Interstate 95 in North Carolina
Route information | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Maintained by NCDOT | ||||
Length | 181.71 mi[1][2] (292.43 km) | |||
Existed | 1958[3]–present | |||
NHS | Entire route | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | I-95 at the South Carolina state line | |||
North end | I-95 at the Virginia state line | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | North Carolina | |||
Counties | Robeson, Cumberland, Harnett, Johnston, Wilson, Nash, Halifax, Northampton | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Interstate 95 (I-95) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs along the East Coast of the United States from Miami, Florida, to the Canadian border in Houlton, Maine. In the state of North Carolina, the route runs for 181.71 miles (292.43 km) from the South Carolina border near Rowland, North Carolina, to the Virginia border near Pleasant Hill, North Carolina. The highway serves the cities of Lumberton, Fayetteville, Wilson, Rocky Mount and Roanoke Rapids. The route goes through a mostly rural area of the state, avoiding most of the major metro areas of North Carolina. It forms the informal border between the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions of the state.
Route description
I-95 enters North Carolina at the South Carolina state line, just north of the South of the Border attraction and just to the south of the town of Rowland. Traveling mostly northeasterly from the border, the freeway is joined in an overlap with US 301 at exit 10, and then I-95/US 301 intersects I-74 in Lumberton. On the north side of town, US 301 leaves at exit 22. From there, I-95 turns due northward through a rural area of the state, past the small farming community of St. Pauls. I-95 serves as the eastern bypass of Fayetteville where Interstate 95 Business, an older alignment, connects I-95 to downtown Fayetteville.
I-95 intersects I-40 in Benson, US 264 in Wilson, and US 64 in Rocky Mount, three of the main east-west routes in the eastern part of the state. The last city it passes is Roanoke Rapids before leaving the state near the unincorporated community of Pleasant Hill at the Virginia border. For most of the route, I-95 is paralleled closely by US 301. Besides the overlap with US 301 between exits 10 and 22, there are interchanges with US 301 at exits 1, 25, 40, 56, 90, and 107.
Services
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) operate and maintain two welcome centers and six rest areas along I-95. Welcome centers, which have a travel information facility on site, are located at mile markers 5 (northbound) and 181 (southbound); rest areas are located at mile markers 47 (north and southbound), 99 (north and southbound) and 142 (north and southbound). Common at all locations are public restrooms, public telephones, vending machines, picnic area and barbecue grills.[4]
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) operate and maintain four truck inspection/weigh stations along I-95. The Robeson County stations are located on both north and southbound at mile marker 24, each has one fixed scale. The Halifax County stations are located on both north and southbound at mile marker 151, each has two fixed scales.[5]
Dedicated and memorial names
Interstate 95 in North Carolina feature numerous dedicated or memorialized bridges, interchanges and stretches of freeway.
- Blue Star Memorial Highway: official North Carolina honorary name of I-95 throughout the state (approved on June 13, 1980).[6][7][8]
- Dick Fleming Freeway: official North Carolina name of I-95 from exit 95, in Smithfield, to exit 97, in Selma, in Johnston County. He is honored as being a visionary businessman, who help spur businesses along the two exits and the establishment of Carolina Pottery Store in 1983, which later grew to become Carolina Premium Outlets (approved January 2013; dedicated March 22, 2013).[9]
- Hector MacLean Highway: official North Carolina name of I-95 within Lumberton city limits (approved on October 3, 1997).[6]
History
Established in 1956, as part of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, I-95 was routed along or near existing US 301 throughout the state of North Carolina. By 1961, two stretches of the interstate opened: from mile marker 56, in Fayetteville, to mile marker 107, near Kenly; the other a small bypass near Saint Pauls. In 1964, the Saint Pauls section extended further south into Lumberton; while another small stretch opened from US 158, in Roanoke Rapids, to the Virginia state line. In 1969, I-95 was extended further south from Roanoke Rapids to exit 145, in Rocky Mount (later used for NC 4). In 1973, Interstate 95 was completed from Saint Pauls to the South Carolina state line.
