89-518: Interstate 540 ( I-540 ) and North Carolina Highway 540 ( NC 540 ) are part of a partially completed beltway around the city of Raleigh in the US state of North Carolina , forming the Raleigh Outer Loop . When complete, the route will completely encircle the city, meeting its parent route of I-40 in two locations. The initial phase of construction is designated I-540 and
178-413: A city or town, with the standard of road being anything from an ordinary city street up to motorway level. An excellent example of this is London's North Circular/South Circular ring roads, which are largely made up of (mainly congested) ordinary city streets. In some cases, a circumferential route is formed by the combination of a major through highway and a similar-quality loop route that extends out from
267-669: A complete belt road around Hawaii Island . Other major U.S. cities with such a beltway superhighway: There are other U.S. superhighway beltway systems that consist of multiple routes that require multiple interchanges and thus do not provide true ring routes. Two designated examples are the Capital Beltway around Harrisburg, Pennsylvania using Interstate 81 , Interstate 83 , and Pennsylvania Route 581 and "The Bypass" around South Bend, Indiana using Interstate 80 , Interstate 90 , U.S. Route 31 , and Indiana State Road 331 . Edmonton , Alberta, has two ring roads. The first
356-527: A complex interchange with US 64 Business (US 64 Bus.)/Knightdale Boulevard/Wendell Boulevard and Rolesville Road. A portion of this freeway (from I-440 to I-540) was formerly designated I-495 from 2013 to 2017. I-495 signs were removed, and mileage markers and exit numbers were changed to reflect the redesignation in May 2019. Beyond Rolesville Road, the US ;64 freeway from Wendell to Williamston
445-568: A modified request from NCDOT requesting the establishment of I-495 from I-440 to I-540 (4.09 mi or 6.58 km) and Future I-495 from I-540 to I-95 (40.90 mi or 65.82 km). It was approved, though needed an additional approval from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). On December 12, 2013, the proposed section was approved by the FHWA and was added to the interstate highway system. The freeway section,
534-437: A ring road or ring road system: In Iceland , there is a 1,332 km ring road, called the ring road (or Route 1), around most of the island (excluding only the remote Westfjords ). Most of the country's settlements are on or near this road. Major cities that are served by a ring road or ring road system: Interstate 87 (North Carolina) Interstate 87 ( I-87 ) is a partially completed Interstate Highway in
623-528: A through-the-city route there, with the Beltway encircling the city as I-495. The portion of I-95 entering the city from the south was soon completed (and so signed), primarily by adapting an existing major highway, but the planned extension of I-95 through residential areas northward to the Beltway was long delayed, and eventually abandoned, leaving the eastern portion of the Beltway as the best Interstate-quality route for through traffic. This eastern portion of
712-634: A town or city, typically without either signals or road or railroad crossings. In the United States, beltways are commonly parts of the Interstate Highway System. Similar roads in the United Kingdom are often called "orbital motorways". Although the terms "ring road" and "orbital motorway" are sometimes used interchangeably, "ring road" often indicates a circumferential route formed from one or more existing roads within
801-532: A true ring road around Detroit is effectively blocked by its location on the border with Canada and the Detroit River ; although constructing a route mostly or entirely outside city limits is technically feasible, a true ring around Detroit would necessarily pass through Canada, and so Interstate 275 and Interstate 696 together bypass but do not encircle the city. Sometimes, the presence of significant natural or historical areas limits route options, as for
890-405: Is a loose conglomeration of four major arterial roads with an average distance of 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the downtown core. Yellowhead Trail forms the northern section, Wayne Gretzky Drive /75 Street forms the eastern section, Whitemud Drive forms the southern and longest section, and 170 Street forms the western and shortest section. Whitemud Drive is the only section that
979-409: Is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist in reducing traffic volumes in the urban centre, such as by offering an alternate route around the city for drivers who do not need to stop in the city core. Ring roads can also serve to connect suburbs to each other, allowing efficient travel between them. The name "ring road"
