Misplaced Pages

#285714

150-636: Interstate 85 ( I-85 ) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs 666.05 miles (1,071.90 km) from Montgomery, Alabama , to Petersburg, Virginia . In the U.S. state of North Carolina , I-85 crosses the entire state from southwest to northeast (though is signed north–south), at the South Carolina state line near Grover to the Virginia state line near Wise . Running for over 231.23 miles (372.13 km),

300-535: A concurrency or overlap. For example, I‑75 and I‑85 share the same roadway in Atlanta ; this 7.4-mile (11.9 km) section, called the Downtown Connector , is labeled both I‑75 and I‑85. Concurrencies between Interstate and US Highway numbers are also allowed in accordance with AASHTO policy, as long as the length of the concurrency is reasonable. In rare instances, two highway designations sharing

450-583: A 13.8-mile segment between Greensboro and Whitsett , an 18.3-mile segment between Henderson and the Virginia line, and the last section being a 22.2-mile segment between Whitsett and Efland . A section of I-85 from the end of the "Charlotte Bypass" to the NC 273 interchange near Belmont was planned to open on December 1 by the end of the year. This section of the Interstate had an estimated cost of $ 3 million with

600-651: A 28-year-old brevet lieutenant colonel, accompanied the trip "through darkest America with truck and tank," as he later described it. Some roads in the West were a "succession of dust, ruts, pits, and holes." As the landmark 1916 law expired, new legislation was passed—the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 (Phipps Act). This new road construction initiative once again provided for federal matching funds for road construction and improvement, $ 75 million allocated annually. Moreover, this new legislation for

750-474: A 46-mile (74 km) section between West Durham and Greensboro opening to traffic that year. A portion of US 29/US 70 also became I-85 after grade separations and access control were completed and secured. Before the end of the year, several other sections of I-85 were also completed and opened, with a 14-mile (23 km) section of the "Charlotte Bypass", a 15.4-mile segment of the Salisbury Bypass,

900-476: A change in the numbering system as a result of a new policy adopted in 1973. Previously, letter-suffixed numbers were used for long spurs off primary routes; for example, western I‑84 was I‑80N, as it went north from I‑80 . The new policy stated, "No new divided numbers (such as I-35W and I-35E , etc.) shall be adopted." The new policy also recommended that existing divided numbers be eliminated as quickly as possible; however, an I-35W and I-35E still exist in

1050-688: A cost of $ 2 million. However, the segment of I-85 in Durham was still under development, but would open in December 1971, closing the I-85 gap. On December 15, 1970, governor Bob Scott announced that about a year from then, all of I-85 would be completed in the state except for a stretch between Greensboro and Lexington. Scott also announced that by June, the remaining 8 miles (13 km) of the Interstate in North Carolina would be opened. Explaining that

1200-442: A couple more exits before reaching I-785 (its third auxiliary route), I-40 , and I-840 , the former and latter of which have their southern and eastern terminus at I-85 respectively. I-40 merges onto I-85 and the two routes share a rather long concurrency which travels entirely east–west for 31 miles (50 km). I-40/I-85 enters more industrial areas and meets NC 61 before entering Alamance County . It travels right through

1350-584: A half mile paved trail leads from the visitor center around the base of the mountain along the Patriot lines and ascends to the crest where the Loyalists were positioned. The trail passes several monuments, large and small, the earliest dating from 1815, as well as Patrick Ferguson 's grave, giving a good sense of the battleground. The trail is moderately steep in places. As part of the NPS's Centennial Initiative,

1500-515: A highway fencing project during the Interstate's construction began to experiment with safety along the highway. As the first fencing project in the state, the contract price, done by the Butler Brothers of Greensboro, was estimated at a total of $ 103,000. Authorities announced that the fence would be worth the price if it would help cut down the number of accidents along the Interstate. Both sides–north and southbound–would have fencing extend

1650-478: A hybrid interchange containing several flyover ramps. It then traverses the northern part of Charlotte, and the routing through this portion, while it does not serve the central business district of the city directly, does pass through largely suburban and urbanized areas near Uptown . More interchanges with minor but significant thoroughfares through the city such as Graham Street, Sugar Creek Road, and North Tryon Street appear. Here, I-85 turns northward and enters

SECTION 10

#1732801470286

1800-476: A length of approximately 4.7 miles (7.6 km) and ended at NC 273. While the pavement at the interchange had been laid, traffic lights were not installed at the junction with Wilkinson Boulevard yet. The proposal was indefinitely delayed later on due to complications. Although the interchange was mostly complete, construction was still progressing on the south side of the intersection with traffic lights still to be installed. In addition, cold weather had also played

1950-595: A national road grid with the passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 . In 1926, the United States Numbered Highway System was established, creating the first national road numbering system for cross-country travel. The roads were state-funded and maintained, and there were few national standards for road design. United States Numbered Highways ranged from two-lane country roads to multi-lane freeways. After Dwight D. Eisenhower became president in 1953, his administration developed

2100-594: A new project by NCDOT called the "Integrated Corridor Management System" began along I-85 in Mecklenburg and Gaston counties. The project used cameras, electronic signs, and traffic lights that were remote-controlled. This also involved upgrading 94 traffic lights, adding two signs, and placing 11 cameras into the system to help predict any potential accident. In 2024, from the US ;321 interchange to I-485 through Gaston and Mecklenburg counties, due to congestion along

2250-407: A new six-lane section opened, resulting in the "Temporary 85" designation to be dropped. The Interstate had a total mileage of 133.6 miles (215.0 km) through the state, which was more than any other Interstate in North Carolina at the time. From 1969 to 1972, several more segments of I-85 were opened to traffic. On December 22, 1969, an 11.4-mile (18.3 km) section from China Grove to Concord

2400-589: A numbering scheme in which primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, and shorter routes which branch off of longer ones are assigned three-digit numbers where the last two digits match the parent route. The Interstate Highway System is partially financed through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself is funded by a combination of a federal fuel tax and transfers from the Treasury's general fund. Though federal legislation initially banned

2550-491: A proposal for an interstate highway system, eventually resulting in the enactment of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 . Unlike the earlier United States Numbered Highway System, the interstates were designed to be all freeways, with nationally unified standards for construction and signage. While some older freeways were adopted into the system, most of the routes were completely new. In dense urban areas,

2700-559: A report called Toll Roads and Free Roads , "the first formal description of what became the Interstate Highway System" and, in 1944, the similarly themed Interregional Highways . The Interstate Highway System gained a champion in President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was influenced by his experiences as a young Army officer crossing the country in the 1919 Motor Transport Corps convoy that drove in part on

2850-506: A rest area. The highway runs to the south of Kannapolis with several exits available, then the road crosses the Cold Water Creek , which parallels the highway, before entering Rowan County . Passing through a mix of suburban and rural development, the highway approaches Salisbury and US 601 splits from I-85 at exit 75 for Jake Alexander Boulevard. The Interstate then enters Salisbury where it meets US 52 at exit 76 with

