Greensboro Urban Loop

Route description

The parts of Urban Loop that are currently open are:

a portion of Future I-840/I-785 that runs 2 miles (3 km) from I-40/I-85 east of downtown to US 70 which is now signed as I-785 that opened in 2002;

the southern half (signed as I-73 and US 421 on the southwest section, and I-85 and US 421 on the southeast section) which opened in 2004;

a 3-mile (4.8 km) western section of I-840 (co-signed with I-73), between I-40 and Bryan Boulevard, which opened in 2008 and provides better access to the Piedmont Triad International Airport. This section is signed with a FUTURE plate above the shield, as it does not yet connect to any major roads.

Construction of the next section of the western part of the Loop, the northwest segment between Bryan Boulevard and US 220, began in October 2013. Work began on the northeast section between US 70 and US 29 (Future I-785) in August 2014. Land and right-of-way property was bought for the segment between US 220 and Lawndale Drive in 2014-2015, which started construction in November 2016, and Lawndale to US 29, work to start currently scheduled for 2018.

In April 2005, the city of Greensboro voted to approve annexation of the Urban Loop into the city of Greensboro. The annexation took effect in June of that year.

I-73 is completed and signed along the southwestern part of Urban Loop, including a wrong-way concurrency with I-85 for approximately one mile. It should be noted however: as a result of the freeway's unusual design, I-85 and I-73 do not share the same roadbed. A traveler following I-73 through the intersection will not at any point be on mainline I-85, despite signage that indicates otherwise to minimize confusion.

Alternate names

Officially it is known as the Greensboro Urban Loop and there is no official alternate name(s) to the entire loop or sections of it. Unofficially, the name Painter Boulevard was used locally as the name of the loop around Greensboro, named after a Greensboro DOT official who came up with the vision of a thoroughfare loop around Greensboro in 1986. NCDOT has repeatedly denied in public hearings, since the project's inception in 1995, that Painter Boulevard was ever used as a name for the Greensboro Urban Loop and in any official documentation. This is one of five freeway corridors in the Greensboro area to include the word "Boulevard" in its name. What is now I-85 Bus. is also known as Preddy Boulevard, what was once I-40 Bus. west of downtown (and is again I-40) is also known as Fordham Boulevard, and part of I-73 is planned to follow Bryan Boulevard. O. Henry Boulevard carries US 29 east of downtown Greensboro. It should be noted that since 2008 local media outlets have discontinued the name Painter Boulevard in their news reports.

History

The first appearance of a freeway urban loop appeared in the 1967 City of Greensboro Transportation Plan. In June 1977, a thoroughfare plan (including the urban loop) was adopted by the City of Greensboro, Guilford County and the North Carolina Board of Transportation. In July 1989, North Carolina Highway Trust Fund Law was enacted, which provides a trust fund for designated urban loops. By November 1989, an updated thoroughfare plan was approved by the city, county and state. Planning and environmental impact studies of the urban loop began in 1989-1990. In 1995, a Record of Decision was made approving the Greensboro Urban Loop; finalizing its routing and approval of a I-85 bypass.

In 2002, the first segment of the urban loop opened, a 2.21-mile (3.56 km) four-lane connector between I-40/I-85 and US 70; it was unsigned and designated as SR 3269. By 2006, Future I-840 signage appears at the US 70 interchange. In November 2016, I-785 signage began appearing on exit signs along I-40 and I-85 approaching the Loop interchange. On February 21, 2004, a 12.9-mile (20.8 km) southeast segment of the urban loop opened; designated as I-85, leaving its old alignment through Greensboro as I-85 Business.

Short Term Interstate 40 relocation

When the southwest section of the Loop was completed in March 2008, I-40 was moved onto the Loop sharing the route with I-85 on the eastern half and I-73 on the western, the existing I-40 through Greensboro was redesignated Business Interstate 40. On September 12, 2008, after complaints by local residents about traffic noise and motorists on the confusion between Interstate 40 and Business Interstate 40 through Greensboro, NCDOT officials received permission from the FHWA to reroute Interstate 40 back through the city of Greensboro and decommission Business Interstate 40. This placed Interstate 40 on its original route while leaving I-73 and I-85 signed along the Greensboro Urban Loop. By the end of fall 2008 Business Interstate 40 signs through Greensboro were to be replaced back with Interstate 40 signs, and US 421 was to be rerouted to replace most of the I-40 route along the Loop.

Future

The remaining sections of the Greensboro Urban Loop (designated as I-840 from Bryan Blvd to US 29 and I-785/I-840 south of US 29) are broken into the following four projects, three currently under construction:

Western Loop from north of Bryan Boulevard to US 220 (Battleground Avenue)

This section is for a six-lane freeway connecting Bryan Boulevard to US 220 (Battleground Avenue) in northwest Greensboro. Known as STIP Number U-2524C, it is estimated to cost $101 million, with property acquisition and construction already in progress. Completion of this segment is tentatively scheduled for March 2018.

Western Loop from US 220 (Battleground Avenue) to Lawndale Drive

This section is for a six-lane freeway connecting US 220 (Battleground Avenue) to Lawndale Drive in northwest Greensboro. Known as STIP Number U-2524D, it is estimated to cost $88.1 million, with property acquisition already in progress and construction started in November 2016 with completion currently scheduled for December 2020.

Eastern Loop from US 70 to US 29

This section is for a four-lane freeway connecting US 70 to US 29 in northeast Greensboro, with an interchange at Huffine Mill Road. Known as STIP Number U-2525B, it is estimated to cost $119 million, with construction started in 2014. Completion of this segment is tentatively scheduled for December 2018. This section will also be overlapped with Interstate 785.

Eastern Loop from US 29 to Lawndale Drive

This section is for a six-lane freeway connecting US 29 to Lawndale Drive, with interchanges at Yanceyville Street and North Elm Street. Known as STIP Number U-2525C, it is estimated to cost $139 million, with property acquisition tentatively scheduled for 2016 and construction tentatively scheduled for 2018.

After the Greensboro Urban Loop is completed, NCDOT and Greensboro DOT plan to add two additional interchanges: Fleming–Lewiston Road (SR2136), and Cone Boulevard (SR2565). Plans for the additional interchanges have existed since 2004; however, because they are to be constructed after the loop's completion, there is no current time table or funding for these projects at this time.

Exit list

The entire route is in Greensboro, Guilford County.