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#17327721338571068-639: Is a six-lane Interstate Highway that connects I-40 , in Raleigh , to Rolesville Road, in Wendell ; it is entirely concurrent with US 64 . The speed limit for majority of the route is 70 mph (110 km/h). The southern terminus is at the interchange of I-40 and I-440 (Raleigh Beltline) in Southeast Raleigh, at I-40 exit 301/I-440 exit 16. I-87 north follows I-440 west for approximately three miles (4.8 km) before exiting
1157-413: Is a true controlled-access highway , while Yellowhead Trail and Wayne Gretzky Drive have interchanges and intersections and are therefore both limited-access roads . 170 Street and 75 Street are merely large arterial roads with intersections only. The second and more prominent ring road is named Anthony Henday Drive ; it circles the city at an average distance of 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from
1246-417: Is challenging when a through highway and a loop bypass together form a circumferential ring road. Since neither of the highways involved is circumferential itself, either dual signage or two (or more) route numbers is needed. The history of signage on the Capital Beltway around Washington, D.C., is instructive here. Interstate 95 , a major through highway along the U.S. East Coast , was originally planned as
1335-476: Is designated as Future I-87. It does not meet interstate highway standards and will need wider travel lanes, wider shoulders and Jersey barriers added in the grass median. The remainder to the Virginia border is not built as a limited access freeway and will require expansion parallel to existing US Highways, including US 13 , US 17 , and US 158 . A portion of I-87, originally designated I-495,
1424-693: Is further broken down into four segments: The I-540 portion begins at an interchange designated as exit 1 near I-40 (I-40 exit 283B) near the Raleigh–Durham International Airport , located right at the Durham–Wake county line. It travels northeast to Aviation Parkway (exit 2), then turns east along the southside of the Brier Creek neighborhood, with interchanges at Lumley Road (exit 3) and US 70 (exit 4). After crossing US 70, I-540 travels eastward across
1513-522: Is planned to continue northeast through Rocky Mount , Williamston , and Elizabeth City , ending in Norfolk, Virginia . It is signed as north–south, in keeping with the sign convention for most odd-numbered interstates, but the route goes primarily east–west, with the eastern direction aligning to the north designation. The entire route is concurrent with U.S Highway 64 (US 64), with portions also concurrent with I-440 and US 264 . I-87
1602-846: Is used for the majority of metropolitan circumferential routes in Europe, such as the Berliner Ring , the Brussels Ring , the Amsterdam Ring , the Boulevard Périphérique around Paris and the Leeds Inner and Outer ring roads. Australia , Pakistan and India also use the term ring road, as in Melbourne 's Western Ring Road , Lahore 's Lahore Ring Road and Hyderabad 's Outer Ring Road . In Canada
1691-500: The Capital Beltway around Washington, D.C. Some ring roads, such as Washington's Capital Beltway, use "Inner Loop" and "Outer Loop" terminology for directions of travel, since cardinal (compass) directions cannot be signed uniformly around the entire loop. The term 'ring road' is occasionally – and inaccurately – used interchangeably with the term ' bypass '. Bypasses around many large and small towns were built in many areas when many old roads were converted to four-lane status in
1780-474: The Frankfurt area, major national highways converge just outside city limits before forming one of several routes of an urban network of roads circling the city. Unlike in United States, route numbering is not a challenge on European ring roads as routes merge to form the single designated road. However, exit and road junction access can be challenging due to the complexity of other routes branching from or into
1869-527: The NC Quick Pass or other interoperable ETC systems. Those that do not participate in the ETC program will receive a bill in the mail and will have 30 days from the date on said bill before additional fees and civil penalties are applied. Planning for the highway originally started in the early 1970s; by 1976, the "Northern Wake Expressway" was added to the planning map. In the mid-1980s, realizing that
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#17327721338571958-943: The North and South Circular roads and the Inner Ring Road ). Birmingham also has three ring roads which consist of the Birmingham Box ; the A4540 , commonly known as the Middleway; and the A4040 , the Outer Ring Road. Birmingham once had a fourth ring road, the A4400 . This has been partially demolished and downgraded to improve traffic flow into the city. Other British cities have two: Leeds , Sheffield , Norwich and Glasgow . Cleveland, OH and San Antonio, TX , in