By the mid 1970s, I-95 had two gaps along its route in Fayetteville and Kenly-Gold Rock. In May 1978, two Interstate 95 Business loops were established, both overlapping US 301, to help connect through the gaps and make I-95 appear as one continuous route throughout the state. In November 1978, the first gap to be completed was the Kenly-Gold Rock section.[10] The final section of Interstate 95 was completed in 1980, an easterly bypass of Fayetteville.[11][12]
Tolls
The idea of tolling I-95 started in 2001 as a way to pay for improvements along the route. In 2003, state officials sought permission from the Federal Highway Administration for a plan that would cost $3 billion and put toll booths every thirty miles along the entire route. However, this was quickly killed by Governor Mike Easley, who did not support tolls.[13]
In 2006, when the Virginia General Assembly passed the resolution calling for an interstate compact to build a toll highway, North Carolina was asked to join in on the compact of putting tolls along the entire length of Interstate 95 in both states.[14] Again, this was stopped by Governor Mike Easley, who did not see the benefit in such a compact and reiterated his opposition of tolls along Interstate 95.[12]
In 2010, North Carolina leaders revived talks on tolling Interstate 95, submitting a request to the Federal Highway Administration to toll the entire route. Approval would be considered after an environmental assessment and other conditions. Support has grown in a number of factors including the fact that the interstate is mostly rural and used predominantly by out-of-state drivers.[12]
On January 20, 2012, NCDOT received final approval of the Environmental Assessment for improvements along I-95 in North Carolina. The following recommendations were made:
- Widen I-95 to eight lanes (four lanes in each direction) from exit 31 to exit 81;
- Widen the remaining sections of I-95 to six lanes (three lanes in each direction);
- Make necessary repairs to pavement;
- Raise and rebuild bridges;
- Improve interchanges; and
- Bring I-95 up to current safety standards for interstates.
It is estimated to cost $4.4 billion with recommendation that it should be paid through tolls. Construction would begin in two phases: Phase 1 (exit 31-exit 81) would begin in 2016 with tolls starting after completion; phase 2 would begin in 2019, which covers the remainder of the interstate.[15][16][17] With a possible 2019 start date for the tolls, NCDOT plans to install nine overhead toll collection sensors every twenty miles with additional toll collection sensors at exits before tolls (to reduce drivers from jumping off and on at each toll); main toll stations will charge twenty miles each while exit tolls will charge ten miles each. Gaps along the route, where no toll collectors are located, will allow local traffic to utilize the interstate toll free. Though the toll rates have not been established, a NCDOT report suggest charging 19.2 cents per mile (11.9 ¢/km) for cars in the phase 1 section, with a much lower rate of 6.4 ¢/mi (4.0 ¢/km) on phase 2 sections; which would work out to be $19.20 from border to border (trucks with three axles or more will be charged more). Drivers that do not carry a toll transponder (i.e. North Carolina Quick Pass) will have their license numbers recorded by cameras and will be billed by mail, at a higher toll rate.[18]
As of June 5, 2018, a share of $147 million in federal grant money provided by the Trump administration was being used to partially fund upgrades to I-95.
Future
As of 2022, the entirety of I-95 is designated for widening from four lanes to either six or eight lanes. The project is being undertaken in several stages, with projects that, as of 2022, have been funded and are in various stages of completion, covering the route from mile marker 13 near Lumberton to mile marker 81 north of Fayetteville.[19]
Begun in January 2020, a project is under way to expand I-95 from four to eight lanes between exits 55 and 71, north of Fayetteville. This includes the reconstruction of several bridges, overpasses, and underpasses both on I-95 and on crossing roads. When complete, the freeway will be a total of eight lanes through this stretch. As of 2022, the project is scheduled to be completed in 2026. The project is partially funded by the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA).[20]
Schedule to begin in mid-2022 is another project to widen I-95 to eight lanes from the I-74 interchange (exit 13) to exit 22. It is also expected to be completed in the middle of 2026.[21]
The next two phases of the widening project along I-95 includes sections Cumberland and Robeson counties between exit 22 and exit 40 and in Harnett and Johnston counties between exit 71 and exit 81. As of 2018, funding was expected for the Cumberland and Robeson section after 2027 and construction scheduled for the Harnett and Johnston counties section in 2026.[22]