3000-523: A ribbon. Upon snipping the ribbon, it officially opened this segment of I-85 that would skirt around the northern portion of Gastonia. By 1965, I-85 from the South Carolina border to Charlotte was complete, while it took until 1970 for the section between Charlotte and Durham to be completed. However, the "Temporary 85" designation would remain on the segment between Lexington and Greensboro until 1984 because there were too many access roads. That year,

3150-418: A role in the delay. However, on January 17, 1961, this link of I-85 between Charlotte and Belmont opened to traffic at approximately 3:30 pm. To control traffic flow, special ultra-sonic vehicle detectors were placed over the Interstate. They were the first vehicle detectors to be used in the North Carolina highway system, and the detectors would count the number of vehicles and regulate the traffic lights along

SECTION 20

#1732801470286

3300-409: A single digit prefixed to the two-digit number of its parent Interstate Highway. Spur routes deviate from their parent and do not return; these are given an odd first digit. Circumferential and radial loop routes return to the parent, and are given an even first digit. Unlike primary Interstates, three-digit Interstates are signed as either east–west or north–south, depending on the general orientation of

3450-691: A single-point urban interchange. US 52 merges onto I-85 and the highway exits Salisbury. At Spencer , I-85/US 52 enters Davidson County and crosses the Yadkin River on the Yadkin River Veterans Memorial Bridge . The route then meets with US 29, US 70 , and NC 150 near the unincorporated community of Linwood at an unusual interchange. The interchange allows for direct access to NC 150 northbound and US 29/US 70 southbound. US 29 and US 70 converge with I-85/US 52 for

3600-801: A speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) because it is a parkway that consists of only one lane per side of the highway. On the other hand, Interstates 15, 80, 84, and 215 in Utah have speed limits as high as 70 mph (115 km/h) within the Wasatch Front , Cedar City , and St. George areas, and I-25 in New Mexico within the Santa Fe and Las Vegas areas along with I-20 in Texas along Odessa and Midland and I-29 in North Dakota along

3750-460: A speed limit of 80 mph (130 km/h). Other Interstates in Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming also have the same high speed limits. In some areas, speed limits on Interstates can be significantly lower in areas where they traverse significantly hazardous areas. The maximum speed limit on I-90 is 50 mph (80 km/h) in downtown Cleveland because of two sharp curves with

3900-409: A study was planned to try and remedy traffic along the corridor after 3 traffic jams occurred at Greensboro, Burlington, and through US 15. Commissioner Cliff Benson announced that an extension of I-40 could be done along a southern route between Durham and Raleigh. Another solution that was thought of was if I-85 could be widened to six lanes between Greensboro and Durham. Problems arose, however, due to

4050-474: A suggested limit of 35 mph (55 km/h) in a heavily congested area; I-70 through Wheeling, West Virginia , has a maximum speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) through the Wheeling Tunnel and most of downtown Wheeling; and I-68 has a maximum speed limit of 40 mph (65 km/h) through Cumberland, Maryland , because of multiple hazards including sharp curves and narrow lanes through

4200-515: A total of about 18 miles (29 km). Fencing would not be required if the highway passed over steep cuts or high fills. There were two types of fencing that would be used. Near interchanges and through cities, heavy chain-link fencing would be placed. On the northern and western ends, woven wire fastened to wooden posts would have barbed wire both top and bottom. The project was estimated to use over 47,000 feet (14,000 m) of chain-link and 55,000 feet (17,000 m) of woven wire. In December 1971,

4350-417: A very brief distance, about two miles (3.2 km), before I-85 reaches an interchange that is accessible northbound only: I-285 . At this point, all three U.S. Highways that overlapped I-85 leave the Interstate, with I-85 continuing on its own again. After the interchange, I-85 passes underneath the bridge, turning slightly east for one mile (1.6 km), and intersects NC 47 (Hargrave Road). Because

4500-543: Is also commonly believed the Interstate Highway System was built for the sole purpose of evacuating cities in the event of nuclear warfare . While military motivations were present, the primary motivations were civilian. The numbering scheme for the Interstate Highway System was developed in 1957 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The association's present numbering policy dates back to August 10, 1973. Within

4650-757: Is known as the Bob Timberlake Freeway after the artist of the same name . On mile marker 96 to 102, I-85 is known as the Richard Childress Freeway after the NASCAR driver . At Alamance Church Road (exit 128) to the I-40 interchange (exit 131), I-85 is known as the Congressman J. Howard Coble Highway, signed on December 1, 2016, after Howard Coble , who represented North Carolina's 6th congressional district for over 30 years. From

Interstate 85 in North Carolina - Misplaced Pages Continue

4800-686: Is known as the Dr. John H. Franklin Highway, named after John Hope Franklin , an American historian and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom . This name was approved on October 5, 2017. Between Flemingtown Road (exit 220) to the Vance/Warren county line, the Interstate is known as the Andrea L. Harris Highway after Andrea Harris, a civil rights activist from the state. This designation

4950-721: Is often congested due to the lanes merging into one. Drivers wanting to access I-77 can get off at the interchange, or simply keep driving on I-85 to reach the Charlotte Douglas International Airport . A couple of miles later, I-85 has an exit for the airport via Little Rock Road at a single-point urban interchange (SPUI) and enters the city of Charlotte . It has an interchange with Billy Graham Parkway , as well as two more single-point urban interchanges with NC 27 (Freedom Drive) and NC 16 (Brookshire Boulevard). I-85 then directly intersects with I-77 and US 21 at mile marker 38 with

5100-438: Is shown on a plaque, and most sources have used the date), but the lanes were not as wide as federal standards required, and the road had a sharp curve north of the bridge. Both of these characteristics saved money, and the bridge, finished a year earlier, was grandfathered despite not meeting standards. The very first stretch of I-85 would later be completed, an 11.3-mile (18.2 km) segment through Mecklenburg County. Known as

5250-480: Is to have the highway route extend from Tamaulipas , Mexico to Ontario , Canada. The planned I-11 will then bridge the Interstate gap between Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada , and thus form part of the CANAMEX Corridor (along with I-19 , and portions of I-10 and I-15 ) between Sonora , Mexico and Alberta , Canada. Political opposition from residents canceled many freeway projects around

5400-549: The Catawba River on the Cameron Morrison Bridge, entering Mecklenburg County . Right after entering Mecklenburg County, I-85 reaches a weigh station occasionally serving trucks in both directions. Crossing through more suburban development, the Interstate passes right next to the station building for Fox affiliate WJZY . After that, I-85 meets I-485 at a stack interchange . This portion of I-85

5550-592: The Concord Mills Mall and Charlotte Motor Speedway . Several miles later, it has a diverging diamond interchange with NC 73 and then crosses Coddle Creek . It meets US 29 a second time as well as US 601 nearing Kannapolis , the exit of which US 29 provides access to the North Carolina Research Campus . US 601 merges onto I-85, forming another concurrency as the two routes continue northward and meet

