Interstate 785 North Carolina

Interstate 785 North Carolina

Overview

The southernmost segment of Interstate 785 follows 7.65 miles of the Greensboro Northern Loop (I-840). I-785 was signed along the Greensboro beltway north from I-40 and I-85 to U.S. 70 in December 2016. The loop opened 5.5 miles north from there to U.S. 29 on December 6, 2017.1

The final section of the Greensboro Northern Loop opened on January 23, 2023 west from I-785 and U.S. 29 to N Elm Street. With the completion of Interstate 840, the route was fully signed alongside I-785. The concurrency represent only the second occurrence of two branch routes combining along a single stretch of freeway within the Interstate Highway System. The first instance is where I-271/480 overlap east of Cleveland.

Future plans extend Interstate 785 northeast from Greensboro along U.S. 29 to Reidsville and Danville, Virginia. North of Greensboro, I-785 exists solely on paper with the exception of a few future Interstate 785 corridor signs. This is due to upgrades required to bring the freeway along U.S. 29 to Interstate standards. This includes adding or widening existing shoulders, building acceleration and deceleration ramps, and other improvements.

$206 millions in proposed upgrades will bring U.S. 29 to Interstate standards along a 16 mile stretch from north of Hicone Road (SR 2565) in Greensboro to U.S. 158/NC 14. Improvements include bridge replacements for future entrance and exit ramps. Work previously anticipated to commence in 2022 replaces bridges at U.S. 29 Business, Barnes Street and U.S. 158/NC 14. The remainder of construction could start in 2027.2

A contract for Project R-4707, which constructs a new diverging diamond interchange along U.S. 29 at Reedy Fork Parkway (SR 4771), was awarded on April 20, 2021. Upgrading 1.330 miles of U.S. 29, the completion for the $46,382 million contract is October 28, 2024.8 Work on a $26.223 million contract replacing the bridges taking U.S. 158 and Barnes Street (SR 2817) across U.S. 29 commenced on June 14, 2023. The contract completion date is May 22, 2027.9

High Priority Corridor

Interstate 785 in its entirety is part of High Priority Corridor 17 and 40: Route 29 Corridor.

History

The movement to designate U.S. 29 as Interstate 785 was advocated by a former Danville mayor in 1996,3 coinciding with efforts from the Interstate Connection: Alliance for Economic Growth in Fall 1996. The organization was comprised of business and government leaders who promoted the route for potential economic improvements to the area including diversifying the economy, creating new jobs, generating additional tax revenue and enhancing regional cooperation. North Carolina and Virginia officials came to agreement in April 1997 for a new Interstate Corridor between Greensboro and Danville.4

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) submitted applications for establishing Interstate 785 to the Fall 1997 meeting of the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) Route Numbering Committee. They were both approved on November 15, 1997, subject to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) concurrence. Senator Launch Faircloth (R-NC) sponsored the I-785 designation included in a $203 billion congressional transportation bill passed in May 1998. This allocated federal money for “discretionary high-priority corridors”.3

Route Information

  • North End – Greensboro, NC

  • South End – Greensboro, NC

  • Mileage – 6.81*

  • Cities – Greensboro

  • Junctions – I-40 I-85 I-840

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
* – 6.81 miles on I-840

I-785 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Location Vehicles per day
I-40/85 to US 70 27,500
US 70 to Huffine Mill Rd 15,500
Huffine Mill Rd to US 29 13,000

Source: 2019 NCDOT AADT Mapping Application

Future I-785 Corridor - Reidsville, North Carolina

One of two Future Interstate 785 corridor signs posted along the U.S. 29 expressway northbound. This assembly stands within the trumpet interchange at U.S. 29 Business south of Reidsville. Photo by Steve Vetter (07/02).

The proposed route extended over the existing freeway along U.S. 29 from I-40/85 in Greensboro, North Carolina to the interchange with U.S. 58 at Danville, Virginia. The 7.0 mile long Virginia portion was built to Interstate standards. The 40.22 mile long North Carolina section required upgrading to meet full Interstate design standards. Signing I-785 was subject to approval of the FHWA in accordance with 23 USC 139(a) and 139(b).

A ceremony designating U.S. 29 as the Future I-785 corridor took place on June 29, 1998 at the Piedmont Triad Visitors Center south of Danville, Virginia. Attended by Representatives Virgil Goode of Virginia and Richard Burr of North Carolina, the event promoted economic development enhanced by the proposed Interstate highway. Future I-785 signs were installed afterward.5

Interstate 785 subsequently appeared on North Carolina’s Strategic Highway Corridors map by November 12, 2004. The southernmost section of I-785 was eventually approved by the FHWA on July 31, 2013 and acknowledged by AASHTO on October 21, 2013. This established I-785 along the Greensboro Northern Loop from I-40 north to U.S. 70 at Greensboro, North Carolina.