Exit list
County | Location | mi[2] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Carolina–South Carolina line | 0.00– 0.06 | 0.00– 0.097 | I-95 south – Florence | Continuation into South Carolina | ||
1 | US 301 / US 501 – Rowland, Laurinburg, Dillon | Signed as exits 1A (south) and 1B (north) southbound; exits 1 northbound and 1A southbound are in South Carolina | ||||
Robeson | | 2.32 | 3.73 | 2 | NC 130 to NC 904 – Rowland, Fairmont | |
| 7.16 | 11.52 | 7 | Raynham Road – McDonald, Raynham | ||
| 10.40 | 16.74 | 10 | US 301 south – Raynham | Southern end of US 301 overlap | |
Lumberton | 13.01 | 20.94 | 13 | I-74 / US 74 – Whiteville, Wilmington, Laurinburg, Rockingham | Signed as exits 13A (east) and 13B (west); cloverleaf interchange with collector/distributor lanes | |
13.69 | 22.03 | 14 | US 74 | Permanently closed in 2007; replaced by exit 13 | ||
17.03 | 27.41 | 17 | NC 72 / NC 711 – Lumberton, Pembroke, Red Springs | |||
18.74 | 30.16 | 19 | Carthage Road | |||
19.85 | 31.95 | 20 | NC 211 to NC 41 – Lumberton, Red Springs, Fairmont | |||
21.53 | 34.65 | 22 | US 301 north – Lumberton | Northern end of US 301 overlap | ||
| 25.04 | 40.30 | 25 | US 301 | ||
St. Pauls | 31.39 | 50.52 | 31 | NC 20 – St. Pauls, Raeford | ||
33.02 | 53.14 | 33 | US 301 to NC 71 – Parkton, St. Pauls | |||
| 38 | I-295 | Future interchange (scheduled completion 2024)[23] | |||
Cumberland | | 40.24 | 64.76 | 40 | I-95 BL north to US 301 – Fayetteville, Fort Bragg | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
Hope Mills | 41.28 | 66.43 | 41 | Main Street – Hope Mills | ||
| 43.81 | 70.51 | 44 | Snow Hill Road – Fayetteville Regional Airport | ||
| 45.98 | 74.00 | 46 | NC 87 – Elizabethtown, Fayetteville | Signed as exits 46A (south) and 46B (north); cloverleaf interchange with collector/distributor lanes | |
Fayetteville | 48.93 | 78.75 | 49 | NC 53 / NC 210 – Fayetteville | ||
Vander | 51.58 | 83.01 | 52 | NC 24 – Fayetteville, Clinton | Signed as exits 52A (east) and 52B (west); cloverleaf interchange with C/D lanes | |
Eastover | 54.52 | 87.74 | 55 | Murphy Road | ||
54.98 | 88.48 | 56 | I-95 BL south to US 301 – Fayetteville, Fort Bragg | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
57.86 | 93.12 | 58 | I-295 south / US 13 north to US 401 – Newton Grove, Fort Bragg | Southern terminus of US 13 | ||
| 61.17 | 98.44 | 61 | Wade–Steadman Road – Wade | ||
| 65.22 | 104.96 | 65 | NC 82 – Godwin, Falcon | ||
Harnett | | 69.52 | 111.88 | 70 | Bud Hawkins Road | |
| 70.74 | 113.84 | 71 | Long Branch Road | ||
Dunn | 72.38 | 116.48 | 72 | Pope Road | ||
72.99 | 117.47 | 73 | US 421 / NC 55 – Dunn, Clinton, Newton Grove | |||
| 74.87 | 120.49 | 75 | Jonesboro Road | ||
| 76.84 | 123.66 | 77 | Hodges Chapel Road | ||
Johnston | Benson | 79.42 | 127.81 | 79 | NC 50 / NC 242 to NC 27 – Benson, Newton Grove | |
80.95 | 130.28 | 81 | I-40 – Wilmington, Raleigh, Durham | Signed southbound as exits 81A (west) and 81B (east) | ||
Four Oaks | 87.50 | 140.82 | 87 | Keen Road – Four Oaks | ||
89.70 | 144.36 | 90 | US 301 / US 701 south / NC 96 – Newton Grove | Leads to Bentonville Civil War Battleground | ||
Smithfield | 93.04 | 149.73 | 93 | Brogden Road – Smithfield | ||
94.75 | 152.49 | 95 | US 70 Bus. – Smithfield, Goldsboro | |||
Selma | 96.81 | 155.80 | 97 | US 70 – Selma, Pine Level, Goldsboro | Southern terminus of unsigned NC 39 | |
98.00 | 157.72 | 98 | Pine Level–Selma Road – Selma | |||
Micro | 101.28 | 162.99 | 101 | Pittman Road | ||
102.43 | 164.85 | 102 | Main Street – Micro | |||
Kenly | 104.50 | 168.18 | 105 | Bagley Road | ||
105.88 | 170.40 | 106 | Truck Stop Road | |||
107.12 | 172.39 | 107 | US 301 – Kenly, Wilson | Leads to Gov. Charles B. Aycock Birthplace | ||
Wilson | | 116.33 | 187.21 | 116 | NC 42 – Wilson, Clayton | |
Wilson | 119.27 | 191.95 | 119 | I-587 east / I-795 south / US 264 – Wilson, Greenville, Goldsboro, Raleigh | Northern terminus of I-795; western terminus of I-587; signed as exits 119A (I-587 east/I-795 south/US 264 east) and 119B (US 264 west); cloverleaf interchange with collector/distributor roadways | |
121.37 | 195.33 | 121 | US 264 Alt. – Wilson, Sims | |||
Nash | | 126.82 | 204.10 | 127 | NC 97 – Rocky Mount–Wilson Regional Airport | |
| 132.27 | 212.87 | 132 | To NC 58 / Sandy Cross Road | ||
Rocky Mount | 137 | Sunset Avenue | Interchange under construction[24][25] | |||
138.32 | 222.60 | 138 | US 64 – Nashville, Raleigh, Rocky Mount, Tarboro | Signed as exits 138A (west) 138B (east); cloverleaf interchange with collector/distributor roadways; leads to NC Aquarium and Cape Hatteras National Seashore | ||
Dortches | 140.69 | 226.42 | 141 | NC 43 – Red Oak | ||
Rocky Mount | 144.99 | 233.34 | 145 | NC 4 / NC 48 to US 301 – Gold Rock, Rocky Mount | ||
