Interstate 40 in North Carolina

This article is about the section of Interstate 40 in North Carolina. For the entire length of the highway, see Interstate 40.

Interstate 40
Route information
Maintained by North Carolina DOT
Length:	423.55 mi (681.64 km)
Existed:	1956 – present
Major junctions
West end:	I-40 at Tennessee state line
	I-26 / I-240 / US 74 in Asheville I-240 / US 74A in Asheville I-77 in Statesville I-73 / US 421 in Greensboro I-85 in Greensboro I-85 near Chapel Hill I-540 in Durham I-440 / US 1 / US 64 in Raleigh I-95 near Benson I-140 / US 17 in Wilmington
East end:	US 117 / NC 132 in Wilmington
Location
Counties:	Haywood, Buncombe, McDowell, Burke, Catawba, Iredell, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Alamance, Orange, Durham, Wake, Johnston, Sampson, Duplin, Pender, New Hanover
Highway system
Main route of the Interstate Highway System Main • Auxiliary • Business North Carolina Highway System ← NC 39 NC 41 →

Interstate 40 runs 421 miles (678 km) through the state of North Carolina from the Tennessee state line in the west to its eastern terminus in Wilmington.

Route description

Pigeon River Gorge

The first section of I-40 in North Carolina is the section that travels through the Pigeon River Gorge in Haywood County. Known locally as simply "The Gorge", this part of I-40 cuts a path from the Tennessee state line to Waynesville. This section of the interstate is fairly curvy and tends to become a bit narrow in some places when compared to other portions of the highway. Because much of the road was cut through mountainside, concrete retaining walls have been built on both sides of the road and in the median, cutting down on the width of the breakdown lanes. Coupled with speeding vehicles, the extremely thick fog that tends to plague the area, and little room to maneuver in case of accident, this area has become notorious for its severe and many times fatal accidents. It is reported that a person is 20 times as likely to die on I-40 in Haywood County than they would be to win the Powerball lottery, which equals to be twice the average of any other Interstate Highway in North Carolina.

Even some minor accidents have been known to tie up traffic in this area, because there is little room to move accidents off or to the side of the road with the terrain. Speeding semi trucks have been a problem in the gorge and have subsequently led to many accidents. In 2002 and 2003, two state troopers were killed in two separate accidents by speeding trucks that drifted off the road and hit their police car conducting a traffic stop. This led the North Carolina Highway Patrol to crack down on speeding tractor trailers and speeders in general through the area.

This portion of the highway is also notorious for rockslides and rocks falling onto the highway. The main cause is an engineering flaw, in that sections of the highway have been built on the north side of the Pigeon River, where the rock strata foliate towards the highway.

2009 rockslide and closure

On October 25, 2009, a major rockslide, including boulders described as the size of houses, blocked the highway completely at mile marker 2.6. The section reopened with westbound traffic restricted to one lane on April 25, 2010. Trucks wider than 12 feet (3.7 m) are still prohibited through the slide area, and must still use the I-26 and I-81 detour.

2012 rockslide and closure

On January 31, 2012 a rockslide occurred early morning near mile marker 451 in Tennessee, approximately 1 mile from the border. All westbound traffic was closed down and from exit 20 (US 276), except for local traffic. The official detour for westbound traffic is to use I-240/I-26 and I-81. It was estimated to take two weeks to clear and stabilize the area; eastbound traffic from Tennessee is unaffected.

On February 3, another rockslide blocked the westbound lanes (only) at mile marker 7. These lanes had already been closed because of a rockslide a short distance west in Tennessee. On February 5, westbound traffic was reopened along the route, with one lane open at the rockslide location on the Tennessee side.

Through Greensboro

The six routes of Death Valley in 2007. US 421 has since been rerouted; the shield was removed in 2009.

Throughout much of the Greensboro metropolitan area, I-40 follows a stretch of six-lane freeway carrying five other routes: Business I-85, U.S. Route 421, U.S. Route 29, U.S. Route 70, and U.S. Route 220. This 2.5-mile (4.0 km) corridor begins in the west at the I-40/Business I-85/Randleman Road interchange and ends in the east at the U.S. Highway 29/70/220/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard junction. Both of these interchanges are quite unusual in design and are often operating at above full capacity, leading to frequent traffic jams and traffic incidents.

