are reluctant to be posted above 65 mph, especially in the central part of the state, the whole segment between Kannapolis and Greensboro is posted at 70 mph.

If you want to talk about deteriorating, NCDOT could show some love to the US-52 freeway north of Winston-Salem... a lot of the highway north of where I-74 will tie in is a bumpy ride in both lanes for a good 15-20 miles... along with the ancient bridges on that portion and decent traffic volumes, perhaps it's time to modernize that stretch.

[Dirt Roads]

I-40 is being widened to 6 lanes from the Durham Freeway ? to the merge with I-85. It's a fairly long construction zone.

The project starts at US-15/US-501 near Chapel Hill where I-40 currently reduces from 6 lanes to 4 lanes. The project will widen that "gap"  between I-85 and US-15/US-501 to 6 lanes.

Construction on I-40 really cranked up this month, starting at The Split just west of Hillsborough.  Last week, there were accidents in the "construction zone" that caused major delays on at least 4 different days, plus at least another one today.  The phrase "construction zone" is being used loosely, because all of the real construction with lane shifts is west of Exit 263 (New Hope Church Road), whereas many of the accidents have been east of Exit 263 (barrels placed but no tangible work).  By the way, everyone around here is enamored with the fluorescent green pop-up lighting towers used for nighttime work.

[nerdom]

IMO. After the current constructions are wrapped up on I-40, the next focus, as far as 40 is concerned, should be between Statesville and Hickory. Ultimately, 40 should be 6+ lanes all the way to Canton. Monster undertaking. Western 40, 95 and 42. should be priorities going forward as loop roads are finishing, 85 is done minus small stretches near borders, and toll roads can clean up the rest of what's left in the metros. Something also needs to be done with 40/College Rd in Wilmington. Somehow, they need to get 40 to at least New Centre but Monkey Junction would be ideal. Just don't ask me how. lol.

[ARMOURERERIC]

When I moved here in 2016, exits 104 and 105 were wrapping up.  About 3 years ago, exits 100, 103, 107, 116, 118 and 119 were imminent, but have been put on hold.  They badly need aux lanes between 105, 104 and 103.  The final design for exit 103 is even more out dated and inadequate  with the additional expansion on the WPCC campus.  I have seen no designs for exits 106, and frankly it should go.  4 lanes work west of exit 100 for now, but 6 lanes from 77 to exit 100 are needed and even 8 lanes from 121 to 132.

[wdcrft63]

IMO. After the current constructions are wrapped up on I-40, the next focus, as far as 40 is concerned, should be between Statesville and Hickory. Ultimately, 40 should be 6+ lanes all the way to Canton. Monster undertaking. Western 40, 95 and 42. should be priorities going forward as loop roads are finishing, 85 is done minus small stretches near borders, and toll roads can clean up the rest of what's left in the metros. Something also needs to be done with 40/College Rd in Wilmington. Somehow, they need to get 40 to at least New Centre but Monkey Junction would be ideal. Just don't ask me how. lol.

Statesville to Conover opened in 1960, so it is one of the very oldest sections of I-40 in NC. Some of us are old enough to remember the freeway's end at NC 16 in Conover and how welcome the Hickory bypass section was when it finally opened.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

West of I-77, there are several feasibility studies and traffic forecasts out there for various projects along I-40. Many were submitted as part of P6.0, but haven't made it into the STIP yet. Funding is another issue (the submitted widening projects in the viewer added up to an estimated $1.6 billion, which are several years out-dated). The 2024-2033 STIP should be approved this spring....

The first section of the Hickory widening (I-5991A) is in the STIP, but has a post-year let date. Same goes for the stretch between Winston and Greensboro, which is split into three sections (I-5981 A, B & C).

I will also echo what was mentioned about some of these sections of I-40 being the oldest in the state. Well beyond due for upgrades....

Haywood County widening TF
Buncombe/Buncombe County widening TF
Catawba County widening TF
FS-1512A widening from US-321 to I-77
Winston-Greensboro widening TF

[wdcrft63]

Thanks for this. Looks like we have three priorities for widening: Clyde to Black Mountain, Morganton to I-77, and Winston-Salem to Greensboro.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Before NCDots money woes, there had been scheduled public hearings on 6 laning I240 east to NC9.

Saw a good 2 to 3 dozen survey stakes all over exit 119 coming home tonite.  Not seeing anything on the NCDot letting pages.  Would have figured this interchange would be lower priority.

[wdcrft63]

NCDOT announces some ramp closures at the Clayton exit on I-40. The EB exit will be closed tonight. Over the coming weekend the WB exit and the WB entrance ramps will be closed. This is all in preparation for upcoming lane shifts in the construction project.

[ARMOURERERIC]

At what point does NCDot need to recalculate based on 2050 instead of 2040

[74/171FAN]

I did not know that there was an unnecessary I-40/I-240 concurrency.   

