I-277 Inner and Outer

[Henry]

In downtown (or Uptown) Charlotte, NC, I-277 is signed as "Inner" and "Outer", after being signed "North" and "South" for years. However, the designation itself is not a complete loop, because you'd need I-77 to close the gap. Any idea as to why they signed it that way?

Changed message icon to Interstate shield. - rmf67

[rickmastfan67]

I'm guessing because most of it is really "East/West" and it was just easier to sign it "Inner/Outer".  That and I-485's "Inner/Outer" might have also had something to do with it.

[Buummu]

It is easier to sign Inner and Outer instead...according to one website in Charlotte Observer.. i dont remember exactly where and when.. i just remembered somebody mentioned that.

[Henry]

I'm guessing because most of it is really "East/West" and it was just easier to sign it "Inner/Outer".  That and I-485's "Inner/Outer" might have also had something to do with it.

I agree with you on that. It would've been better off to sign the John Belk Freeway (lower half of the loop) as I-277 "East/West" and the Brookshire Freeway (upper half) as I-277 "North/South", following the signing method of their respective co-routings, US 74 and NC 16. But "Inner/Outer" is just as good an alternative.

[xcellntbuy]

North Carolina has signed Interstate 485 "Inner" and "Outer" and Interstate 440 in Raleigh is known as the "Inner Belt Line" and the "Outer Belt Line."

Interstate 277 was colloquially known as "the outer belt" around uptown Charlotte for years when this beautiful city was quite a bit smaller and prior to the beginning of the building of Interstate 485 in the mid-1990s until this day.

[Buummu]

Yeah, but now I-440 is signed East and West since that the concurrency with I-40 is already been removed....

[xcellntbuy]

Yeah, but now I-440 is signed East and West since that the concurrency with I-40 is already been removed....

Did not know that I-440 had changed.  It has been 14 years since I had been in the area.

Fixed quote. - rmf67

[Buummu]

Yeah... just the southern route with i-40/US 64 is no longer I-440.

[CanesFan27]

In downtown (or Uptown) Charlotte, NC, I-277 is signed as "Inner" and "Outer", after being signed "North" and "South" for years. However, the designation itself is not a complete loop, because you'd need I-77 to close the gap. Any idea as to why they signed it that way?

They like confusing people and wanted to make sure topics like this would be discussed in forums like these.

Fixed quote. - rmf67

[Henry]

In downtown (or Uptown) Charlotte, NC, I-277 is signed as "Inner" and "Outer", after being signed "North" and "South" for years. However, the designation itself is not a complete loop, because you'd need I-77 to close the gap. Any idea as to why they signed it that way?

They like confusing people and wanted to make sure topics like this would be discussed in forums like these.

Fixed quote. - rmf67

Like they say on Family Feud: "Good answer!"