NCDOT installed I-785 signs by December 2016 at I-40/85. A spokesman for the agency indicated on February 20, 2017 that the signs were installed “early”, as the section of the Greensboro Urban Loop north from U.S. 70 to U.S. 29 was not scheduled to open until October of that year.6

The Eastern Section of the Greensboro Urban Loop opened to traffic on the evening of December 6, 2017, a year ahead of schedule. Costing over $140 million,1 work included completing the parclo interchange with U.S. 70 (Burlington Road) and building new interchanges with Huffine Mill Road and U.S. 29. NCDOT projected 58,000 vehicles per day (vpd) on this section of I-785 by 2040.7

Photo Guides

North End I-840 US 29 – Greensboro, North Carolina

I-785 North I-840 West at US 29

I-785 north ends at US 29 while I-840 continues west across north Greensboro, NC.

Interstate 840 west opened to traffic beyond the north end of I-785 at U.S. 29 / Exit 14 on January 23, 2023. 10/12/23

End shield for I-785 north posted on the ramp to U.S. 29 in Greensboro, NC

Interstate 785 concludes northbound at U.S. 29 ahead of Hicone Road (SR 2565). 10/12/23

U.S. 29 north meets Hicone Road at Exit 136 just beyond I-785 in Greensboro, NC

The limited access portion of U.S. 29 extends just beyond the folded diamond interchange (Exit 136) with Hicone Road (SR 2565). The ensuing stretch travels at-grade. 10/12/23

US 29 South at I-785 I-840

U.S. 29 south at Keren Dr, one mile from I-785/840 in Greensboro, NC

U.S. 29 upgrades to a freeway south of Keren Drive (SR 2542), one mile from the exchange with I-785 south and I-840 (Greensboro Urban Loop). 10/12/23

U.S. 29 south at Exit 136 to Hicone Road in Greensboro, North Carolina

A folded diamond interchange (Exit 136) joins U.S. 29 with Hicone Road (SR 2565) a half mile ahead of I-785/840. 10/12/23

U.S. 29 south at the c/d roadway for I-785 south and I-840 in Greensboro, NC

Exit 135 separates from U.S. 29 southbound along a collector distributor roadway for I-840 west and I-785/840 south. 10/12/23

U.S. 29 south at I-840 (Greensboro Urban Loop) west

Exit 135 B connects with I-840 west. Construction on the estimated $137 million Northern Loop project for I-840 started in April 2018 and was completed in January 2023. 10/12/23

U.S. 29 south at the beginning of I-785 and I-840 east in Greensboro, NC

Interstate 785 begins alongside I-840 east from the cloverstack interchange at Exit 135 along the Greensboro Urban Loop. 10/12/23

I-840 East at I-785 US 29

I-840 east at U.S. 29 and Interstate 785 south in Greensboro, North Carolina

Interstate 840 (Greensboro Urban Loop) joins I-785 south beyond Exit 14 for U.S. 29 in east Greensboro. 10/12/23

US 29 North at I-785 I-840

U.S. 29 north one mile ahead of I-785/840 in Greensboro, NC

U.S. 29 proceeds one mile north past Lakeview Memorial Park to join the Future I-785 corridor en route to Danville, Virginia. 08/14/21

U.S. 29 north at I-785/840 in Greensboro, North Carolina

Exit 135 A connects U.S. 29 north with I-785/840 south back toward I-40/85. 10/12/23

U.S. 29 north at I-785/840 south to east Greensboro, North Carolina

The loop ramp (Exit 135 B) for I-840 west opened initially as a way to turnaround and join U.S. 29 south. I-840 was completed on January 23, 2023. 10/12/23

South End I-40 I-85 I-840 – Greensboro, North Carolina

I-785 South I-840 East at I-40 I-85

I-785/840 south at U.S. 70, two miles from I-40/85 in Greensboro, NC

I-785/840 advance two miles south from Exit 18 for U.S. 70 (Burlington Road) to I-40/85. 10/12/23

One mile ahead of I-40/85 on I-785/840 south in Greensboro, North Carolina

I-85 overtakes the Greensboro Urban Loop from I-785/840 around the south side of Greensboro en route to Charlotte. 10/12/23

