Existed: 1984 – present Constructed 1984 | Length 70 km | |
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In the U.S. state of North Carolina, Interstate 85 Business (commonly known as Business 85) is a 43.5-mile-long (70.0 km) business loop of Interstate 85; which serves several cities in the Piedmont Triad.
Contents
- Map of I 85BUS North Carolina USA
- Route description
- Southern section
- Northern section
- Dedicated and memorial names
- History
- Temporary Interstate 85
- References
Map of I-85BUS, North Carolina, USA
Route description
Business 85 is known widely as having two sections that appears split by I-85 in Greensboro; it is actually one continuous route that is simply hidden on the 2-mile (3.2 km) stretch of I-85. For almost the entire route, US 29 and US 70 are cosigned.
Southern section
Business 85 begins from exit 87 of I-85, just south of Lexington. It travels along US 52 north then splits from it at exit 87. Becoming a semi-limited expressway, it travels through Lexington with a short concurrency with US 64. Once past Lexington, the road becomes a more typical expressway, with at grade intersections with some controlled interchanges throughout the rest of the southern section. Business 85 goes at a northeast direction, parallel to I-85 further south, as it goes through Thomasville and High Point. It makes a unique intersection with I-74/US 311 by having a full interchange, but with at-grade intersections at the ramps. After 30 miles (48 km), Business 85 merges with I-85 in Greensboro.
Northern section
Business 85 continues again from exit 120A of I-85, in Greensboro. Continuing a northeast direction, it connects with I-40 at a location commonly nicknamed as "Death Valley"; creating a rarely seen concurrency of an interstate highway and a business loop signed together. Overlapped with I-40, it goes east until it meets I-85 for a third time near McLeansville, where it ends. The entire northern section is 6-lane freeway grade; though because it goes through the city of Greensboro, travelers can anticipate typical weekday rush hour slow downs (7:00-9:30 a.m./4:00-6:30 p.m.).
Dedicated and memorial names
I-85 Business features one dedicated stretch of freeway.
History
Established in 1984, I-85 Business was a replacement of Temp I-85, from Lexington to Greensboro, when Interstate 85 was completed on an east parallel routing. It also had a complete concurrency with US 29/US 70. In 2005, I-85 was redirected southeast around Greensboro along the Greensboro Urban Loop; its old route through Greensboro became an extension of I-85 Business. With an hidden overlap along I-85 between exits 118-120A, it continues to north then east through Greensboro, with a shared concurrency with I-40 (which briefly became I-40 Business, from February-September, 2008).
Temporary Interstate 85
Temporary Interstate 85 (Temp I-85) was established by 1961 as a temporary designation that directed travelers along US 29/US 70, from the Yadkin River to Greensboro. In 1977, a flyover bridge was completed (dubbed "bridge over nothing," it later became part of I-85 exit 87), truncating Temp I-85 south-end near Lexington. In 1984, I-85 was completed on new primary routing between Lexington and Greensboro; Temp I-85 was replaced by I-85 Business.