Interstate 495 North Carolina

Interstate 495 North Carolina

Overview

Interstate 495 was posted along the U.S. 64 freeway between I-440 in east Raleigh and I-540 near Knightdale in North Carolina. The remainder of the route east along U.S. 64/264 to Zebulon, and U.S. 64 from there to Interstate 95 outside Rocky Mount, was designated a Future Route pending upgrades to expand the inside and outside shoulders to interstate standards.

History

Proposed by the Regional Transportation Alliance in Raleigh first on May 12, 2005, and subsequently endorsed by several municipalities along the U.S. 64 corridor, the freeway was envisioned as a new Interstate with the intent of upgrading it to full Interstate standards by 2031. The resolutions passed by local chambers of commerce and planning organizations in favor of the upgrade in 2005, were joined by support from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and Chamber of Commerce respectively in 2006.1

The Regional Transportation Alliance (RTA) continued support for upgrading U.S. 64, leading to the announcement by Governor Pat McCrory and Transportation Secretary Tony Tata on December 12, 2013 that designated the freeway as Interstate 495.2 Further goals by the RTA sought to extend the new Interstate designation eastward along U.S. 64 beyond Rocky Mount to Williamston and northeast along U.S. 17 to Hampton Roads, Virginia. Numbers for the corridor favored by the RTA included I-44 and I-50.1

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) ultimately selected Interstate 89 as the proposed designation for the Raleigh to Norfolk, Virginia route using the U.S. 64 and U.S. 17 corridors. The number was submitted for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Spring Meeting in 2016, which returned Interstate 87 as the approved new designation for the corridor. With this decision, Interstate 495 was retired following FHWA approval for I-87 and the installation of new signs.3

Route Information

  • East End – Rocky Mount, NC

  • West End – Raleigh, NC

  • Mileage – 4.10 (44.992)

  • Cities – Raleigh, Zebulon, Spring Hope, Nashville, Rocky Mount

  • Junctions – I-440 I-95

Source: December 31, 2015 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Future I-495 - Rocky Mount, NC

Future I-495 signs were posted along U.S. 64 between Raleigh and Rocky Mount. 10/12/14

East End I-95 – Rocky Mount, North Carolina

US 64 east at I-95 - Rocky Mount, NC

The east end of Interstate 495 was located at the cloverleaf interchange joining U.S. 64 and I-95 west of Rocky Mount. 10/12/14

West End I-440 – Raleigh, North Carolina

I-440 west at I-495 - Raleigh, NC
I-440 west at I-495 - Raleigh, NC
I-440 east at I-495 - Raleigh, NC

The west end of Interstate 495 was located at the directional T interchange joining I-440 (Cliff Benson Beltline) with U.S. 64/264 (Knightdale Bypass) in Raleigh. 12/15/16

I-495 east at I-440 - Raleigh, NC

A begin shield for Interstate 495 appeared along U.S. 64/264 between I-440 and Exit 420 for New Hope Road. 02/15/19

I-495 east at I-540 - Knightdale, NC

An end shield for Interstate 495 stood east of the exchange with I-540 (Northern Wake Expressway) along U.S. 64/264 (Knighdale Bypass) east. 12/15/16

Sources

  1. Regional Transportation Alliance: Let’s Get Moving – Interstate 495. http://www.letsgetmoving.org/priorities/i495/ – Regional Transportation Alliance web page.
  2. “North Carolina Gets a New Interstate, with the I-495 Designation near Raleigh.” North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), news release. December 12, 2013.
  3. “North Carolina Gains Names for Two New Interstate Designations.” North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), news release. May 25, 2016.

Page updated December 9, 2020.