Interstate 40

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Interstate 40 crosses nearly the width of North Carolina, joining the metropolitan areas of Asheville, the Piedmont Triad, Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington along a 420.21 mile long course. Entering the state through Pigeon River Gorge, I-40 traverses the Great Smoky Mountains south to U.S. 276 near Lake Junaluska. The freeway turns east, combining with U.S. 74 from Clyde to Interstate 26 at Asheville. I-240 provides an urban loop linking I-40 with Downtown Asheville and the continuation of I-26 north to the Tri-Cities in northeastern Tennessee.

East from Asheville, I-40 continues through a valley between the Great Craggy and Swannanoa Mountains to Black Mountain. Gaining elevation from there, Interstate 40 crosses the Blue Ridge mountains through Swannanoa Gap, a fog prone stretch across Pisgah National Forest. Advancing across the North Carolina Piedmont, I-40 passes south of Marion and Morganton en route to Hickory.

Interstate 77 travels north from Charlotte to meet I-40 outside of Statesville. Multi-year construction at I-40/77 commenced in 2012. Completed in July 2017, the first section of the $89.07 million project widened I-40 to six lanes from Old Mocksville Road to a point east of NC 115, rebuilt the exchange with U.S. 21 into a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) and replaced the loop from I-77 north to I-40 west with a directional ramp. Delayed due to lack of funding, the remainder of work to complete the partial turbine interchange at I-40/77 finally got underway in 2019. Work will be completed at the exchange in Winter 2023.

I-40 east at Hurricane Mountain Tunnel

Interstate 40 enters the Tar Heel State at Waterville through the Pigeon River Gorge. The freeway parallels the river southeast through two tunnels, including this one at Hurricane Mountain. 09/23/22

Trending northward from Statesville, Interstate 40 follows a rural course toward the Piedmont Triad region. Once at Winston-Salem, I-40 shifts onto a bypass south of the city center, with the former route (Business Loop I-40 until 2020) carrying U.S. 421 (Salem Parkway). The commuter freeway connects Winston-Salem with Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) and central Greensboro.

A 30.61 mile overlap with Interstate 85 takes both routes east from Greensboro to Burlington, Mebane and Hillsborough. The two separate ahead of Durham, with I-85 bypassing the city to the north and I-40 turning southeast toward Raleigh. Through Raleigh, I-40 encircles the south side of the capital city. This stretch was formerly co-signed with I-440, which follows the Cliff Benson Beltline on the northern arc around the city.

I-40/85 east split - Hillsborough, NC

The eastbound split of I-40/85 near Hillsborough, North Carolina. 05/31/21

The remainder of I-40 travels southward, first splitting with U.S. 70 (Future I-42) near Clayton and next meeting Interstate 95 near Benson. Beyond I-95, Interstate 40 navigates through agricultural and timberland, staying rural by the communities of Warsaw, Wallace and Burgaw. The cross-country freeway concludes at U.S. 117 just outside of Wilmington.

Interstate 40 North Carolina Guides

Business Routes

Interstate 40 represents one of the original four interstates approved for the state of North Carolina in 1956. The first section, beginning with the 1957-opened stretch between U.S. 421 in Greensboro and North Carolina 66 at Kernersville, traveled 219 miles east from Tennessee to the merge with Interstate 85 in Greensboro. The pre-existing freeway of U.S. 421 from Winston-Salem eastward, built between 1949-50, was included in Interstate 40's alignment. The 1956 Federal-Aid Highway Act authorized construction on Interstate 40 first through Pigeon River Gorge in Haywood County in 1958. Work followed on a 34.3 mile section of freeway through Burke and Catawba Counties in 1959.

By 1966, 119.4 miles of Interstate 40 were open to traffic, followed by the 1968 opening of the 22 mile Pigeon River Gorge alignment leading west to Tennessee, the most expensive project in North Carolina history at the time. These completions led to the 1968 request to the Bureau of Public Roads for additional Interstate mileage within North Carolina. The approved request extended Interstate 40 from Greensboro east to Raleigh and Interstate 95. Work followed soon thereafter with a section of new freeway opening in the Raleigh area by December 1971.

