Greensboro Urban Loop

Infobox road
marker_

state=NC
highway_name=Painter Boulevard
alternate_name=Greensboro Urban Loop
maint=NCDOT


length_mi=14.4
length_ref=
established=2004; To be completed: 2014
direction_a=West
terminus_a=Bryan Boulevard in Greensboro
junction=jct|state=NC|I|40|US|421|dab2=Greensboro in Greensboro
jct|state=NC|I|85|BL|85|US|29|dab2=Greensboro in Greensboro
jct|state=NC|I|73 (Future)|US|220 in Greensboro
jct|state=NC|I|40|I|85|BL|85|dab2=Greensboro in Greensboro
direction_b=East
terminus_b=jct|state=NC|US|70 in Greensboro

The Greensboro Urban Loop (also known as Painter Boulevard) is a planned 41-mile (66 km) beltway around Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. The loop carries Interstate 40(Until 9/12/08) along the southern portion, Interstate 85 on its southeastern section, and Interstate 73 from U.S. 220 to Bryan Boulevard along the west side of Greensboro. Finally, it will carry Interstate 785 from I-40/I-85 east of downtown to U.S. 29.

The parts of Urban Loop that are currently open are:
*the southern half (signed as Interstate 73 on the southwest section, and Interstate 85 on the southeast section);
*a portion of Future I-840 that runs 2 miles (3 km) from I-40/I-85 east of downtown to U.S. 70;
*a convert|3|mi|km|sing=on section of I-840 ( [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
] with I-73) on the west, between I-40 and Bryan Boulevard, which will provide 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 is completed on the southwest part of the beltway, which opened February 21, 2008. The next section to be constructed is between U.S. 70 and U.S. 29, to begin in 2013. Work on the remaining section, between Bryan Boulevard and U.S. 29, is currently not scheduled to begin until at least 2014.

This is one of five freeway corridors in the Greensboro area to include the word "Boulevard" in its name. What is now Business I-85 is also known as Preddy Boulevard, what was once Business I-40 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 U.S. 29 east of downtown Greensboro.

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. [http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/Departments/Planning/annexation/archive.htm] [http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/B0B43ADB-2342-4743-B253-AABE557A6058/0/PB21605ELeeDOT.pdf]

A small portion of Interstate 73 is completed and signed along the Urban Loop, and there is a wrong-way concurrency with Interstate 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 prevent confusion.

I-40 Relocation

On September 12, 2008, eight months after Interstate 40 was rerouted onto the Urban Loop, after complaints by residents on the confusion between Interstate 40 (blue shield) and Business 40 (green shield) through Greensboro and the resulting increased traffic, officials received permission from the FHWA to restore Interstate 40 back to its original route through the city, decommission Business 40 through Greensboro, and leaving I-73 and I-85 signed along the loop. Exit numbers and mile posts will reflect I-73 mileage from the US 220 interchange to the I-40 interchange, and US 421 will travel on a large portion of this segment. [https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/pio/releases/details.aspx?r=1854]

Exit list

This exit list covers the entire Greensboro Urban Loop that is constructed so far. [ [http://www.ncdot.org/projects/greensborourbanloop/gallery/gallery1.html NCDOT: Greensboro Urban Loop, Project Photos ] ] [ [http://www.ncdot.org/projects/greensborourbanloop/gallery/gallery2.html NCDOT: Greensboro Urban Loop, Project Photos ] ] [ [http://www.ncdot.org/_includes/download/external.html?pdf=http%3A//www.ncdot.org/projects/greensborourbanloop/download/maps.pdf NCDOT: Pdf Document ] ]

Interstate 840

Infobox road
state=NC
route=840 (Future)
type=I


maint=
length_mi=5
length_round=0
length_ref= [ [http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-840_nc.html Interstate 840 North Carolina -Greensboro Loop AARoads.com] ]
year_established=Summer 2007 (planned)
direction_a=West
terminus_a=Jct|state=NC|I|40|I|73 in Greensboro, NC
junction=Bryan Boulevard in Greensboro----Jct|state=NC|US|70 in Greensboro
direction_b=East
terminus_b=Jct|state=NC|I|40|I|85|BL|85|dab1=Greensboro in Greensboro, NC
previous_type=NC
previous_route=801
next_type=NC
next_route=901

Interstate 840 (abbreviated I-840) is a planned 21-mile (34 km) east-west auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System, forming the northern half of a beltway around Greensboro, North Carolina.

The only parts of I-840 that are currently open are a segment running 2 miles (3 km) from I-40/I-85 east of downtown north (signed west) to U.S. 70 and a 3-mile (5 km) stretch on the west side between I-40 and Bryan Boulevard which was opened on 18 December 2007. This section will provide better access to the PTI airport. [http://www.digtriad.com/news/local_state/article.aspx?storyid=94695&catid=57] Both are signed as Future Interstate 840 (the western section is also signed as Future Interstate 73) with a FUTURE plate above the shield, due to neither section connecting to any significant roadways. The next section to be constructed is from US 70 north (west) to US 29, this is to start in 2011. The rest of I-840 is not set to be finished until at least 2015.

When Interstate 785 is completed it will use the portion of I-840 from US 29 south to reach I-85. It will be the second occurrence in the nation of two three-digit interstates running concurrently, the other being Interstates 271 and 480 near Cleveland, Ohio.

ee also

*
*
*
* Bryan Boulevard
* Death Valley (North Carolina)
* I-85 Corridor
* Winston-Salem Beltway
* Charlotte Beltway
* Raleigh Beltline
* Raleigh Outerbelt

References

External links

* [http://www.gribblenation.com/ncpics/gso/ The Greensboro Urban Loop@All Things Carolina!]
* [http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/D7DD8135-4722-4DD9-8281-3CD1EEC3ED49/0/Loop_Interchange_Map.pdf Map of the Greensboro Urban Loop and Interchanges]
* [http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/42032F1A-810F-479B-9E8E-7C47773C2170/0/01_CoverTable_of_ContentsAcknowledgements.pdf Greensboro Urban Area Bicycle, Pedestrian & Greenway Master Plan]
* [http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/4CD2335A-4103-46EF-A3F4-23CBAA4B53CF/0/FY_06_Funding_Authorization.pdf 2006 Funding Authorization]
* [http://www.wfmynews2.com/news/mostpopular/article.aspx?storyid=78085?provider=top Urban Loop Gets Green Light, Expected to Attract Jobs a County Away WFMY News 2 report 1/12/2007 Accessed 1/19/07]