5700-474: The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Texas, and an I-35W and I-35E that run through Minneapolis and Saint Paul , Minnesota, still exist. Additionally, due to Congressional requirements, three sections of I-69 in southern Texas will be divided into I-69W , I-69E , and I-69C (for Central). AASHTO policy allows dual numbering to provide continuity between major control points. This is referred to as

5850-552: The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 into law. Under the act, the federal government would pay for 90 percent of the cost of construction of Interstate Highways. Each Interstate Highway was required to be a freeway with at least four lanes and no at-grade crossings. The publication in 1955 of the General Location of National System of Interstate Highways , informally known as the Yellow Book , mapped out what became

6000-630: The Grand Forks area have higher speed limits of 75 mph (120 km/h). As one of the components of the National Highway System , Interstate Highways improve the mobility of military troops to and from airports, seaports, rail terminals, and other military bases. Interstate Highways also connect to other roads that are a part of the Strategic Highway Network , a system of roads identified as critical to

6150-802: The Interstate Highway System , or the Eisenhower Interstate System , is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States . The system extends throughout the contiguous United States and has routes in Hawaii , Alaska , and Puerto Rico . In the 20th century, the United States Congress began funding roadways through the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , and started an effort to construct

Interstate 85 in North Carolina - Misplaced Pages Continue

6300-529: The Lincoln Highway , the first road across America. He recalled that, "The old convoy had started me thinking about good two-lane highways... the wisdom of broader ribbons across our land." Eisenhower also gained an appreciation of the Reichsautobahn system, the first "national" implementation of modern Germany's Autobahn network, as a necessary component of a national defense system while he

6450-574: The Saponi and Occaneechi , often trading with the Cherokee and Catawba tribes, both of whom were enemies at the time. While the path was rather narrow and made by animals, it later became much easier to navigate through. Starting with the Europeans' arrival in the 1670s, the fur trade boomed and increased the demand for furs, leading the trail to become a wagon road in the 1740s. Beginning in what

6600-507: The Tar River and comes to another rest area. It meets US 15 at another interchange just near mile marker 202 nearing Oxford. Interchanges with NC 96 and US 158 immediately follow, then I-85 cuts into Vance County . It immediately reaches the city limits of Henderson before meeting up with US 158 (Dabney Drive), and US 158 merges on I-85 to follow a short concurrency with it. The highway intersects NC 39 ,

6750-506: The US Department of Defense . The system has also been used to facilitate evacuations in the face of hurricanes and other natural disasters. An option for maximizing traffic throughput on a highway is to reverse the flow of traffic on one side of a divider so that all lanes become outbound lanes. This procedure, known as contraflow lane reversal , has been employed several times for hurricane evacuations. After public outcry regarding

6900-470: The US Highways , which increase from east to west and north to south). This numbering system usually holds true even if the local direction of the route does not match the compass directions. Numbers divisible by five are intended to be major arteries among the primary routes, carrying traffic long distances. Primary north–south Interstates increase in number from I-5 between Canada and Mexico along

7050-502: The University City area. it meets NC 24 (Harris Boulevard) in this stretch, crosses Mallard Creek , and has an interchange with I-485 again, this time at a turbine interchange . I-85 then crosses into Cabarrus County , immediately entering the city of Concord and dense commercial development. It passes exit 49 (Bruton Smith Boulevard/Concord Mills Boulevard), which provides access for several major attractions such as

7200-553: The West Coast to I‑95 between Canada and Miami, Florida along the East Coast . Major west–east arterial Interstates increase in number from I-10 between Santa Monica, California , and Jacksonville, Florida , to I-90 between Seattle, Washington , and Boston, Massachusetts , with two exceptions. There are no I-50 and I-60, as routes with those numbers would likely pass through states that currently have US Highways with

7350-474: The "Charlotte Bypass" at the time, this portion of the Interstate was fully opened to traffic on September 9, 1958. At the time, I-85 only served as a bypass of Charlotte, and was also referred to as the "US 29 bypass". Since I-85 was nothing more than a few segments of eleven and twelve-mile stretches, service stations were not far away by any means. Green guide signs were also erected to warn of any upcoming access roads ahead in case travelers would want to exit off

7500-611: The American man and women. The whole speech can be read here . A year after Hoover gave his speech, a monument was erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution , which simply states "ON THIS SITE / PRESIDENT HOOVER / ADDRESSED AN AUDIENCE OF 75,000 / AT THE CELEBRATION OF THE / SESQUI CENTENNIAL / OF THE BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN," finishing with the date of the address. The monument, placed roughly where Hoover

7650-805: The Battle of Kings Mountain." The park is the terminus of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail commemorating the route of the Patriot army from over the Appalachian Mountains to the battle. The park adjoins Kings Mountain State Park , which offers camping, picnicking and a " living history " farm. It is approximately 30 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina and approximately 60 miles North of Greenville, South Carolina. Kings Mountain can be seen from I-85 North for many miles. A one and

SECTION 50

#1732801470286

7800-535: The British, bringing their total force to about 1,400. The army resumed marching on October 1, however, they stopped due to heavy rains, which continued on in to the next day. After roughly an hour of combat the Patriot forces defeated the British, and took nearly 700 prisoners. Kings Mountain National Military Park was established on March 3, 1931 by an act of Congress: "in order to commemorate

7950-576: The Congress Hotel in Chicago. In the plan, Mehren proposed a 50,000-mile (80,000 km) system, consisting of five east–west routes and 10 north–south routes. The system would include two percent of all roads and would pass through every state at a cost of $ 25,000 per mile ($ 16,000/km), providing commercial as well as military transport benefits. In 1919, the US Army sent an expedition across

8100-472: The Durham area. I-85 Bus. served as a partial controlled-access highway, bypassing Lexington , Thomasville , and going through central High Point , along with an extended stretch bypassing downtown Greensboro. The route was decommissioned in 2019, with signage for I-85 Bus. remaining until 2024, however. Interstate Highway System [REDACTED] The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways , commonly known as

8250-537: The Great Trading Path had become a major thoroughfare through the state, with lots of cargo being transported. The amount of commerce brought through the route continued into the present day, where the road would then become known as I-85. Parts of I-85 were already constructed before federal aid was available in the 1950s, as the state had been constructing sections of the Interstate Highway System since 1949. The Lexington Bypass north of Lexington —which at

8400-665: The Guilford−Alamance county line to east of NC 54 in Graham, I-85, concurrent with I-40, is known as the Sam Hunt Freeway, named after R. Samuel Hunt , a representative for North Carolina's 25th House district as well as the Secretary for NCDOT. This designation was approved on September 5, 1997. From Cole Mill Road (exit 173) to its interchange with US 70 (exit 178) in Durham, I-85, concurrent with US 70,

8550-506: The Henderson bypass was finished and the "missing link" from Durham to Henderson was still in construction but opens the year after, he noted that just 20 miles (32 km) of Interstate Highway built in a state costed a total of $ 19 million, or about $ 1 million every mile, but explained that interstate highways were much safer than regular highways. Through September 1971, another 7-mile (11 km) section of I-85 from Oxford to Henderson