2047-471: The Triangle Expressway ) made several extensions: From 1999 to 2002, each additional section of the freeway was designated as Future 540, until it connected with US 1. On July 14, 2007, a section of the loop from I-40 west to NC 54 and NC 55 was opened. However, the route is signed not as I-540 but as NC 540. Officials decided to change the designation in early July at
2136-756: The Triangle Town Center shopping mall and commercial district along Capital Boulevard. Shortly after the interchange with US 401 /Louisburg Road (exit 18), I-540 crosses the Neuse River and then turns south towards Knightdale . I-540 immediately has an interchange with Buffaloe Road (exit 20). I-540 continues south paralleling both the Neuse River and Forestville Road. As I-540 enters Knightdale, it has an interchange with U.S. Highway 64 Business (US 64 Bus.)/Knightdale Boulevard (exit 24). About two miles (3.2 km) after
2225-495: The United States , also each have two, while Houston, Texas will have three official ring roads (not including the downtown freeway loop). Some cities have far more – Beijing , for example, has six ring roads , simply numbered in increasing order from the city center (though skipping #1), while Moscow has five, three innermost ( Central Squares of Moscow , Boulevard Ring and Garden Ring ) corresponding to
2314-619: The "Western Wake Parkway" under the toll proposal, began August 12, 2009, with the Triangle Parkway portion opening in December ;2011, and Western Wake portion scheduled to open in two phases in 2012. In October 2008, the authority was unable to issue bonds to fund the Western Wake Turnpike project as planned due to market conditions affecting municipal bonds such as those. On July 29, 2009,
2403-866: The 1930s to 1950s, such as those along the Old National Road (now generally U.S. 40 or Interstate 70 ) in the United States, leaving the old road in place to serve the town or city, but allowing through travelers to continue on a wider, faster and safer route. Construction of fully circumferential ring roads has generally occurred more recently, beginning in the 1960s in many areas, when the U.S. Interstate Highway System and similar-quality roads elsewhere were designed. Ring roads have now been built around numerous cities and metropolitan areas, including cities with multiple ring roads, irregularly shaped ring roads and ring roads made up of various other long-distance roads. London has three ring roads (the M25 motorway ,
2492-680: The 1950s and not yet completed, called the Suburban Beltway. It consists of several roads— Lagimodière Boulevard , Abinojii Mikanah , the Fort Garry Bridge, the Moray Bridge, William R Clement Parkway , Chief Peguis Trail and the Kildonan Bridge . Saskatoon , Saskatchewan, has a ring road named Circle Drive. It is cosigned as Saskatchewan Highway 16 and Saskatchewan Highway 11 along the whole route since
2581-415: The 2013 opening of Circle Drive South. Regina , Saskatchewan has a partial ring road that is named Ring Road ; however, due to the city's urban growth since the road was originally constructed, it no longer functions as a true ring road and has instead come to be used partially for local arterial traffic. The Regina Bypass , a new partial ring road, has replaced it, although Ring Road must still be used in
2670-590: The Authority closed on a revised $ 1.01-billion (equivalent to $ 1.39 billion in 2023) bond plan, consisting of $ 270 million (equivalent to $ 373 million in 2023) in toll revenue bonds , $ 353 million (equivalent to $ 487 million in 2023) in Build America Bonds , and a $ 387-million (equivalent to $ 534 million in 2023) loan from the US Department of Transportation under
2759-633: The Beltline at exit 14 to follow the US 64/ US 264 (former I-495) freeway, known locally as the Knightdale Bypass. Following the Bypass south of Knightdale , I-87 has interchanges with two local roads (New Hope Road and Hodge Road) before meeting the eastern terminus of I-540 . Two more local roads follow (Smithfield Road and Wendell Falls Parkway) before the I-87 designation ends at
Interstate 540 (North Carolina) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2848-604: The Beltway ", derived metonymically from the Capital Beltway encircling Washington, D.C. Ring roads have been criticised for inducing demand , leading to more car journeys being taken and thus higher levels of pollution being created. By creating easy access by car to large areas of land, they can also act as a catalyst for development, leading to urban sprawl and car-centric planning. Ring roads have also been criticised for splitting communities and being difficult to navigate for pedestrians and cyclists. Most orbital motorways (or beltways) are purpose-built major highways around