I-40 through Greensboro officially bears the name Preddy Boulevard. The nickname "Death Valley" was originally given to the 2.5-mile (4.0 km) segment of I-85 in Greensboro in 1963 after seven people died in accidents there the previous year.^{[citation needed]} In 1964, the state unveiled a plan to eliminate Death Valley's flaws.^{[citation needed]} After numerous construction projects, conditions improved along the corridor, but the nickname remained. Over the years, increased traffic through the area has given the nickname "Death Valley" new meaning. The nickname is well-known by locals, news reporters, and frequent travelers.^{[citation needed]}

One major problem with the highway is that the U.S. 29/220/70 southbound lanes merge from the right, and exit to the left. Thus, through traffic on I-40 west and US 29 south (a major route from Virginia to Charlotte) must all merge to the other side of the freeway. A study conducted by state traffic engineers from May 1, 2006 to April 30, 2008 (the period between the I-85 relocation and I-40's relocation) concluded that "the Death Valley area" had an accident rate "higher than average for urban interstates... but the [route] was safe anyway." There were no fatalities during the study period, but a large number of rear-end collisions.

Through the Triangle

I-40 through the Research Triangle varies in width, from 4 lanes to 8 lanes depending on the location. It serves as a major artery between Raleigh and Durham (the other being US-70).

I-40 is called Dan K. Moore Freeway from Durham to Wade Avenue and Tom Bradshaw Freeway through Raleigh. The James E. Harrington Freeway stretches to Newton Grove.

Originally, I-40 carried a very different route through the Triangle. When the NCDOT planned to extend I-40 to Raleigh, they planned to route it through Durham on the current NC-147. It continued on its current alignment to the Wade Avenue intersection, but continued onto Wade Avenue freeway and ended at US 1. However, a series of problems in building the freeway through downtown Durham and around the Duke University campus caused the state to reroute I-40 through rural Orange County and southern Durham. The partially completed route through Durham was renumbered NC-147 and eventually completed in the mid 1990s. In Raleigh, I-40 was rerouted to its current alignment in the mid 1980s, leaving the current Wade Avenue "stub".

Eastern North Carolina

I-40 is 4 lanes from the western edge of Raleigh to Wilmington as it crosses through mostly agricultural land.

Alternate names

Though the highway is commonly known as "Interstate 40" or "I-40" throughout the state, the highway does have other known names it uses locally in areas.

• Blue Star Memorial Highway – Unofficial North Carolina honorary name of Interstate 40 throughout the state.
• Dan K. Moore Freeway – Official North Carolina name of Interstate 40 from the Research Triangle Park, in Durham County, to Tom Bradshaw Freeway, in Wake County (approved: 11/8/1985).
• Henry L. Stevens, Jr. Highway – Official North Carolina name of Interstate 40 from mile marker 357 to mile marker 371, in Duplin County (approved: 6/2/2000).
• John Motley Morehead, III Freeway – Official North Carolina name of Interstate 40 from US 15-US 501 to the Research Triangle Park, in Durham County(approved: 9/10/1987).
• Sam Hunt Freeway – Official North Carolina name of Interstates 40/85 from the Guilford-Alamance county line to one mile east of NC 54, in Graham (approved: 9/5/1997).
• Tobacco Road – Informal name given by college sports fans, because Interstate 40 links four schools in the ACC.
• Trooper David H. Dees Memorial Bridge – Official North Carolina name of bridge over Rockfish Creek on Interstate 40 (approved: 1/9/2003).

History

I-40/85 through Burlington

Construction

Construction on I-40 through North Carolina officially began in 1956 along the Pigeon River in Haywood County. This would be the first section of I-40 to be built anywhere in the country. This section was completed in 1968, and was among the first Interstate Highway tunnels east of the Mississippi River. Construction continued through the 1950s and 1960s, with much of the interstate being constructed in the 1960s. The last portion of I-40 to be completed, between Raleigh and Wilmington, was opened on June 29, 1990, by Governor James G. Martin. Much of Martin's election campaign in the mid-1980s was hinged on opening this section for the sake of improving access to the North Carolina State Port at Wilmington.

A standard distance sign that once existed near the start of the westbound section of I-40 in Wilmington indicates the distance to Barstow, California, as 2,554 miles (4,110 km). However, NCDOT has stated that it will not be replaced after frequent thefts.

Rockslides in the Pigeon River Gorge

In 1985, a severe rockslide buried the westbound entrance to one of two tunnels that carry the highway through the gorge. Repair of the slide area and the tunnel required shifting westbound traffic to the eastbound tunnel, while eastbound traffic was diverted onto a temporary viaduct around the tunnels.

In July 1997, a rockslide near the Tennessee state line closed the road for nearly six months.

On October 25, 2009, another rockslide occurred about 3 miles (4.8 km) from the Tennessee state line. The rockslide blocked both lanes of traffic and was estimated to be 100 feet (30 m) long and up to 50 feet (15 m) high.