8700-814: The I-77/US ;21 interchange and the I-85 Connector (exit 42) in Charlotte, the route is known as the Julius Chambers Highway, named in honor of Julius L. Chambers . From Charlotte to the Mecklenburg/Cabarrus county line, the route is known as the Jeff Gordon Expressway after NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon . This section of the highway was signed on May 25, 2012. From mile marker 92 to 96, the Interstate

8850-407: The Interstate Highway System. Assisting in the planning was Charles Erwin Wilson , who was still head of General Motors when President Eisenhower selected him as Secretary of Defense in January 1953. Some sections of highways that became part of the Interstate Highway System actually began construction earlier. Three states have claimed the title of first Interstate Highway. Missouri claims that

9000-424: The Interstate Highway program. The Interstates of Alaska and Puerto Rico are numbered sequentially in order of funding without regard to the rules on odd and even numbers. They also carry the prefixes A and PR , respectively. However, these highways are signed according to their local designations, not their Interstate Highway numbers. Furthermore, these routes were neither planned according to nor constructed to

9150-422: The Interstate meets US 74 at a weave interchange and US 29 splits off from I-85 for US 74 east. At this point, I-85 crosses into Gaston County . It enters suburban areas and traffic begins increasing from here. The Interstate then reaches Gastonia and has an exit for NC 274 (Bessemer City Road). Then it has a major interchange with US 321 , signed north for Lincolnton and south for

SECTION 60

#1732801470286

9300-464: The Interstate, the lanes are being widened to accommodate larger amounts of traffic. The I-85 Corridor Improvement Project , located in Rowan and Davidson counties, was a two-phase project to replace the narrow bridge over the Yadkin River and widen the freeway from four to eight lanes. In the first phase, all traffic from the old bridge moved to a new $ 201-million (equivalent to $ 264 million in 2023) bridge in August 2012. The second phase of

9450-461: The Interstate. The opening of the section joined all sections north of Durham, resulting in a trip taking approximately 35 minutes from the city to Henderson. The completion of I-85 in this area officially connected the Interstate as a 235-mile (378 km) route through North Carolina. Since its completion, many widening projects have been undertaken on I-85, particularly along the stretch of highway between Gastonia and Durham. On December 19, 1958,

9600-419: The Interstate. To mitigate stress and panic, the common I-85 interstate shield with the colors red, white, and blue would occasionally show up to keep drivers relaxed, calm, and figuring out which way they were going. In 1960, I-85 underwent major renovations, with its first finished section in that year being an 18-mile (29 km) segment within Vance and Warren counties, with the next segment after that being

9750-495: The Southern Campaign, Clinton returned to New York, where much of the British high command was. Clinton's instructions were to first finish off South Carolina, and then move north, to North Carolina , followed by Virginia . After the defeat at Charleston, Colonel Abraham Buford , whose force of 400 Virginians had been too late to help defend Charleston, decided to take his troops and head back to Virginia. In late May, his troops were intercepted by Colonel Tarleton 's troops. When

9900-506: The US to determine the difficulties that military vehicles would have on a cross-country trip. Leaving from the Ellipse near the White House on July 7, the Motor Transport Corps convoy needed 62 days to drive 3,200 miles (5,100 km) on the Lincoln Highway to the Presidio of San Francisco along the Golden Gate . The convoy suffered many setbacks and problems on the route, such as poor-quality bridges, broken crankshafts, and engines clogged with desert sand. Dwight Eisenhower , then

10050-443: The US 1 interchange near Henderson and Middleburg. I-85 for most of its length in the state is generally a four to eight-lane configuration, with the exception of Durham, where it widens to ten lanes briefly. All of I-85 is a part of the National Highway System , a network of roads important for the country's economy, defense, and mobility. I-85 enters Cleveland County, North Carolina from Cherokee County, South Carolina , near

10200-631: The United States, including: In addition to cancellations, removals of freeways are planned: The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has defined a set of standards that all new Interstates must meet unless a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is obtained. One almost absolute standard is the controlled access nature of the roads. With few exceptions , traffic lights (and cross traffic in general) are limited to toll booths and ramp meters (metered flow control for lane merging during rush hour ). Being freeways , Interstate Highways usually have

10350-413: The act was signed, and paving started September 26, 1956. The state marked its portion of I-70 as the first project in the United States completed under the provisions of the new Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The Pennsylvania Turnpike could also be considered one of the first Interstate Highways, and is nicknamed "Grandfather of the Interstate System". On October 1, 1940, 162 miles (261 km) of

10500-399: The cancellation of the Somerset Freeway . This situation was remedied when the construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project started in 2010 and partially opened on September 22, 2018, which was already enough to fill the gap. However, I-70 remains discontinuous in Pennsylvania , because of the lack of a direct interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike at

10650-406: The choice of routing destroyed many well-established neighborhoods, often intentionally as part of a program of " urban renewal ". In the two decades following the 1956 Highway Act, the construction of the freeways displaced one million people, and as a result of the many freeway revolts during this era, several planned Interstates were abandoned or re-routed to avoid urban cores. Construction of

10800-400: The city of Thomasville , where I-85 meets NC 109 . It crosses into Randolph County as it enters the city of Archdale and intersects NC 62 . I-85 enters High Point and has a parclo interchange with I-74 and the former routing of US 311 . The exits are signed east for Asheboro and west for Winston-Salem . I-85 then passes through another forest with more trees lining

10950-566: The city's main business district. Traffic from US 321 south before 2017 was often congested due to I-85, and a new interchange was developed to help relieve it. Past it, I-85 turns southeast, then east as it goes through more suburban and residential areas of the city. Along here, it intersects more state highways serving as Gastonia's main thoroughfares, including NC 7 (Ozark Avenue), NC 279 (New Hope Road), and NC 7 (McAdenville Road/Main Street) again; NC 7 provides access to

11100-453: The city, which was often congested and avoid over 22 traffic lights along the road. On January 10, 1964, the dedication of the I-85 link officially began with federal highway administrator Rex M. Whitton giving a rather short dedication speech. He noted that this link of I-85 was part of 107 miles (172 km) of the entire Interstate's length in North Carolina. A ribbon-cutting ceremony then commenced with Whitton and his wife being driven to

11250-664: The city. In some locations, low speed limits are the result of lawsuits and resident demands; after holding up the completion of I-35E in St. Paul, Minnesota , for nearly 30 years in the courts, residents along the stretch of the freeway from the southern city limit to downtown successfully lobbied for a 45 mph (70 km/h) speed limit in addition to a prohibition on any vehicle weighing more than 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) gross vehicle weight . I-93 in Franconia Notch State Park in northern New Hampshire has

11400-401: The collection of tolls, some Interstate routes are toll roads , either because they were grandfathered into the system or because subsequent legislation has allowed for tolling of Interstates in some cases. As of 2022 , about one quarter of all vehicle miles driven in the country used the Interstate Highway System, which has a total length of 48,890 miles (78,680 km). In 2022 and 2023,