I-785/840 south a half mile ahead of Exit 21 for I-40/85 in Greensboro, NC

Exit 21 separates from I-785/840 south in a half mile for both I-40 west into Greensboro and I-40/85 east to Durham. 10/12/23

I-785/840 end sign

An end sign for I-785/840 was added along the Greensboro Urban Loop in 2023 following completion of I-840 to the north. 10/12/23

I-785/840 south at Interstate 85 around the south side of Greensboro, NC

Interstate 85 was realigned to bypass Greensboro when the southern section of the Greensboro Urban Loop opened to traffic on February 22, 2004. 10/12/23

I-40 leads west from I-785/840 across Greensboro, NC

Interstate 40 combines with I-85 for 30.64 miles east from I-785/840 to Hillsborough on Orange County. 10/12/23

I-85 North at I-785 I-840 I-40

I-85 north at I-785 north / I-840 west in east Greensboro, NC.

I-785 north and I-840 west begin from a wye interchange (Exit 131) along I-85 northbound at McConnell Road (SR 3000). 08/16/21

I-85 turns east to combine with I-40 beyond I-785/840 in Greensboro, NC.

I-85 north converges with I-40 east 1.45 miles beyond the separation with Exit 131 for I-785/840 (Greensboro Urban Loop) north. 08/16/21

I-785/840 north at I-40 - Greensboro, NC

I-785/840 branch northward from I-85, 0.78 miles to the loop ramp (Exit 21) for I-40 west. 01/17/19

I-40 East at I-85 I-785 I-840

I-40 east one mile ahead of I-785/840 in east Greensboro, NC.

Succeeding exits depart from Interstate 40 east for McConnell Road (SR 3000) and I-85 south, I-785 north and I-840 (Greensboro Northern Loop) west. 08/18/21

I-40 east at I-785/840 - Greensboro, NC

Exit 226 departs from I-40 east for McConnell Road (SR 3000) a half mile from the directional cloverleaf interchange (Exit 227) with I-785/840 (Greensboro Northern Loop). 01/17/19

I-40 east at I-785/840 north and I-85 south in Greensboro, NC.

Signs acknowledging Interstate 785 along what was the 2.99 mile long section of Future I-840 north from I-85 to U.S. 70 (Burlington Road) first appeared in December 2016. 08/18/21

I-40 West I-85 South at I-785 I-840

I-40/85 split in one mile ahead of I-785/840 in Greensboro, NC.

I-40/85 separate one mile west of Mt. Hope Church Road (SR 3045), ahead of I-785/840 on the east side of Greensboro. 10/12/23

I-40/85 part ways with three lanes for both west and southbound

Sign changes made with the establishment of I-840 along I-785 north in 2023 removed the reference to I-73 for Interstate 85 south. 10/12/23

The westbound split of I-40/85 at Greensboro, NC.

I-85 follows the Greensboro Urban Loop to the south while I-785/840 line the east side of the beltway. 10/12/23

I-40 west at I-785/840 north in Greensboro, NC.

I-40 continues 0.36 miles west from I-85 to Exit 227 for I-785/840 north. 10/12/23

I-40 west at I-785 north to Danville, VA and I-840 west to north Greensboro, NC.

I-40 crosses Greensboro to the south of Downtown while I-785/840 arc northwest around the city to U.S. 29 (O’Henry Boulevard). 10/12/23

Sources

  1. “Western section of Urban Loop slated to open next.” News & Record (Greensboro, NC), December 9, 2017.
  2. “I-785 ‘Blue Shield’ puts Reidsville on the map.” Greensboro News & Record (NC), September 16, 2019.
  3. “I-785 Still Has Long Way to Travel an Asphalt Salvation: The Signs are There, but the Reality of I-785 Lies Far – in the Future.” Greensboro News & Record (NC), July 20, 1998.
  4. North Carolina Department of Transportation Strategic Highway Planning Documents.
  5. “Ceremony Will Mark U.S. 29’s Designation at Interstate 785.” Greensboro News & Record (NC), June 29, 1998.
  6. “Triangle & N.C. Briefs.” News & Observer, The (Raleigh, NC), February 22, 2017.
  7. “Eastern section of Greensboro beltline open.” Times-News (Burlington, NC), December 7, 2017.
  8. Interchange of US-29 and SR-4771 (Reedy Fork Parkway) – Contract Number C204499. NCDOT Contract Letting. May 17, 2021.
  9. Contract Number C204793. NCDOT ProgLoc Search.

Page updated February 1, 2024.