Death Valley (North Carolina)

s and traffic incidents.

One major problem with the highway is that the U.S. Route 29/220/70 southbound lanes merge from the right, and exit to the left. Thus, through traffic on I-40 west and US 29 south (a major route from Virginia to Charlotte) must all merge to the other side of the freeway.

Interstate rerouting

Conditions at Death Valley have improved dramatically. The 2004 completion of the southeastern section of the Greensboro Bypass (Urban Loop) allowed I-85 to be rerouted along this bypass loop, easing traffic through the dangerous stretch. Once the southwestern segment of the Greensboro Urban Loop was completed in 2008, Interstate 40 was also rerouted to the south and the old route through Death Valley became Business I-40(unitll 9/12/2008), further reducing the amount of through traffic. Death Valley is currently tied at six for the record for the most concurrent national routes on a stretch of road in the United States with Interstate 465 in Indiana.

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 leave I-73 and I-85 signed along the loop. Exit numbers and mile posts on the loop 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. Other than the removal of I-40 shields and the addition of US 421, signage on I-85 will remain unchanged.

History

The nickname "Death Valley" was originally given to the 2.5 mile segment of I-85 in Greensboro in 1963 after seven people died in accidents there the previous year. In 1964, the state unveiled a plan to eliminate Death Valley's flaws. After numerous construction projects, conditions improved along the corridor, but the nickname remained. Over the years, increased traffic through the area has given the nickname "Death Valley" new meaning. The nickname is well known by locals, news reporters, and frequent travelers, similar to Malfunction Junction in Knoxville, Tennessee.

ee also

*Greensboro Urban Loop
*Interstate 85 Business
*Interstate 40 Business
*I-85 Corridor

References and external links

* [http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070826/NRSTAFF/70824032 News & Record: New roads, old worries (Aug 26, 2007)]
* [http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060211/NEWSREC0101/602110302/1001/NEWSREC0201 News & Record - Nation's interstates turn 50]
* [http://www.gribblenation.com/ncpics/gso/85bypass.html Gribblenation - Greensboro Bypass Photos]
* [https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/pio/releases/details.aspx?r=1854 NCDOT article on the I-40 relocation (Sept 12, 2008)]