11550-468: The commanding officers decided to change their route. The men traveled on a couple more days, until stopping at Gillespie's Gap to divide their troops in case of a British ambush. After dividing their troops, the now-separated forces marched on, until they met again on September 30. Later, men from Wilkes County and Surry County, North Carolina joined the so-called Overmountain Men on their march towards

11700-507: The construction and improvement of highways. The nation's revenue needs associated with World War I prevented any significant implementation of this policy, which expired in 1921. In December 1918, E. J. Mehren, a civil engineer and the editor of Engineering News-Record , presented his "A Suggested National Highway Policy and Plan" during a gathering of the State Highway Officials and Highway Industries Association at

11850-407: The contiguous United States, primary Interstates—also called main line Interstates or two-digit Interstates—are assigned numbers less than 100. While numerous exceptions do exist, there is a general scheme for numbering Interstates. Primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, while shorter routes (such as spurs, loops, and short connecting roads) are assigned three-digit numbers where

12000-556: The derelict feelings of many southerners, enough patriotism was stirred to gather a small contingent of men to defend the Kings Mountain area. Despite reported ankle-deep snow during their march, the men continued to train and march on. After stopping for a lunch break at the Roan Highlands , it was discovered that two men with tory leanings were missing. Deciding that the British may be closer than originally thought,

12150-623: The discontinuity, but they have been blocked by local opposition, fearing a loss of business. The Interstate Highway System has been expanded numerous times. The expansions have both created new designations and extended existing designations. For example, I-49 , added to the system in the 1980s as a freeway in Louisiana , was designated as an expansion corridor, and FHWA approved the expanded route north from Lafayette, Louisiana , to Kansas City, Missouri . The freeway exists today as separate completed segments, with segments under construction or in

12300-448: The dissemination of public information. As a result, the 2005 evacuation of New Orleans, Louisiana, prior to Hurricane Katrina ran much more smoothly. According to urban legend , early regulations required that one out of every five miles of the Interstate Highway System must be built straight and flat, so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war. There is no evidence of this rule being included in any Interstate legislation. It

12450-496: The eastern end of the concurrency near Breezewood . Traveling in either direction, I-70 traffic must exit the freeway and use a short stretch of US 30 (which includes a number of roadside services) to rejoin I-70. The interchange was not originally built because of a legacy federal funding rule, since relaxed, which restricted the use of federal funds to improve roads financed with tolls. Solutions have been proposed to eliminate

12600-450: The economy. Not just as a public works measure, but for future growth. Clay's committee proposed a 10-year, $ 100 billion program ($ 1.13 trillion in 2023), which would build 40,000 miles (64,000 km) of divided highways linking all American cities with a population of greater than 50,000. Eisenhower initially preferred a system consisting of toll roads , but Clay convinced Eisenhower that toll roads were not feasible outside of

12750-555: The existing, largely non-freeway, United States Numbered Highways system. By the late 1930s, planning had expanded to a system of new superhighways. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave Thomas MacDonald , chief at the Bureau of Public Roads, a hand-drawn map of the United States marked with eight superhighway corridors for study. In 1939, Bureau of Public Roads Division of Information chief Herbert S. Fairbank wrote

12900-440: The fact that if an Interstate was completed, it would be the state's responsibility to maintain the corridor. Due to this, engineers said that the widening of I-85 would possibly only be completed around 1976 or 1978. By 1988, widening I-85 to six lanes from Greensboro to Burlington was being considered. The plan was later changed to eight lanes. The $ 175-million (equivalent to $ 374 million in 2023) project began in 1989. With

13050-421: The family were killed in the accident involving five cars. 11 others, including 5 children, were badly injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. On May 31, 2023, a large tractor-trailer hit and damaged the NC 86 bridge (exit 165) over I-85. While the crash did not cause any damage to I-85 itself, the southbound lanes were closed for several days to repair and maintain the bridge while directing traffic along

13200-426: The federal government, Interstate Highways are owned by the state in which they were built. With few exceptions , all Interstates must meet specific standards , such as having controlled access, physical barriers or median strips between lanes of oncoming traffic, breakdown lanes , avoiding at-grade intersections , no traffic lights , and complying with federal traffic sign specifications. Interstate Highways use

13350-515: The first three contracts under the new program were signed in Missouri on August 2, 1956. The first contract signed was for upgrading a section of US Route 66 to what is now designated Interstate 44 . On August 13, 1956, work began on US 40 (now I-70) in St. Charles County. Kansas claims that it was the first to start paving after the act was signed. Preliminary construction had taken place before

13500-614: The first time sought to target these funds to the construction of a national road grid of interconnected "primary highways", setting up cooperation among the various state highway planning boards. The Bureau of Public Roads asked the Army to provide a list of roads that it considered necessary for national defense. In 1922, General John J. Pershing , former head of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe during

13650-509: The heart of Burlington and large commercial areas upon mile marker 141, intersecting several of the city's main state highways, including NC 62 again, NC 49 , NC 87 , and NC 54 , then crosses the Haw River . Past a diverging diamond interchange with NC 119 (Mebane-Oaks Road), the highway enters Orange County and reaches another truck weigh station. I-40 then splits off southeast from I-85 to serve Chapel Hill ,

13800-556: The highest speed limits in a given area. Speed limits are determined by individual states. From 1975 to 1986, the maximum speed limit on any highway in the United States was 55 miles per hour (90 km/h), in accordance with federal law. Typically, lower limits are established in Northeastern and coastal states, while higher speed limits are established in inland states west of the Mississippi River . For example,

13950-553: The highly populated coastal regions. In February 1955, Eisenhower forwarded Clay's proposal to Congress. The bill quickly won approval in the Senate, but House Democrats objected to the use of public bonds as the means to finance construction. Eisenhower and the House Democrats agreed to instead finance the system through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself would be funded by a gasoline tax. In June 1956, Eisenhower signed

14100-484: The highway makes its way across Falls Lake . US 15 departs I-85 at mile marker 186 to serve the town and city of Butner and Creedmoor respectively, whereas I-85 bypasses these areas but still contains some exits leading to Butner. From here to Oxford , US 15 parallels I-85. The Interstate then intersects NC 56 outside of Butner and continues to make its way through the forest for about 10 miles (16 km) without any other interchanges. I-85 then crosses

14250-617: The highway now designated I‑70 and I‑76 opened between Irwin and Carlisle . The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania refers to the turnpike as the Granddaddy of the Pikes, a reference to turnpikes . Milestones in the construction of the Interstate Highway System include: The initial cost estimate for the system was $ 25 billion over 12 years; it ended up costing $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 425 billion in 2006 or $ 618 billion in 2023 ) and took 35 years. The system

14400-411: The highway was often nicknamed "the missing link," considered as one of the deadliest roads in the state. The opening resulted in most of I-85 being interstate standard and four-laned. Initially in December 1970, the 2.3-mile (3.7 km) stretch in Henderson as well as the 11-mile (18 km) segment from Oxford to Henderson costed a total of $ 30 million, which was a part of the "missing link" segment of