| 149.63 | 240.81 | 150 | NC 33 – Whitakers | ||
Halifax | | 153.54 | 247.10 | 154 | NC 481 – Enfield | |
| 160.37 | 258.09 | 160 | NC 561 – Halifax | Leads to Medoc Mountain State Park | |
| 167.56 | 269.66 | 168 | NC 903 – Halifax | ||
Roanoke Rapids | 170.57 | 274.51 | 171 | NC 125 – Roanoke Rapids | ||
172.81 | 278.11 | 173 | US 158 – Roanoke Rapids, Weldon | |||
Northampton | | 175.67 | 282.71 | 176 | NC 46 – Gaston, Garysburg | |
| 179.87 | 289.47 | 180 | NC 48 – Gaston | ||
| 181.36 | 291.87 | I-95 north – Richmond | Continuation into Virginia | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Related routes
There are two auxiliary routes and one business loop in the state. I-295 connects I-95 to US 401 in Fayetteville and is planned to serve as a full bypass for I-95 in the city. I-795 connects Goldsboro to Wilson. I-95 Bus. goes through central Fayetteville.
See also
References
- ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of December 31, 2021". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ a b "Interstate 95 in North Carolina" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
- ^ "I-95 Fact Sheet" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. June 21, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 21, 2008. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
- ^ "NCDOT: North Carolina Rest Areas System". North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
- ^ "NCDPS - Weigh Stations". North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Archived from the original on December 30, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
- ^ a b "North Carolina Memorial Highways and other Named Facilities" (PDF). Retrieved October 7, 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "NCDOT: NC Blue Star Memorial Marker Locations". Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
- ^ "The Blue Star Memorial Marker Program Directory" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 20, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
- ^ Staff (March 22, 2013). "NCDOT Names Section of I-95 in Johnston County as Dick Fleming Freeway". North Carolina Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
- ^ "Opening of I-95 Set For Monday". Spring Hope Enterprise. November 16, 1978. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
- ^ "NCRoads.com: I-95". Retrieved January 21, 2012.[self-published source]
- ^ a b c Siceloff, Bruce (June 13, 2010). "Talk of I-95 tolls revives". The News & Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ^ "Interstate-Guide: Interstate 95". Retrieved January 21, 2012.[self-published source]
- ^ "SJ 184 Interstate Route 95". Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ^ Staff (January 20, 2012). "Environmental Assessment Approved for I-95 Improvements". NCDOT. Archived from the original on December 24, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ^ The Associated Press (January 21, 2012). "NC report recommends tolls on Interstate 95". The News & Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ^ Dorsey, Steve (January 21, 2012). "NC DOT considers making I-95 a toll road". Durham, North Carolina: WTVD-TV. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ^ Siceloff, Bruce (February 12, 2012). "Plan fights evasion of I-95 toll in North Carolina". The News & Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
- ^ "I-95 Corridor Improvements". ncdot.gov. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ "I-95 Widening North of Fayetteville". North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ "I-95 Widening in Lumberton". North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ "NCDOT News Release: Fourteen New Projects for Division 6 in Updated Draft Transportation Plan" (Press release). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ "Project Highlights". Fayetteville Outer Loop. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ "NCDOT Awards $60.5 Million Contract for Nash County Projects". North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ "Project Highlights". Nashville-Rocky Mount Projects. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
External links
- Media related to Interstate 95 in North Carolina at Wikimedia Commons
- Driving95|I-95 Corridor Planning & Financial Study
- Internatate 95 North Carolina @ SoutheastRoads.com (AARoads)
- Exitlists.com (I-95)
- Interstate 95
- Interstate Highways in North Carolina
- Transportation in Fayetteville, North Carolina
- Transportation in Robeson County, North Carolina
- Transportation in Cumberland County, North Carolina
- Transportation in Harnett County, North Carolina
- Transportation in Johnston County, North Carolina
- Transportation in Wilson County, North Carolina
- Transportation in Nash County, North Carolina
- Transportation in Halifax County, North Carolina
- Transportation in Northampton County, North Carolina