2937-468: The Beltway was then redesignated from I-495 to I-95, leaving the I-495 designation only on the western portion, and the completed part of the planned Interstate inside the Beltway was redesignated as a spur, I-395 . A few years later, the resulting confusion from different route numbers on the circumferential Beltway was resolved by restoring I-495 signage for the entire Beltway, with dual signage for I-95 for
3026-535: The I-540/I-87/US 64/US 264 interchange while the second one would be from I-40/US 70 (future I-42) to south of Rock Quarry Road. In September 2023, it was announced that Flatiron-Fred Smith Company Joint Venture had been awarded a $ 450 million contract to complete the first segment; S.T. Wooten-Branch Civil joint venture was awarded a $ 287 million contract for the second segment in October 2023. In December 2023,
3115-560: The Interstate roughly following the US 17 corridor between Williamston and South Mills . There are several areas where the Interstate may deviate from the current routing of US 17 and be placed on a new freeway. Some of these expansions are part of the NCDOT 10-year plan released in 2017, with expansion of highways around Elizabeth City given a start date of 2023. To the north of South Mills, NCDOT has laid out two plans on how
3204-486: The Interstate running east along US 64 to Williamston . This section of US 64 is built as a freeway but will need to be improved to Interstate Highway standards . In Williamston, the Interstate is planned to leave US 64 and begin following an alignment along present-day US 17 . A feasibility study for the section between Williamston and the Virginia state line was completed in 2018. NCDOT maps show
3293-551: The Interstate would proceed to Virginia. One plan shows I-87 running north along US 17 to the Virginia state line. In contrast, a second plan shows an interchange with I-87 and US 17 just north of modern-day McPherson Road and the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center. I-87 would then proceed to the east along new routing to North Carolina Highway 168 (NC 168)/ State Route 168 (SR 168). The interchange with Route 168 would take place just north of
3382-598: The Local Government Commission (LGC) approved an application by the NCTA for revenue bonds and a Transportation Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan through US-DOT to start construction. Construction began with a groundbreaking on May 16, 2024. Completion of the final segment is expected in 2028. Beltway A ring road (also known as circular road, beltline , beltway , circumferential ( high ) way , loop or orbital )
3471-609: The North Carolina–Virginia state line. This alternate alignment was in response to VDOT expressing concern that I-87 would be seen as a non-toll alternative to SR 168 if the former were constructed along the US 17 corridor. Currently, US 17 is a four-lane expressway between the North Carolina state line and Norfolk, Virginia . SR 168 is also a four-lane expressway for approximately 1.8 miles (2.9 km) between
3560-568: The Orange Route to be considered as a way to provide a shorter option, possibly minimizing impacts to natural resources. In September 2010, a new map showed several other routes, including the controversial Red Route, which many Garner-area residents protested in a December 2010 meeting; a total of 3,000 signatures on petitions opposed the route as well. After two years, the General Assembly chose to permit studying
3649-597: The Raleigh city council in November ;2013 includes asking for tolls for the existing highway in order to widen it to eight lanes by 2035 or 2040. This would require both state and federal approval. As a temporary solution to increased traffic on the northern section, NCDOT has installed ramp meters on some onramps, the first ones in the state. On August 21, 2021, the Eastern Wake Expressway,
Interstate 540 (North Carolina) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3738-776: The Raleigh–Durham area's Regional Transportation Alliance (RTA) called for extension of the interstate east of I-95 toward Elizabeth City , then northeastward to the I-64 / I-464 interchange in Hampton Roads . NCDOT proposed the Interstate ;44 designation for the Raleigh–Norfolk High Priority Corridor consisting of portions of the I-495 and US 64 in North Carolina and US 17 in North Carolina and Virginia. The route would connect two of
3827-546: The Red Corridor, which meant possible routes could once again be considered. Documents released on September 9, 2013, changed the 30-mile (48 km) project from two phases to a single project, with construction expected to begin in 2018 and be completed by 2022. Public meetings were scheduled in October ;2013 for "Complete 540". In April 2016, NCDOT announced that Detailed Study Alternative
3916-614: The Southern Wake Expressway also forms a portion of the Triangle Expressway toll road complex. The Southern Wake Expressway begins at a turbine interchange with I-40 and I-42 southeast of Garner . The road heads due west around suburban developments, having interchanges at NC 50 (exit 39), Old Stage Road (exit 43), US 401 (exit 45), Bells Lake Road (exit 47), and Holly Springs Road (exit 50). The road eventually reaches NC 55 (exit 54) just south of Apex, where it becomes