A third extension of Interstate 40 followed in April 1978 with an approval for a new freeway from Interstate 95 near Raleigh to Wilmington. Interstate 40 would not be completed east to I-95 until 1989 however, but opening of the entire alignment to Wilmington would follow shortly on June 29, 1990.

US 70/321 Business at I-40 - Hickory, NC

Interstate 40 east of the U.S. 70/321 Business overpass in Hickory. 10/23/15

When the Greensboro bypass (Painter Boulevard) was completed on the southwest side of the city, Interstate 40 was relocated from its through route onto the bypass. Also established on February 21, 2008 was Business Loop I-40 along the former alignment of I-40 across Greensboro. I-40 was subsequently returned to its original alignment in September 2008. Business Loop I-40 was eliminated and U.S. 421 was also realigned to accompany I-85 west and I-73 north.

Interstate 40 scenes

The westbound entrance ramp for Interstate 40 from Cold Springs Road at Exit 7 in Pisgah National Forest.
03/14/22

National Forest Service Road 288 (Harmon Den Road) east at the diamond interchange (Exit 7) with Interstate 40 at Harmon Den.
01/16/19

NC 209 (Crabtree Road) meets Interstate 40 at a parclo interchange (Exit 24) north of Lake Junaluska.
01/16/19

NC 209 (Crabtree Road) runs north from I-40 to Messer Mountain, Fines Creek and Hot springs.
01/16/19

An I-40 trailblazer directs motorists southward from a truck stop along NC 209 to the nearby exchange with the freeway.
01/16/19

The Scenic Byway along NC 209 (Crabtree Road) concludes southbound at the parclo interchange (Exit 24) with Interstate 40.
01/16/19

Interstate 40 continues east from NC 209 to Clyde, Canton and Asheville.
01/16/19

Wiggins Road links U.S. 19/23 (Smokey Park Highway) with adjacent Interstate 40 via a diamond interchange (Exit 37) midway between Canton and Candler Heights.
12/31/13

Wiggins Road (SR 1200) north at the westbound entrance ramp for I-40/U.S. 74 at Exit 37.
10/26/15

Gashes Creek Road connects U.S. 74A and the east end of Interstate 240 with the eastbound on-ramp for I-40.
05/26/21

Porter Cove Road lowers from Swannanoa Mountains to meet Interstate 40 at a diamond interchange in east Asheville. The road connects the freeway (Exit 55) with adjacent U.S. 70.
05/26/21

I-40 continues west from Porter Cove Road to split with Interstate 240 for Asheville. Porter Cove Road north passes over a Norfolk Southern Railroad line before ending at U.S. 70 (Tunnel Road) near Jones Mountain.
05/26/21

Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard (SR 1007) heads south along a commercial strip from 11th Avenue SE (SR 1465) to a parclo interchange (Exit 125) with Interstate 40 in the city of Hickory.
10/23/15

The westbound entrance ramp to I-40 for Morganton and Statesville departs from Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard (SR 1007) south next.
10/23/15

A loop ramp joins Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard (SR 1007) south with Interstate 40 east to Conover and Statesville.
10/24/15

Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard extends 0.20 miles north from 8th Street Drive SE (SR 1146) and U.S. 70/321 Business to Interstate 40 at Exit 125.
10/24/15

Interstate 40 runs across south Hickory, meeting U.S. 321 west of the exchange with Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard en route to Asheville.
10/24/15

An Interstate 40 trailblazer directs drivers along Union Cross Road (SR 2643) south onto the eastbound freeway for Greensboro. A $30.3 million project expands 4.2 miles of SR 2643 from Sedge Garden Road to south of I-742 . Work started on April 16, 2012 and ran through November 15, 2015.
08/06/13

Included in the widening of Union Cross Road at Interstate 40 was the reconstruction of Exit 201 into a diverging diamond (DDI).
08/06/13

Regional Road heads south from the Friendship area of west Greensboro to Interstate 40 and NC 68 at Albert Pick Road. Albert Pick Road constitutes a south side frontage road for I-40, joining Regional Road with the parclo interchange at NC 68.
07/24/04

Albert Pick Road westbound at NC 68 and the eastbound on-ramp to Interstate 40. NC 68 joins the High Point area with Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI).
07/24/04

