Interstate 240 (North Carolina)

Infobox road
state=NC
route=240
type=I


maint=NCDOT
length_mi=9.14
length_round=2
length_ref= [ [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/table2.htm Route Log - Auxiliary Routes of the Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways - Table 2] ]
established=Mid-1970s [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/i240.html Kurumi - I-240] ]
direction_a=West
terminus_a=jct|state=NC|I|26|I|40|US|74 near Asheville, NC
junction=Jct|state=NC|US|19|US|23|US|74 in Asheville, NC
jct|state=NC|I|26|US|19|US|23|US|70 in Asheville, NC
direction_b=East
terminus_b=jct|state=NC|I|40|US|74 in eastern Asheville
previous_type=NC
previous_route=231
next_type=NC
next_route=251

Interstate 240 (abbreviated I-240) is a convert|9|mi|km|sing=on long interstate highway loop in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It serves as an urban connector encircling the heart of Asheville. Interstate 40 runs in an east-west direction south of downtown, paralleling the French Broad River, while I-240 runs in a half-circle around to the north. The western segment of I-240 is now being renumbered as Interstate 26 as part of a larger project extending I-26 from its former western terminus at I-40/I-240 to I-81 near Kingsport, Tennessee.

A construction project dubbed the [http://www.ncdot.org/projects/I26Connector/maps.html I-26 Connector] is currently underway to build a straighter path of I-26 through Asheville, bypassing the I-240/US 19/23/70 interchange. A major part of this project will be constructing a new interstate-standard bridge across the French Broad River. Additionally, current plans call for I-240 in west Asheville to be expanded from 4 lanes to 8 lanes [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/i240.html Kurmi - I-240] ] .

Years prior to the loop's completion, I-240 was known as Interstate 140; however, no signage was ever posted for I-140. The I-140 designation has now been given to a spur route in Wilmington.

Route description

I-240 passes near the Biltmore Estate and the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

Exit list

Numbers begin on the west side of Asheville and ends on the east side of the city. The entire route is in Buncombe County, Asheville

References