4005-738: The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act. Groundbreaking was held on August 12, 2009, at the west end of I-540. "A dozen dignitaries" used shovels painted gold as 150 watched. After work began on Western Wake Parkway in 2009, engineering and environmental studies began a year later for the Southern and Eastern Wake Freeways, also known as the Triangle Expressway Southeast Extension . Construction would begin in 2014 and be completed by 2019; however, it
4094-518: The Triangle Expressway ends at NC 54 (exit 69) before meeting I-40 at exit 1 and continuing on as I-540. The I-540 toll section is between NC 54 (exit 69) and I-40/I-42 (exit 36), it also includes NC 885 at I-40 to Davis Rd. (exit 2). Tolls are implemented by electronic toll collection (ETC) and are enforced by video cameras. Several gantries are located along the route and entrance/exit ramps, where they collect toll via
4183-539: The US state of North Carolina , the shortest designated primary Interstate Highway at 12.90 miles (20.76 km) long. The completed portion is in eastern Wake County , between Raleigh and Wendell ; the majority of the completed route (approximately 10 miles (16 km)) is known as the Knightdale Bypass , while the remaining three miles (4.8 km) follows the Raleigh Beltline ( I-440 ). It
4272-490: The US 64 Bus. interchange, I-540 has its western terminus at I-87 / US 64 / US 264 (exit 26), though the roadway continues on for a short distance, and several ghost ramps indicate the planned connection to the rest of the loop. NC 540 is the designation given to the Western Wake Expressway, Southern Wake Expressway and the future Eastern Wake Expressway. The Western Wake Expressway and
4361-461: The United States. In many cases, such as Interstate 285 in Atlanta, Georgia , circumferential highways serve as a bypass while other highways pass directly through the city center. In other cases, a primary Interstate highway passes around a city on one side, with a connecting loop Interstate bypassing the city on the other side, together forming a circumferential route, as with I-93 and I-495 in
4450-491: The Western Wake Expressway. At this point, the road is heading due west and has two quick interchanges with Veridea Road (exit 55) and US 1 (exit 56) after turning to the northwest. Exit 56 connects to Salem Street, connecting to downtown Apex, while exit 59 connects to US 64 near the Beaver Creek Shopping Center. Now heading due north and between Green Level Church Road (to
4539-528: The already completed segment from the I-440 junction to Rolesville Road. Exit numbers and mileage along the portion coincident with I-440 will retain I-440 mileage and exit numbers. I-87 will continue east along US 64 to I-95 after the road is expanded to Interstate standards. I-87 will extend from its current terminus at Rolesville Road to an undetermined location in Norfolk, Virginia. Existing plans have
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#17327721338574628-592: The area of Lawrence, Massachusetts . However, if a primary Interstate passes through a city and a loop bypasses it on only one side (as in the Wilmington, Delaware , area), no fully circumferential route is provided. Within cities, ring roads sometimes have local nicknames; these include Washington DC's Interstate 495 (The "Capital Beltway"), Interstate 270 in Columbus, Ohio (The "Outerbelt"), and Interstate 285 in Atlanta (The "Perimeter"). Route numbering
4717-475: The city of Calgary , Alberta, for an entire length of 101-kilometre (63 mi). Winnipeg , Manitoba, has a ring road which is called the Perimeter Highway . It is designated as Manitoba Highway 101 on the north, northwest and east sides and as Manitoba Highway 100 on the south and southwest sides. The majority of it is a four-lane divided expressway . It has a second ring road, planned since
4806-614: The concentric lines of fortifications around the ancient city, and the two outermost ( MKAD and Third Ring ) built in the twentieth century, though, confusingly, the Third Ring was built last. Geographical constraints can complicate the construction of a complete ring road. For example, the Baltimore Beltway in Maryland formerly crossed Baltimore Harbor on a high arch bridge prior to its collapse in 2024, and much of
4895-401: The downtown core. It is a freeway for its entire 78-kilometre (48 mi) length, and was built to reduce inner-city traffic congestion, created a bypass of Yellowhead Trail, and has improved the movement of goods and services across Edmonton and the surrounding areas. It was completed in October 2016 as the first free-flowing orbital road in Canada. Stoney Trail is a ring road that circles