14550-459: The inefficiency of evacuating from southern Louisiana prior to Hurricane Georges ' landfall in September 1998, government officials looked towards contraflow to improve evacuation times. In Savannah, Georgia , and Charleston, South Carolina , in 1999, lanes of I-16 and I-26 were used in a contraflow configuration in anticipation of Hurricane Floyd with mixed results. In 2004, contraflow

14700-608: The interchange ramps. There are four auxiliary routes and one business loop in the state. I-285 runs concurrently with US 52 connecting I-85 to I-40 in the Winston-Salem metropolitan area. I-485 forms a beltway around Charlotte , serving as a bypass for I-85 and I-77. I-785 serves as a spur route, forming a portion of the eastern part of the Greensboro Urban Loop and in the future will connect to Danville, Virginia . I-885 connects I-85 to I-40 in

14850-597: The interchange to allow proper traffic safety. The Interstate would later on continue towards the South Carolina state line by avoiding Gastonia to the north. On December 9, 1963, the County Commissioner of the state received a letter notifying that the Gastonia link of I-85 would be set for dedication on January 10. This link of I-85 would allow drivers to bypass Franklin Boulevard, the main street through

15000-541: The interchange, while US 421 joins I-85 from I-73 in a wrong-way concurrency . Because I-85 was rerouted around Greensboro after February 2004, it now follows the southern half of the Greensboro Urban Loop . Leaving the massive interchange, I-85/US 421 stays connected for just four miles (6.4 km) before US 421 departs the concurrency at exit 126 to head southeast for Sanford . Meanwhile, I-85 maintains its northeastward track and passes by

15150-431: The last two digits match the parent route (thus, I-294 is a loop that connects at both ends to I-94 , while I-787 is a short spur route attached to I-87 ). In the numbering scheme for the primary routes, east–west highways are assigned even numbers and north–south highways are assigned odd numbers. Odd route numbers increase from west to east, and even-numbered routes increase from south to north (to avoid confusion with

15300-517: The left side of the road. The reversed lanes of I-85 then pass over Squire Bowers Road and reach a rest area, as well as access to the North Carolina Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park. Once the reversed lanes of the Interstate cross Johnsontown Road, the northbound lanes pass above the southbound lanes and return to the normal direction (right side of the road). The forest gradually thins out and gives way to

15450-629: The main Catawba River between Gaston and Mecklenburg counties is known as the Cameron Morrison Bridge, which was named after Cameron A. Morrison , the 55th governor of North Carolina and known as the Good Roads Governor. It was signed on March 11, 1983. Despite the naming of the bridge, it has sparked controversy due to Morrison being remembered for leading the Red Shirts group. NCDOT has not announced any new petitions to change

15600-422: The main exit for Henderson, then US 158 splits off from the concurrency shortly after. At mile marker 218, I-85 has a southbound exit for US 1 , which begins paralleling it for the rest of the Interstate's length through the state. I-85 passes just west of Middleburg and has a parclo interchange with US 1/US 158 (Flemingtown Road) for the town of Norlina . I-85 then enters its final county in

15750-454: The mainline. Some auxiliary highways do not follow these guidelines, however. The Interstate Highway System also extends to Alaska , Hawaii , and Puerto Rico , even though they have no direct land connections to any other states or territories. However, their residents still pay federal fuel and tire taxes. The Interstates in Hawaii, all located on the most populous island of Oahu , carry

15900-753: The maximum speed limit is 75 mph (120 km/h) in northern Maine, varies between 50 and 70 mph (80 and 115 km/h) from southern Maine to New Jersey, and is 50 mph (80 km/h) in New York City and the District of Columbia. Currently, rural speed limits elsewhere generally range from 65 to 80 miles per hour (105 to 130 km/h). Several portions of various highways such as I-10 and I-20 in rural western Texas, I-80 in Nevada between Fernley and Winnemucca (except around Lovelock) and portions of I-15 , I-70 , I-80 , and I-84 in Utah have

16050-613: The median and crosses the Randolph and Guilford branches of the Richland Creek as it enters Guilford County . Just outside Greensboro , it has a southbound interchange with US 29 (and the former routing of US 70) again. US 29 forms a brief concurrency with I-85 before the route enters suburban areas once more and reaches a very large and complex interchange with Groometown Road, Grandover Parkway, I-73 , US 220 , and US 421 . US 29 splits off through

16200-433: The name, but explained that applications could be considered. The path that would eventually be developed into I-85 existed as a long trail running from Petersburg, Virginia all the way to Augusta, Georgia with a distance of over 500 miles (800 km), known as the " Great Trading Path ". Most of this land was unexplored, with animals mainly traveling along it. American Indians had unique ways to mark their path by tying

16350-477: The northern terminus of NC 147 (Durham Freeway), which connects to downtown Durham. I-85/US 70 then reaches the main city center, becoming somewhat urban in nature. It then has an interchange with US 15 and US 501 , which both also join the concurrency. The highway passes a diamond interchange with NC 157 (Guess Road), and then US 501 splits off at Duke Street to head north. The other three highways continue on their way before meeting

16500-404: The number of fatalities on the Interstate Highway System amounted to more than 5,000 people annually, with nearly 5,600 fatalities in 2022. The United States government's efforts to construct a national network of highways began on an ad hoc basis with the passage of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , which provided $ 75 million over a five-year period for matching funds to the states for

16650-544: The official Interstate Highway standards . On one- or two-digit Interstates, the mile marker numbering almost always begins at the southern or western state line. If an Interstate originates within a state, the numbering begins from the location where the road begins in the south or west. As with all guidelines for Interstate routes, however, numerous exceptions exist. Kings Mountain National Military Park The Battle of Kings Mountain

16800-548: The opening of a 2.3-mile (3.7 km) section in Alamance County on November 23, 1994, 21 miles (34 km) of I-85/I-40 were eight lanes. An additional 14 miles (23 km) were to be ready by 1996, giving the Interstate eight lanes to where I-40 turned southward at Hillsborough. In addition, I-85 was relocated in 2004, south of Greensboro, forming part of the Greensboro Urban Loop , allowing through traffic to bypass that city's downtown area. Between 2004 and 2008, I-85

16950-561: The original Interstate Highway System was proclaimed complete in 1992, despite deviations from the original 1956 plan and several stretches that did not fully conform with federal standards . The construction of the Interstate Highway System cost approximately $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 618 billion in 2023). The system has continued to expand and grow as additional federal funding has provided for new routes to be added, and many future Interstate Highways are currently either being planned or under construction. Though heavily funded by

17100-656: The planning phase between them. In 1966, the FHWA designated the entire Interstate Highway System as part of the larger Pan-American Highway System, and at least two proposed Interstate expansions were initiated to help trade with Canada and Mexico spurred by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Long-term plans for I-69 , which currently exists in several separate completed segments (the largest of which are in Indiana and Texas ),