Obviously that was just a typo, but I would think NCDOT would have higher priorities out there than a 6-lane I-40 heading east of Asheville. (such as maybe an improved section west to the US 74 split)

[wdcrft63]

NCDOT announces overnight closures related to two bridge removal projects. The Airport Boulevard bridge over I-40 (Exit 284) will be removed over the next two weeks and work leading to replacement of the I-40 WB bridge over Old NC 86 near Hillsborough (Exit 261) will begin. https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/

[wdcrft63]

And on Tuesday NCDOT will hold a public meeting to present its plans to widen I-40 on the south side of Raleigh between Lake Wheeler Road and the I-440/US 1 interchange and to upgrade that interchange, adding two flyover ramps. The announcement has maps.
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Pages/I-5701-I-5703-2023-03-02.aspx

[wriddle082]

NCDOT announces overnight closures related to two bridge removal projects. The Airport Boulevard bridge over I-40 (Exit 284) will be removed over the next two weeks and work leading to replacement of the I-40 WB bridge over Old NC 86 near Hillsborough (Exit 261) will begin. https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/

It's too bad that the NC 86 bridge wasn't built long enough to accommodate extra lanes underneath.  That section of 40 dates back to the late 80's I believe.

[dfilpus]

NCDOT announces overnight closures related to two bridge removal projects. The Airport Boulevard bridge over I-40 (Exit 284) will be removed over the next two weeks and work leading to replacement of the I-40 WB bridge over Old NC 86 near Hillsborough (Exit 261) will begin. https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/

It's too bad that the NC 86 bridge wasn't built long enough to accommodate extra lanes underneath.  That section of 40 dates back to the late 80's I believe.

The bridge in the post above is the OLD NC 86 bridge pair, which carriers 1-40 over Old NC 86. The current bridge is not wide enough to accommodate the widened I-40. The NC 86 interchange is being rebuilt, but the bridge there is long enough. The west bound exit ramps are being reconfigured.

[wriddle082]

^ Ok I didn't realize that Exit 261, which is marked as just "Hillsborough"  IIRC, is actually for Old NC 86.  And a few years ago, I did some cell site work in that area!

[Dirt Roads]

NCDOT announces overnight closures related to two bridge removal projects. The Airport Boulevard bridge over I-40 (Exit 284) will be removed over the next two weeks and work leading to replacement of the I-40 WB bridge over Old NC 86 near Hillsborough (Exit 261) will begin. https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/

It's too bad that the NC 86 bridge wasn't built long enough to accommodate extra lanes underneath.  That section of 40 dates back to the late 80's I believe.

The bridge in the post above is the OLD NC 86 bridge pair, which carriers 1-40 over Old NC 86. The current bridge is not wide enough to accommodate the widened I-40. The NC 86 interchange is being rebuilt, but the bridge there is long enough. The west bound exit ramps are being reconfigured.

But indeed, it looks like the I-40 widening won't fit underneath the existing overpass for NC-86 (Airport Road/Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd).  The NC-86 overpass is on a skew, such that the use of standard length steel stringers over the freeway necessitated an extra trestle-column support next to the abutments.  There's plenty of room for the I-40 widening beneath New Hope Church Road (formerly New Hope Trace), the next exit up, which has slopebanks on either side.

I haven't seen any discussion about how/when the NC-86 bridge replacement will occur.  I'm surprised that it wasn't the first phase of the project, since it will be the longest duration of any major task on the entire project.  The whole project phasing (starting at Hillsborough and working [southward] is curious to me, since the major congestion (almost daily now, including weekends) is at Orange/Durham border.

[Strider]

And on Tuesday NCDOT will hold a public meeting to present its plans to widen I-40 on the south side of Raleigh between Lake Wheeler Road and the I-440/US 1 interchange and to upgrade that interchange, adding two flyover ramps. The announcement has maps.
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/Pages/I-5701-I-5703-2023-03-02.aspx

It is kinda messed up that they're still having traffic take a loop ramp to go east on I-440. Should have at least a flyover from I-40 East to I-440 East.

[elsmere241]

With most of the traffic taking Wade Avenue to get to 440, it probably isn't that important.  A flyover from Wade eastbound to 440 eastbound might be useful though.

[wriddle082]

With most of the traffic taking Wade Avenue to get to 440, it probably isn't that important.  A flyover from Wade eastbound to 440 eastbound might be useful though.

Also a flyover from I-40 W to US 1 S/US 64 W.  And make it wide, like at least two lanes, or even three.  And do it CA-style and make it all out of concrete box beam (which I think is the correct term, or like most of the bridges in the 85/285 Tom Moreland Interchange).  This needs to not only function well, but IMO look good too.

[wdcrft63]

With most of the traffic taking Wade Avenue to get to 440, it probably isn't that important.  A flyover from Wade eastbound to 440 eastbound might be useful though.

Also a flyover from I-40 W to US 1 S/US 64 W.  And make it wide, like at least two lanes, or even three.  And do it CA-style and make it all out of concrete box beam (which I think is the correct term, or like most of the bridges in the 85/285 Tom Moreland Interchange).  This needs to not only function well, but IMO look good too.

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/40-440-us-1-interchange/Documents/I-40-I-440-interchange-preferred-alernative-2-map.pdf
The map is confusing because it doesn't show removal of loop ramp B, but it does show a two lane flyover from I-40 W to US 1 S/US 64 W.