4984-415: The final segment closing the loop to I-87/US 64/US 264 was scheduled to begin the bidding process in 2025 with construction not beginning until at least 2029. Public input over the growth and development of a 15,000-acre area of eastern Wake County along the lower Neuse River as well as the future southern loop of NC 540 was requested on June 23, 2023. The process of completing the final segment
5073-459: The first section of the Triangle Expressway , with its connection to NC 540, opened on December 8, 2011, reestablishing exit 67. Collection of tolls began on January 3, 2012. On August 1, 2012, the first phase of the Western Wake Freeway opened, connecting NC 55 in Morrisville (exit 66) to US 64 in Apex . The next day tolling began on the previously open section from NC 54 to NC 55. The final phase of
5162-450: The future. When it became financially unfeasible to construct the entire route with public funds within a reasonable timeframe, it was decided that the remaining portion of the route (approximately two-thirds of the total completed mileage) would be constructed as a toll road and designated as a North Carolina highway rather than an Interstate Highway. The tolled portion is known as the Triangle Expressway . The first section of NC 540
5251-447: The growth in western Wake County may require more roads than planned, highway planners decided to expand the project as a new beltway around Raleigh. In 1992, construction began on the first three-mile (4.8 km) section of the Northern Wake Expressway, connecting I-40 with US 70 . On January 21, 1997, the freeway opened as I-540. In the following 10 years, the now known Northern Wake Freeway (so not to be confused with
5340-438: The highway's concurrent use as a through Interstate on its eastern portion. The longest complete beltway in the United States is the Charles W. Anderson Loop , a 94-mile (151 km) loop in Texas that forms a complete loop around the Greater San Antonio area. The longest complete belt road, or a beltway that is only two lanes, in the United States is Hawaii Belt Road , a 260-mile (420 km) belt in Hawaii that forms
5429-479: The largest US metropolitan areas lacking an Interstate connection: the Research Triangle area around Raleigh and the Hampton Roads area around Norfolk. NCDOT requested the addition of the corridor to the Interstate Highway System as I-44 in November 2012. Representative G. K. Butterfield introduced legislation in June 2014 to add the corridor to the Interstate Highway System through Congressional authority. An NCDOT policy paper said they were "seeking language in
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#17327721338575518-417: The long-proposed Outer Beltway around Washington, D.C., where options for a new western Potomac River crossing are limited by a nearly continuous corridor of heavily visited scenic, natural, and historical landscapes in the Potomac River Gorge and adjacent areas. When referring to a road encircling a capital city, the term "beltway" can also have a political connotation, as in the American term " Inside
5607-411: The mostly residential areas of North Raleigh, with several exits with major arterial roads, including Leesville Road (exit 7), NC 50 /Creedmoor Road (exit 9), Six Forks Road (exit 11), and Falls of Neuse Road (exit 14). Turning southeast, there is a complex interchange with US 1 / Capital Boulevard (exit 16) and Triangle Town Boulevard (exit 17), which provide access to
5696-447: The new section is now signed as NC 540. (In addition, I-540 as a completed loop would violate the Interstate numbering convention regarding three-digit routes, as spurs begin with an odd number and loops with an even number, and, at one point, I-640—the last remaining available number within the state, as I-240, I-440, and I-840 are already taken—was proposed for the loop.) Work to build the Western Wake Freeway, which would be renamed
5785-483: The newly extended Morrisville Parkway (exit 64) opened to traffic on February 3, 2020. The next 17.09 mi (27.50 km) segment, known as the Southern Wake Expressway, connects I-40/I-42 near Garner with NC 55 in Apex. Planning for the route began in the 1990s, when it was identified as the Orange Route by NCDOT. Because the route would cross the habitat for the endangered dwarf wedgemussel , The US Fish and Wildlife Service asked for routes north of
5874-459: The northeast quadrant of the city. Hamilton , Ontario, has the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway , Highway 403 and the Red Hill Valley Parkway which form a ring on three sides. Sudbury , Ontario, has a partial ring road consisting of the Southwest and Southeast Bypasses segment of Highway 17 , and the Northwest Bypass segment of Highway 144 . An unofficial northeast "bypass" route can also be completed on city arterial roads that largely bypass