17250-411: The prefix H . There are three one-digit routes in the state ( H-1 , H-2 , and H-3 ) and one auxiliary route ( H-201 ). These Interstates connect several military and naval bases together, as well as the important communities spread across Oahu, and especially within the urban core of Honolulu . Both Alaska and Puerto Rico also have public highways that receive 90 percent of their funding from

17400-415: The previous exit is northbound-only, drivers going southbound must use NC 47 to access I-285. After its interchange with NC 8 (Cotton Grove Road), which is the main exit for Lexington, I-85 enters a large forest and crosses Abbotts Creek , then has an interchange with US 64 . Past Holly Grove Road, the northbound lanes cut under the southbound lanes and cross Hamby Creek, diverting traffic to

17550-538: The process of building the inner lanes easier. Trucks were also required to use these ramps to reduce the number of truckloads that were along the Interstate. Upon completion of the project, this resulted in the Belmont Road interchange (exit 86) being reconstructed and the Clark Road interchange (exit 85) being closed permanently. A study by GPS tracking company Teletrac determined that I-85 in North Carolina

17700-670: The project involved widening the northern segment of I-85 to a length of 3.8 miles (6.1 km). On March 9, 2013, all eight lanes of the I-85 bridge opened to the public. The project finished eight months ahead of schedule and $ 44 million (equivalent to $ 57.7 million in 2023) under budget. In addition to this, it also included placing 1.2 million cubic yards of embankment material, install 4 new miles of storm drainage, and ready about 320,000 square yards of road to add new pavement on it. Storm water would also be controlled by adding and modifying over 1,000 erosion control features. Other features of construction included temporary ramps to make

17850-773: The route include rolling hills and gently sloping terrain of the Appalachian Mountains at its southernmost stretch, the urbanized neighborhoods of the Piedmont cities through the center of North Carolina, and flat farmlands in the northeast towards Virginia. Along its route, the Interstate parallels several other older U.S. Routes for its entire length. It follows US 29 from South Carolina to Greensboro, US 70 from Greensboro to Durham, US 15 from Durham to Oxford , and US 1 from Henderson to Virginia. It shares an extensive concurrency with I-40 from Greensboro to Hillsborough , and has four auxiliary routes : I-285 , I-485 , I-785 , and I-885 . The first segment of I-85 to be complete

18000-537: The route, without regard to the route number. For instance, I-190 in Massachusetts is labeled north–south, while I-195 in New Jersey is labeled east–west. Some looped Interstate routes use inner–outer directions instead of compass directions, when the use of compass directions would create ambiguity. Due to the large number of these routes, auxiliary route numbers may be repeated in different states along

18150-419: The same numbers, which is generally disallowed under highway administration guidelines. Several two-digit numbers are shared between unconnected road segments at opposite ends of the country for various reasons. Some such highways are incomplete Interstates (such as I-69 and I-74 ) and some just happen to share route designations (such as I-76 , I-84 , I‑86 , I-87 , and I-88 ). Some of these were due to

18300-503: The same roadway are signed as traveling in opposite directions; one such wrong-way concurrency is found between Wytheville and Fort Chiswell , Virginia, where I‑81 north and I‑77 south are equivalent (with that section of road traveling almost due east), as are I‑81 south and I‑77 north. Auxiliary Interstate Highways are circumferential, radial, or spur highways that principally serve urban areas . These types of Interstate Highways are given three-digit route numbers, which consist of

18450-407: The sapling of a tree into a knot. Because of this, the top of the tree would always point to the correct direction. Although the tree was located somewhere within the territory of the present Cherokee tribe, authorities determined that the tree was located on or near the Great Trading Path within this area. The path, lesser known as the "Occaneechi Path", was mainly traversed by the two Siouan tribes,

18600-541: The segment of I-85 is the longest of the five states it passes through and the second-longest Interstate Highway in North Carolina after I-40 . From southwest to northeast, I-85 crosses the large Piedmont region through its course in the state. Within this region, the Interstate connects three of the state's four most populous cities, Charlotte , Greensboro , and Durham . I-85 also serves to connect several smaller communities and suburban cities, such as Gastonia , Salisbury , High Point , and Henderson . Landscapes along

18750-425: The small town of Grover . Most of the Interstate for its first few miles passes through gently rolling terrain and is primarily rural in nature. It has its first interchange with NC 216 , which provides access to Kings Mountain National Military Park , with a welcome center shortly after. Later, the southbound lanes have an exit for US 29 , which merges onto I-85 and begins a concurrency. At mile marker 10,

18900-531: The south, especially in the Carolinas. The situation in the southern states was getting desperate. Many people considered giving up Georgia and the Carolinas without a fight. There were few organized forces left in the south. Theodore Roosevelt 's quote, from his book Winning of the West , sums up the situation quite well: "Except for occasional small guerrilla parties, there was not a single organized body of American troops left south of Gates....". Despite

19050-425: The southern portion of Durham and downtown Raleigh while I-85 continues eastward towards northern Durham. The following interchanges of I-85 before Durham County are rather substandard in quality due to the Interstate retaining its original narrow design of four lanes. It meets NC 86 and later US 70, which forms another concurrency once again before entering Durham County. At mile marker 172, it meets

19200-480: The state and designated as a Blue Star Memorial Highway . The Interstate carries an average annual daily traffic volume of approximately 65,000 vehicles a day; roughly 25–40% of that traffic is commercial vehicles. In 2023, the busiest stretch along the Interstate was from the I-77 interchange to Graham Street in Charlotte, which carried a total of 200,529 vehicles per day. The lowest number was 20,224 vehicles per day at

19350-400: The state, Warren County . Before long, it bypasses Manson and continues to go through generally flat farmland and bumpy terrain with no development along the road. Just before leaving North Carolina, I-85 has its final interchange in the state with US 1 and the northern terminus of US 401 near the unincorporated community of Wise , with the southbound lanes then having an exit for

19500-436: The time was signed US 29 and US 70 —is now a part of I-85 Bus . This was part of an 80-mile (130 km) expressway completed in 1955 between Lexington and Hillsborough . One planned road was the Salisbury Bypass, 15 miles (24 km) long with a $ 1-million (equivalent to $ 8.88 million in 2023) 880-foot (270 m) twin-span bridge over the Yadkin River . Construction on the bridge started in 1955 (this date

19650-659: The town of China Grove . Like the prior project, I-85 is being doubled in capacity, expanding from two travel lanes in each direction to four travel lanes in each direction. The project is now complete as of May 2021. The first phase (from exit 55 to exit 63) began in early 2014, and the second phase (from exit 63 to exit 68) began in early 2017. Construction was completed by December 2017, which left I-85 with at least six lanes of highway between exits 10 (US 29 north/US 74—Kings Mountain and Shelby) and 164 (I-40 in Hillsborough). Around November 2021,

19800-683: The town of McAdenville . Just east of McAdenville, I-85 crosses the South Fork River on the William James Pharr Bridge. From here, the Interstate passes through considerably high residential development as it continues on its eastward track to Belmont . The Interstate then has an exit for Belmont at Main Street and passes right off the campus of Belmont Abbey College as it reaches another interchange for Belmont with NC 273 (Beatty Drive) one mile later, then crosses