Greensboro I-40 relocation

Map showing changes made to I-40's routing between 2004 and 2008

In February 2008, Interstate 40 was rerouted onto the new Greensboro Urban Loop. The former path of I-40 became Business Loop I-40.^{[citation needed]}

NCDOT received many complaints by local residents and motorists on the confusion between mainline Interstate 40 and Business 40, which used a shield differing only in color from the mainline I-40. Greensboro residents also had concerns with the resulting increased traffic. On September 12, 2008, seven months after the initial switch, NCDOT officials got permission from the FHWA to restore Interstate 40 back to its original route through the city, decommission Business Interstate 40, and leave I-73 and I-85 as the only interstates signed along the Loop. Exit numbers on the I-40 part of the Loop that ran with I-73 will be replaced with I-73 exit numbers from the I-85/US 220 southern interchange around the loop to the western I-40 interchange. US 421 was officially rerouted to replace most of I-40 around Greensboro.

Work on re-signing the Loop and the former Business 40 began on May 8, 2009, with the exception of the eastern I-40/85 interchange, where signs were changed in the fall of 2008. The re-signing project was completed on July 1, 2009.

The current alignment of I-40 is four miles (6 km) shorter than the 2008 Urban Loop routing, and is a quicker route for any vehicle consistently traveling at the posted speed limits.

Future

In Statesville, the I-40/I-77 interchange (exit 152) is planned for major upgrade in three phases: reconstruction of nearby intersections on both interstates, reconstruction and widening of I-40/I-77 interchange, and construction of fly-overs at interchange. The estimated cost for the entire project is $251 million with construction to begin in March, 2012. It will replace the current interchange, which was built in the late 1960s.

A widening project along Interstate 40 is in development stage, between mile markers 259 and 279, in Orange and Durham counties. The estimated cost is $18 million, with date of construction to begin February, 2019. However, it is currently flagged by NCDOT as "Subject to Reprioritization."

A widening project along Interstate 40 is in development stage, between mile markers 301 and 312, in Wake and Johnston counties. The estimated costs have yet to be determined. Property acquisition is to start late 2013 thru 2015.

Auxiliary routes in North Carolina

	Interstate	City	Type	Notes
	Interstate 40 Business	Winston-Salem	Business loop	Freeway grade throughout
	Interstate 140	Wilmington	Spur	Partially constructed
	Interstate 240	Asheville	Business loop
	Interstate 440	Raleigh	Beltway
	Interstate 540	Raleigh	Spur/Beltway	Designated along the Northern Wake Freeway
	Interstate 840	Greensboro	Beltway	Future, under construction

