Interstate 840 (I-840) is a 21.9-mile (35.2 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway and state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the northern half of the Greensboro Urban Loop beltway around the city of Greensboro. It connects I-40, I-73, and US 421 in the west with I-40, I-85, and I-785 in the east. It was completed on January 23, 2023.
 Interstate 840 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 I-840 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Auxiliary route of I-40 | ||||
| Maintained by NCDOT | ||||
| Length | 21.9 mi[1] (35.2 km) | |||
| Existed | 2011[2]–present | |||
| History | First segment opened in 2002 officially designated as SR 3269; officially designated as I-840 in 2011 | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |    I-40 / I-73 / US 421 in Greensboro | |||
| East end |   I-40 / I-85 / I-785 in Greensboro | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | North Carolina | |||
| Counties | Guilford | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
I-840 runs concurrently with I-73 from its western terminus to its interchange with Bryan Boulevard in the northwest and I-785 from its interchange with US 29 (North O'Henry Boulevard) in the northeast to its eastern terminus. The route provides a continuous freeway bypass around Greensboro's west, north, and east sides.
Route description
editI-840 begins as a divided six-lane urban freeway at an interchange with I-40, I-73, and US 421. The freeway heads north for 3.4 miles (5.5 km), concurrent with I-73, intersecting West Friendly Avenue, before reaching an interchange with Bryan Boulevard, where I-73 exits. The freeway then turns east and runs for 10.7 miles (17.2 km), intersecting US 220 (Battleground Avenue), Lawndale Drive, North Elm Street, and Yanceyville Road, before an interchange with I-785/US 29 (North O'Henry Boulevard). Here, I-785 enters the freeway, and the two highways run south for 7.8 miles (12.6 km), intersecting US 70 before terminating at an interchange with I-40 and I-85.
History
edit
I-840 first appeared in the early 2000s as a proposed routing for the northern half of the Greensboro Urban Loop. In 2002, the first segment opened between US 70 (Burlington Road) and I-40/I-85; however, it was unsigned and designated as SR 3269; by 2006, Future I-840 signage was added at the US 70 interchange. In December 2007, a second segment opened along its routing between I-40/US 421 and Bryan Boulevard and was signed as Future I-73/I-840. In 2010, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) submitted its official request, to both the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), to designate the two existing segments of the northern half of the Greensboro Urban Loop as I-840 and the 12.0-mile (19.3 km) unbuilt portion as Future I-840. AASHTO approved the request on October 29, 2010, followed by FHWA on August 2, 2011.[3] On September 2, 2011, NCDOT certified the route change establishing I-840.[2]
Construction on the northern half of the Greensboro Urban Loop resumed in 2013 with the six-lane 3.4-mile (5.5 km) segment between Bryan Boulevard and Battleground Avenue (US 220), which will be signed as I-840.[4] At a cost of $123 million (equivalent to $147 million in 2023[5]), it was expected to be completed in early 2018.[6][7][8] This section opened on April 19, 2018, four days ahead of schedule.[9] In late 2014, a 4.7-mile (7.6 km) segment, between US 29 and US 70, also began construction; however, it was signed as I-785 with I-840 as a hidden designation until the completion of the Loop.[10] This section opened in December 2017.[11][12] The next section to open was between US 220 and Lawndale Drive, which began construction in October 2016 and opened to traffic on December 30, 2019.[13][14]
The final section of I-840 to be constructed was the 5.7-mile (9.2 km) segment between Lawndale Drive and US 29, featuring interchanges with North Elm Street and Yanceyville Street.[15] Construction began in May 2018.[16] On December 23, 2020, part of the section, from Lawndale Drive to North Elm Street, was opened to traffic.[17] In October 2022, AASHTO approved the designation of I-840 for the remaining section, from North Elm Street to North O'Henry Boulevard (US 29).[18] This final section opened to traffic on January 23, 2023, completing the Greensboro Urban Loop.[13][14][17][19]
Future
editLong-term plans call for an additional interchange along I-840 at an extension of East Cone Boulevard (SR 2565). Plans for the interchange have existed since 2004; however, because it is to be constructed after I-840's completion, there is no current timetable or funding for the project.[6][20]
Exit list
editThe entire route is in Greensboro, Guilford County.
| mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 103 |    I-73 south / US 421 south to I-85 – Asheboro, Durham  I-40 / US 421 north – Greensboro, Winston-Salem | Southern end of I-73 concurrency; exit numbered from I-73 mileage; roadway continues as I-73 south; signed as exits 103A (I-40 east, Greensboro) and 103B (I-40 west/US 421 north, Winston-Salem) | ||
| 1.6 | 2.6 | 104 | West Friendly Avenue | |||
| 3.4 | 5.5 | 3A | Bryan Boulevard – Downtown | I-73 exit 107A | ||
| 3B |  I-73 north – PTI-GSO Airport, Martinsville | I-73 exit 107B; northern end of I-73 concurrency | ||||
| 6.8 | 10.9 | 6 |  US 220 (Battleground Avenue) | |||
| 8.4 | 13.5 | 8 | Lawndale Drive | |||
| 10.4 | 16.7 | 10 | North Elm Street | |||
| 11.7 | 18.8 | 11 | Yanceyville Street | |||
| 14.1 | 22.7 | 14 |  I-785 south / US 29 – Greensboro, Danville | Northern end of I-785 concurrency | ||
| 16 | East Cone Boulevard | Future interchange (unfunded)[10][20] | ||||
| 17.8 | 28.6 | 17 | Huffine Mill Road | |||
| 18.8 | 30.3 | 18 |  US 70 (Burlington Road) / To East Wendover Avenue | |||
| 21.0 | 33.8 | 21 | I-40 / I-85 north / I-785 north – Greensboro, Durham, Raleigh | Southern end of I-785 concurrency[10] | ||
| 21.9 | 35.2 | — | I-85 south – High Point, Charlotte | Continuation as I-85 | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "Interstate 840 (North Carolina)" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ a b North Carolina Department of Transportation (September 2, 2011). "US Route Change (2011-09-02)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (October 29, 2010). "Report to the Standing Committee on Highways" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- ^ North Carolina Department of Transportation. "Signing Plan, Guilford County: Greensboro-Western Loop from South of SR 2137 (Old Oak Ridge Rd) to US 220 (Battleground Ave)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
- ^ a b North Carolina Department of Transportation. "NCDOT: Greensboro Urban Loop". North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
- ^ North Carolina Department of Transportation (October 25, 2010). Project Map: U-2524 (PDF) (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
- ^ Spencer, Jasmine (March 27, 2014). "Construction Underway on Greensboro Urban Loop". High Point, North Carolina: WGHP-TV. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- ^ Wireback, Taft (April 19, 2018). "New Section of Urban Loop in Greensboro Open for Traffic". News and Record. Greensboro, North Carolina. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ a b c North Carolina Department of Transportation. "Signing Plan, Guilford County: Greensboro Eastern Loop from North of US 70 Relocation to US 29 North of Greensboro" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- ^ Wireback, Taft (December 8, 2017). "Western Section of Urban Loop Slated to Open Next". News and Record. Greensboro, North Carolina. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
- ^ "Route Change (2018-03-08)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. March 8, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
- ^ a b "New section of Greensboro Urban Loop opens". High Point, North Carolina: WGHP-TV. December 30, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
- ^ a b Wireback, Taft (December 30, 2019). "New section of the Greensboro Urban Loop opens. It's expected to reduce 'cut-through' traffic that has plagued area neighborhoods". News & Record. Greensboro, North Carolina. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
- ^ North Carolina Department of Transportation. Greensboro Urban Loop and Interchanges (PDF) (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
- ^ Wireback, Taft (May 27, 2018). "Greensboro Urban Loop's last section is in the works". News & Record. Greensboro, North Carolina. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
- ^ a b Warfield, Andy (December 23, 2020). "Segments of Greensboro Urban Loop, Winston-Salem Northern Beltway opened Wednesday (PHOTOS)". Triad Business Journal. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (October 2021). "2022 Annual Meeting Report to the Council on Highways and Streets" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
- ^ Funk, Hunter (January 23, 2023). "Urban Loop final section is officially open, connecting all of Greensboro". Greensboro, North Carolina: WFMY-TV. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ a b Greensboro Department of Transportation; North Carolina Department of Transportation (August 17, 2004). "Cone Boulevard Extension/Eastern Urban Loop Interchange" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
External links
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