5963-522: The parent road, later reconnecting with the same highway. Such loops not only function as a bypass for through traffic, but also to serve outlying suburbs . In the United States, an Interstate highway loop is usually designated by a three-digit number beginning with an even digit before the two-digit number of its parent interstate. Interstate spurs, on the other hand, generally have three-digit numbers beginning with an odd digit. Circumferential highways are prominent features in or near many large cities in
6052-526: The part that was originally to be signed I-495 and continuing east to US 64 Bus., was completed in 2006. From I-440 to Rolesville Road, the freeway was built to Interstate standards , which is why the first official section of I-495 was able to connect between I-440 and I-540. East of Rolesville Road, the freeway was built in sections, since 1975. This older section of freeway will eventually be expanded to Interstate standards, which include road rehabilitation and wider lanes and shoulders. Long-term plans by
6141-532: The partially completed Stockholm Ring Road in Sweden runs through tunnels or over long bridges. Some towns or cities on sea coasts or near rugged mountains cannot have a full ring road. Examples of such partial ring roads are Dublin's ring road ; and, in the USA, Interstate 287 , mostly in New Jersey (bypassing New York City), and Interstate 495 around Boston , none of which completely circles these seaport cities. In other cases, adjacent international boundaries may prevent ring road completion. Construction of
6230-506: The reauthorization of surface transportation programs legislation to enhance the description of the Raleigh–Norfolk Corridor to include the route via Rocky Mount – Elizabeth City for clarity, and to designate the entire route from Raleigh to Norfolk as a future part of the Interstate system as I-44 or I-50". Had the I-44 designation been approved, it would have been discontinuous with the current I-44 , which runs between Wichita Falls, Texas , and St. Louis, Missouri . The proposed corridor
6319-410: The ring road. One of the most renowned ring roads is the Vienna Ring Road ( Ringstraße ), a grand boulevard constructed in the mid-19th century and filled with representative buildings. Due to its unique architectural beauty and history, it has also been called the "Lord of the ring roads", and is declared by UNESCO as part of Vienna's World Heritage Site . Major European cities that are served by
6408-462: The same toll system also began construction in 2024 with a completion date of 2028. When completed, the beltway will total 70 miles (110 km) in length, surrounding the city of Raleigh and the towns of Apex , Cary , Garner , and Morrisville . The designation from I-540 and NC 540 happens at I-40 , in Durham County , where I-540 goes east and NC 540 goes west. The beltway
6497-593: The state line and Battlefield Boulevard (SR 168 Bus.) , but then transitions to a four-lane tolled limited access freeway known as the Chesapeake Expressway north of that intersection. If NCDOT were to choose this alternative alignment as the preferred route, I-87 would presumably follow SR 168 to Norfolk. NCDOT estimates that the section between Williamston and the Virginia state line could cost between $ 849.7 million and $ 945.2 million. As of February 5, 2024 , Virginia does not have
6586-572: The term is the most commonly used, with "orbital" also used, but to a much lesser extent. In Europe and Australia, some ring roads, particularly longer ones of motorway standard, are known as "orbital motorways". Examples are the London Orbital (generally known as the M25; 188 km), Sydney Orbital Network (110 km) and Rome Orbital (68 km). In the United States many ring roads are called beltlines , beltways or loops , such as
6675-596: The tolled section of NC 540, from US 64 to NC 55 north of Holly Springs, opened on December 20, 2012. Tolling for this section began January 2, 2013. On April 3, 2017, the Veridea Parkway interchange (exit 55; formally known as Old Holly Springs Apex Road) was opened to traffic. At a cost of $ 20 million (equivalent to $ 24.5 million in 2023), it was constructed by Blythe Construction and Kimley-Horn . An interchange with
6764-403: The unopened portion of the expressway further delaying the opening to vehicles. NCDOT later announced on September 4, 2024, a revised official opening date of September 25, 2024, with its official ribbon-cutting to be held on September 24, 2024. The extension opened to traffic at 6 a.m. that day. NCDOT certified NC 540 designation, for the new extension, on October 3, 2024. A plan approved by
6853-517: The upcoming AASHTO Special Committee on US Route Numbering, NCDOT proposed I-89 for this route. On May 25, 2016, AASHTO instead approved I-87 as the number for the highway. The new I-87 would be noncontiguous with the route with the same number in New York . The I-87 designation pays tribute to several important dates in the history of both North Carolina and Virginia: the Roanoke Colony