S Elm-Eugene Street at the diamond interchange with I-40/U.S. 29-220. Elm and Eugene Street travel separately from Downtown Greensboro and merge north of Sussmans Street. The combined name applies to the arterial leading southward to Randleman Road.
07/24/04

A rare state-named shield for Interstate 40 along S Elm-Eugene Street northbound at Exit 220.
07/24/04

McConnell Road (SR 3000) turns south across Interstate 40 through a parclo interchange (Exit 226) near eastern reaches of Greensboro.
08/16/21

Business Loop I-85 overlaps with Interstate 40 east to I-85 near Stewarts Mill.
12/15/16

I-40 converges with I-785 north, I-840 west and I-85 to the immediate east of McConnell Road.
12/15/16

The Alamance County Rest Area along I-40/85 eastbound outside Burlington.
08/18/21

University Drive (SR 1126) north at the six-ramp parclo interchange (Exit 140) with I-40/85 in southwest Burlington.
08/18/21

A loop ramp joins University Drive north with I-40/85 west to Whitsett, Sedalia and Greensboro.
08/18/21

Huffman Mill Road (SR 1158) east at the diamond interchange (Exit 140) with I-40/85 in Burlington.
08/16/21

Original trailblazer for I-40 posted along NC 54 east at Fayetteville Road (SR 1118) adjacent to the SPUI at Exit 276.
01/17/19

Page Road (SR 1973) west at Interstate 40 (Exit 282) in southeastern Durham.
12/15/16

Airport Boulevard (SR 3015) north at I-40 (Exit 284) outside Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).
12/15/16

Davis Drive (SR 1999) meets Interstate 40 at Exit 280 within Research Triangle Park (RTP).
12/16/22

The westbound entrance ramp from Davis Drive (SR 1999) north forms an auxiliary lane to Interstate 885 (Durham Freeway) north into Durham.
12/16/22

Original shields for I-40 along Jones Sausage Road north at Exit 303.
02/16/19

Jones Sausage Road (SR 5220) north at Interstate 40 in the town of Garner.
05/31/21

Interstate 40 heads north from Jones Sausage Road (SR 5220) at Exit 303 into the city of Raleigh.
05/31/21

NC 210 meets Interstate 40 at Exit 319 just east of McGee Crossroads in Johnston County.
02/15/19

NC 210 travels west from Smithfield to Interstate 40 between Benson and Raleigh.
02/15/19

I-40 heads south from NC 210 to I-95 near Benson and Wilmington. NC 210 continues west along a commercialized stretch toward McGee Crossroads and NC 50.
02/15/19

Holly Shelter Road westbound at the eastbound on-ramp to Interstate 40. A folded diamond interchange joins the two roadways east of Castle Hayne at Exit 414.
11/11/06

Sources:
  1. Interstate 40 Fact Sheet, http://www.ncdot.org/public/50thanniv/ ncinterstates/download/factsI40.pdf NCDOT.
  2. http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/ UnionCrossRoad/


Photo Credits:

  • 07/24/04 by AARoads.
  • 11/11/06 by AARoads.
  • 08/06/13 by AARoads.
  • 12/31/13 by AARoads and Carter Buchanan.
  • 10/23/15 by AARoads.
  • 10/24/15 by AARoads.
  • 10/26/15 by AARoads.
  • 12/15/16 by AARoads.
  • 01/16/19 by AARoads.
  • 01/17/19 by AARoads.
  • 02/15/19 by AARoads.
  • 02/16/19 by AARoads.
  • 05/26/21 by AARoads.
  • 05/31/21 by AARoads.
  • 08/16/21 by AARoads.
  • 08/18/21 by AARoads.
  • 03/14/22 by AARoads.
  • 12/16/22 by AARoads.

Connect with:
Interstate 26
Future Interstate 42
Interstate 73
Interstate 74
Interstate 77
Interstate 85
Interstate 87
Interstate 95
Interstate 140
Interstate 240
Interstate 440 / Cliff Benson Beltline
Interstate 540 / Toll NC 540
Interstate 840 - Greensboro Urban Loop
Interstate 285
Interstate 785
Interstate 885
U.S. 1
U.S. 64
U.S. 70
U.S. 321

Page Updated 01-20-2023.

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