19950-451: The trail then split in two, with one of them heading for Columbia and the other towards Cherokee land near present-day Augusta. In 1670, John Lederer became the first European to explore the trail and describe it in his writings. In 1700, explorer John Lawson began his journey through the path. The trip took 59 days and covered a distance of over 550 miles (890 km). In 1799, when William Whedbee Kirkland built his house, Ayr Mount ,

20100-406: The trail will be rehabilitated to eliminate the steeper sections of the trail, making it accessible to everyone. On the sesquicentennial of the battle, then- president Herbert Hoover gave a speech commemorating the battle and the monument as "a place of inspiring memories." In the speech, he chronicled the basic history of America, detailing many great things about America, such as the rise of

20250-511: The two forces met, the Battle of Waxhaws ensued. Realizing his force could not win, Buford sent forward a messenger to surrender, however, Buford's requests were ignored. Tarleton wanted to make an example of Buford's troops, and killed 113 of his men, and wounded around 50 so badly that they could not be moved. Another 50 were taken prisoner, and the remaining 200 managed to escape. The Battle of Waxhaws helped inspire armed resistance in much of

20400-495: The war, complied by submitting a detailed network of 20,000 miles (32,000 km) of interconnected primary highways—the so-called Pershing Map . A boom in road construction followed throughout the decade of the 1920s, with such projects as the New York parkway system constructed as part of a new national highway system. As automobile traffic increased, planners saw a need for such an interconnected national system to supplement

20550-632: The welcome center. Shortly after this, it exits North Carolina and crosses the state line into Mecklenburg County, Virginia . I-85 in North Carolina features a few dedicated or memorialized stretches of freeway. The entire length of the Interstate is known as the Blue Star Memorial Highway , approved on May 5, 1967. Through Gaston County, the name of I-85 is known as the Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway, being signed on October 3, 1997. Between

20700-617: The western terminus of NC 55 (Avondale Drive). Just before exiting Durham, US 70 departs the concurrency as well to head east alongside I-85's fourth and final auxiliary route, I-885 (Durham East End Connector), for the Raleigh–Durham International Airport and Raleigh itself while I-85 and US 15 remain connected together. North of Durham, I-85/US 15 passes several more minor interchanges before entering Granville County and suburban areas. The landscape gives way to rural areas and yet another forest as

20850-499: Was an 11.3-mile (18.2 km) segment through Mecklenburg County, opened in 1958. Later segments were eventually completed through bonds, contracts, and extensions, with the final segment opening in 1972. Since then, most of the route has been widened and renovated to accommodate rapid growth within the region. I-85 is maintained by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for its entire length in

21000-493: Was approved on December 15, 2023, by Governor Roy Cooper . I-85 also has two dedicated bridges it crosses, both in Gaston County. The bridge which the Interstate crosses over the South Fork River, a branch of the Catawba River , is known as the William James Pharr Bridge, named after William James Pharr Sr., a mayor of McAdenville for over 25 years. This was approved on August 5, 1994. The bridge which I-85 crosses over

21150-551: Was employed ahead of Hurricane Charley in the Tampa, Florida area and on the Gulf Coast before the landfall of Hurricane Ivan ; however, evacuation times there were no better than previous evacuation operations. Engineers began to apply lessons learned from the analysis of prior contraflow operations, including limiting exits, removing troopers (to keep traffic flowing instead of having drivers stop for directions), and improving

21300-636: Was fought in the Northern states . After an unsuccessful Northern campaign , British General Clinton decided to turn his attention to the south , where he believed that he and his troops would join up with loyalist militias and easily take the area. The campaign began with a swift move to capture Charleston , which was taken over after two months of fighting. After the capture of Charleston, Clinton wanted to capitalize on his victory, and sent British detachments in all directions, to subdue as much resistance as possible. After placing Cornwallis in charge of

21450-540: Was fought on October 7, 1780, and destroyed the left wing of Lord Cornwallis ' army, effectively ending Loyalist ascendance in the Carolinas. The victory halted the British advance into North Carolina, forced Lord Cornwallis to retreat from Charlotte into South Carolina, and gave General Nathanael Greene the opportunity to reorganize the American Army . Prior to 1780, much of the Revolutionary War

21600-492: Was one of the deadliest and most dangerous roads to travel on in Charlotte, ranking 15th out of 30. The Interstate was estimated to have over 0.613 deaths per mile of highway, with over 408 deaths over its entire length, and the most common month being May. The most deadly accident to ever occur along I-85 was in Salisbury, when a family from Maryland was traveling to South Carolina for vacation on July 8, 1995. Three members of

21750-511: Was open, which left a 12.5-mile (20.1 km) portion of the highway from the Neuse River to Oxford remaining and under construction. Another 35-mile (56 km) segment of the highway from Greensboro to Salisbury was undergoing an environmental study and not planned to be let to contract yet. On January 13, 1972, a 16-mile (26 km) stretch of I-85 north of Durham was completed and opened. Costing approximately $ 16 million, this stretch of

21900-403: Was opened, allowing traffic to use it, with the commission adding that around the next year, another 8.6-mile (13.8 km) portion of the highway from Concord to Mecklenburg County as well as a connector to Charlotte would also be completed. The stretch of I-85 from Henderson to the Virginia state line, a distance of approximately 3.1 miles (5.0 km) opened to traffic on December 2, 1970, with

22050-422: Was proclaimed complete in 1992, but two of the original Interstates— I-95 and I-70 —were not continuous: both of these discontinuities were due to local opposition, which blocked efforts to build the necessary connections to fully complete the system. I-95 was made a continuous freeway in 2018, and thus I-70 remains the only original Interstate with a discontinuity. I-95 was discontinuous in New Jersey because of

22200-494: Was serving as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe during World War II . In 1954, Eisenhower appointed General Lucius D. Clay to head a committee charged with proposing an interstate highway system plan. Summing up motivations for the construction of such a system, Clay stated, It was evident we needed better highways. We needed them for safety, to accommodate more automobiles. We needed them for defense purposes, if that should ever be necessary. And we needed them for

22350-537: Was then known as Fort Henry and now is Petersburg, the travelers made their way into the state through the land now part of Granville County . This trail went through the counties of which I-85 would pass through, and the travelers eventually met the tribal groups that would form the names of several of the state's areas. The trail then made its way across the Tar , Haw , Uwharrie , and Yadkin rivers, most of them paralleling I-85. Upon reaching what would become Charlotte ,

22500-493: Was widened to eight lanes around Salisbury. From May 2010 through April 2014, I-85 was widened from four to eight lanes between exit 49 (near Charlotte Motor Speedway and Concord Mills ) and exit 55. Following the completion of the widening of I-85 from milemarker 49 to 55, a new project was started to widen I-85 from exit 55 ( NC 73 ) in Concord, Cabarrus County northward to exit 68 ( NC 152 ) in

#285714