Exit list

County	Location	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Haywood		7	Cold Springs Creek Rd. – Harmon Den
		15	Fines Creek Road
		20	US 276 south – Waynesville, Maggie Valley
		24	NC 209 – Lake Junaluska, Hot Springs
		27	US 19 / US 23 / US 74 west – Clyde, Waynesville	West end of US 74 overlap
	Canton	31	NC 215 – Canton
		33	Newfound Road
Buncombe		37	Wiggins Rd. – Candler, East Canton
	Asheville	44	US 19 / US 23 / US 74A east – West Asheville, Enka, Candler
		46A	I-26 east / US 74 east – Hendersonville, Spartanburg, Asheville Airport	Eest end of US 74 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		46B	I-26 west / I-240 east – Asheville
		47	NC 191 – West Asheville	To Farmers Market
		50	US 25 – South Asheville, Biltmore House	Signed as exits 50A (south) and 50B (north) westbound
		51	US 25A – Asheville
		53A	US 74A east / Blue Ridge Parkway – Bat Cave
		53B	I-240 west / US 74A west – East Asheville
		55	To US 70 – East Asheville, VA Hospital
		59	Patton Cove Rd. – Swannanoa
	Black Mountain	64	NC 9 – Black Mountain, Montreat
		65	US 70 west – Black Mountain	West end of US 70 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		66	Dunsmore Ave. – Ridgecrest
McDowell	Old Fort	72	US 70 east – Old Fort	East end of US 70 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		73	Catawaba Ave. – Old Fort
		75	Parker Padgett Road
	Marion	81	Sugar Hill Road – Marion
		83	Ashworth Road
		85	US 221 – Marion, Rutherfordton
		86	NC 226 – Marion, Shelby
		90	Harmony Grove Rd. – Nebo, Lake James
Burke		94	Dysartsville Road
		96	Kathy Road
		98	Causby Road – Glen Alpine
	Glen Alpine	100	Jamestown Road, Dixie Boulevard – Glen Alpine
	Morganton	103	US 64 – Morganton, Rutherfordton
		104	Enola Road
		105	NC 18 – Morganton, Shelby
		106	Bethel Road
		107	NC 114 – Drexel
		111	Abees Grove Church Rd., Milestone Ave. – Valdese
	Valdese	112	Mineral Springs Mountain Road – Valdese
	Rutherford College	113	Rutherford College Rd., Malcom Blvd. – Connelly Springs	Access to Rutherford College
	Icard	116	Old NC Hwy. 10 – Icard
	Hildebran	118	Old NC 10
		119	Henry River Rd., S. Center St. – Henry River, Hildebran	Signed as exits 119A (Henry River) and 119B (Hildebran) eastbound
Catawba	Long View	121	33rd Street – Long View
	Hickory	123	US 321 to US 70 / NC 127 – Hickory, Lenoir, Lincolnton	Signed as exits 123A (south) and 123B (north)
		125	Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard – Hickory	Access to Lenior Rhyne University
		126	To US 70 – Hickory, Newton
	Conover	128	Fairgrove Church Road	To Hickory Motor Speedway
		130	Old US 70
		132	NC 16 – Newton, Conover, Taylorsville
		133	Rock Barn Road
	Claremont	135	N. Oxford St. – Claremont
	Catawba	138	NC 10 west (Oxford School Road) – Catawba
Iredell		141	Sharon School Road
		144	Old Mountain Road – West Iredell
		146	Stamey Farm Road
	Statesville	148	US 64 / NC 90 – West Statesville, Taylorsville
		150	NC 115 – Downtown Statesville, North Wilkesboro
		151	US 21 – East Statesville, Harmony
		152	I-77 – Charlotte, Elkin	Signed as exits 152A (south) and 152B (north)
		153	US 64	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		154	US 64 (Old Mocksville Road)
		162	US 64
Davie		168	US 64 – Mocksville
	Mocksville	170	US 601 – Mocksville, Yadkinville
		174	Farmington Road
		180	NC 801 – Bermuda Run, Tanglewood
Forsyth	Clemmons	182	Harper Rd. – Tanglewood, Bermuda Run
		184	Lewisville–Clemmons Rd. – Lewisville, Clemmons
	Winston-Salem	188	I-40 Bus. east / US 421 – Downtown Winston-Salem, Yadkinville, Wilkesboro	No access from I-40 east to US-421 south
		189	US 158 (Stratford Road)
		190	Hanes Mall Boulevard	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		192	NC 150 (Peters Creek Parkway) – Downtown Winston-Salem
		193C	Silas Creek Parkway, South Main Street	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		193	US 52 / NC 8 / US 311 north – Lexington, Mount Airy	West end of US 311 overlap; signed as exits 193A (south) and 193B (north)
		195	NC 109 / Clemmonsville Road – Thomasville
		196	US 311 south – High Point	East end of US 311 overlap
	Kernersville	201	Union Cross Road
		203	NC 66 / Regional Road – Kernersville, High Point
Guilford		206	I-40 Bus. north / US 421 – Kernersville, Downtown Winston-Salem	West end of US 421 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	Greensboro	208	Sandy Ridge Road
		210	NC 68 – High Point, Piedmont Triad International Airport
		211	Gallimore Dairy Road
		212	I-73 / US 421 south / To Bryan Boulevard (via I-840 and I-73 north) – Asheboro, PTI Airport	East end of US 421 overlap; signed as exits 212A (Bryan Boulevard) and 212B (I-73/US 421)
		213	Guilford College Road
		214	Wendover Avenue	Signed as exits 214A (east) and 214B (west) eastbound
		216	Patterson Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		217	High Point Road, Koury Boulevard
		218	US 220 south to I-85 Bus. south / Freeman Mill Road – Asheboro	West end of US 220 overlap; signed as exits 218A (US 220) and 218B (Freeman Mill Road)
		219	I-85 Bus. south / US 29 south / US 70 west – Charlotte	West end of US 29/US 70/I-85 Bus. overlap
		220	Randleman Road
		221	South Elm-Eugene Street – Downtown Greensboro
		222	Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
		223	US 29 north / US 70 east / US 220 north – Reidsville	East end of US 29/US 70/US 220 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance
		224	To US 29 north (East Lee Street) / US 220 north	South end of US 29/US 70/US 220 overlap
		226	McConnell Road
		227	To US 70 / I-840 north
		228	I-85 south – Charlotte	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
I-40 overlaps with Interstate 85 (exits 131 to 163)
Orange		259	I-85 north – Durham	East end of I-85 overlap
		261	Old NC Hwy. 86 – Hillsborough
		263	New Hope Church Road
		266	NC 86 – Chapel Hill
Durham	Chapel Hill	270	US 15 / US 501 – Chapel Hill, Durham	Signed as exits 270A (south) and 270B (north)
		273	NC 54 – Chapel Hill, Durham	Signed as exits 273A (west) and 273B (east) westbound
	Durham	274	NC 751 – Jordan Lake
		276	Fayetteville Road  – Southpoint, North Carolina Central University
		278	NC 55 to NC 54 – Apex
		279	NC 147 (Durham Freeway/Triangle Expressway)  – Downtown Durham	Signed as exits 279A (Toll NC 147 South) and 279B (NC 147 North)
		280	Davis Drive
		281	Miami Boulevard
		282	Page Road
		283	I-540 east / NC 540 west (Triangle Expressway) to US 70 to US 1  – North Raleigh	Signed as exits 283A (East I-540) and 283B (West NC 540) westbound
Wake	Morrisville	284	Airport Boulevard – RDU International Airport	Signed as exits 284A (west) and 284B (east) eastbound
		285	Aviation Parkway – Morrisville, RDU International Airport
	Cary	287	Harrison Avenue – Cary
		289	To I-440 / US 1 north / Wade Avenue – Downtown Raleigh
		290	NC 54 – Cary
		291	Cary Towne Boulevard – Cary
	Raleigh	293	I-440 east / US 1 / US 64 west – Cary, Asheboro, Wake Forest, Raleigh	West end of US 64 overlap; signed as exits 293A (south/west) and 293B (north/east)
		295	Gorman Street
		297	Lake Wheeler Road
		298	US 70 east / US 401 south / NC 50 south (South Saunders Street) – Fayetteville, Downtown Raleigh, Garner	Signed as exits 298A (east/south) and 298B (west/north)
		299	Hammond Road, Person Street
		300	Rock Quarry Road
		301	I-440 west / US 64 east – Knightdale	East end of US 64 overlap
		303	Jones Sausage Road
	Garner	306	US 70 west / US 70 Bus. east – Garner, Clayton	West end of US 70 overlap; signed as exits 306A (west) and 306B (east) westbound
		309	US 70 east – Smithfield, Goldsboro	East end of US 70 overlap
Johnston		312	NC 42 – Clayton, Fuquay-Varina
		319	NC 210 – Smithfield, Angier, McGee Crossroads
		325	NC 242 south to US 301 – Benson
		328	I-95 – Benson, Dunn, Smithfield	Signed as exits 328A (south) and 328B (north)
		334	NC 96 – Peacocks Crossroads, Smithfield
Sampson	Newton Grove	341	NC 50 / NC 55 – Newton Grove, Dunn, Benson
		342	US 13 – Newton Grove, Goldsboro, Fayetteville	Signed as exits 342A (south) and 342B (north)
		343	US 701 – Clinton, Newton Grove
		348	Suttontown Road – Suttontown
		355	NC 403 to US 117 – Faison, Clinton, Mount Olive, Goldsboro
Duplin	Warsaw	364	NC 24 west / NC 24 Bus. east to NC 50 – Warsaw, Turkey, Clinton, Kenansville	West end of NC 24 overlap
		369	US 117 – Warsaw, Magnolia
	Magnolia	373	NC 24 east / NC 903 – Magnolia, Kenansville, Beulaville	East end of NC 24 overlap
		380	Charity Road – Rose Hill, Greenevers
	Wallace	384	NC 11 – Greenevers, Wallace
		385	NC 41 – Wallace, Chinquapin, Beulaville
Pender	Burgaw	390	US 117 – Wallace, Burgaw
		398	NC 53 – Burgaw, Jacksonville
		408	NC 210 – Hampstead, Rocky Mount, Topsail Island
New Hanover	Castle Hayne	414	Holly Shelter Road – Castle Hayne, Hampstead
		416	I-140 / US 17 – Hampstead, Topsail Island, Leland	Signed as exits 416A (west/south) and 416B (east/north)
	Wilmington	420	US 117 / NC 132 north – Castle Hayne Gordon Road	Signed as exits 420A (Gordon Road) and 420B (US 117/NC 132) westbound
			US 117 / NC 132 south – Port of Wilmington, Carolina Beach	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi      Concurrency terminus •      Closed/former •      Incomplete access •      Unopened

See also

• Catawba River
• Haw River
• Yadkin River

External links

• News & Record: New roads, old worries (Aug 26, 2007)
• News & Record - Nation's interstates turn 50
• Gribblenation - Greensboro Bypass Photos
• NCDOT article on the I-40 relocation (Sept 12, 2008)

Interstate 40
Previous state: Tennessee	North Carolina	Next state: Terminus