6942-479: The urban core of the city, but are not fully controlled-access and must be shared with local traffic in the Nickel Centre and Rayside-Balfour districts of the city. Most major cities in Europe are served by a ring road that circles either the inner core of their metropolitan areas or the outer borders of the city proper or both. In major transit hubs, such as the Île-de-France region surrounding Paris and
7031-560: The urging of the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA). Work on the western and southern portions of the beltway, if paid for by state funds, would possibly not open until 2030. At the request of several Wake County mayors, the NCTA in 2006 began studying the use of tolls to complete these portions of the Outer Loop. The Authority concluded in early 2007 that it would be financially feasible to build
7120-410: The west) and NC 55 (to the east), the road skirts the western edge of Cary , with interchanges at Green Level Road (exit 62) and Morrisville Parkway (exit 64). Just north of the former community of Carpenter (since annexed by Cary) is a second interchange with NC 55 (exit 66). The Triangle Expressway toll road splits at NC 540 at exit 67 to follow NC 885 , along where
7209-581: The western section (along with an extended Durham Freeway, which combined would be called the " Triangle Expressway ") using toll funds. The NCTA apparently never wanted an Interstate designation for the Western Wake Parkway. To lessen motorist confusion about where I-540 ended, the route was truncated to the I-40 interchange. All I-540 signs that were put up along the unopened stretch between I-40 and NC 55 were taken down in early July 2007;
7298-559: Was completed in January ;2007. It runs from I-40 near the Raleigh–Durham International Airport to I-87 / U.S. Highway 64 (US 64)/ US 264 south of Knightdale . The original plan was for the entire route to be designated as part of the Interstate Highway System , renumbering the route to I-640 when the beltway was complete; however, the NCDOT announced in 2002 that I-540 would not be renumbered in
7387-584: Was delayed in March ;2011 by the enactment of North Carolina Session Law 2011-7 (N.C. S.L. 2011–7), which forbade the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to consider a few alternative routes. In 2010, NCDOT made an interchange improvement at I-540/I-40, adding another auxiliary lane from I-540 south to I-40 west at a cost of $ 4.8 million (equivalent to $ 6.55 million in 2023). The completed Triangle Parkway,
7476-664: Was first designated as an Interstate Highway on February 20, 2013, when the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) submitted a request to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in order to establish I-495 as a new auxiliary route of I-95 . The proposed 44.99-mile (72.40 km) route would begin at I-440 / US 64 / US 64 Bus. in Raleigh and would end at I-95 , in Rocky Mount , completely concurrent with US 64. On March 15, 2013, AASHTO received
7565-487: Was founded in 1587, James Madison 's Virginia Plan helped to develop the US Constitution in 1787, and North Carolina State University was created in 1887. On May 23, 2017, AASHTO approved the request by NCDOT to decommission existing I-495 and Future I-495; they were replaced by I-87 and Future I-87. I-87 signage were installed on September 5, 2017; in May 2019 milemarkers and exit numbers were changed along
7654-634: Was officially designated as a future interstate with the passage of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) on December 14, 2015. Soon, several other route numbers were discussed and the RTA set their preference on two more-likely candidates: I-56 if an east–west designation were chosen or I-89 if a north–south designation were chosen. I-56 is not in use, while I-89 exists in Vermont and New Hampshire , far north of this corridor. For
7743-474: Was opened in July ;2007, extending westward from the western terminus of I-540. Further extensions have carried NC 540 around the western side of Wake County to its current southwestern terminus south of Apex ; an extension to Garner was scheduled to open in late-August 2024, but was delayed to late-September 2024. The final project planned to complete the eastern leg from Garner to Knightdale under
7832-527: Was selected as the preferred alternative for the project. The route goes from west to east and combines the proposed orange, green (southern portion), mint, and green (northern portion) corridor segments. The portion of NC 540 from NC 55 to I-40 was scheduled to be open to traffic in 2023 but was later pushed to Spring 2024. After further delays, the extension was set to have its official ribbon-cutting and opening on August 27, 2024. However, Tropical Storm Debby , reportedly, caused significant erosion along
7921-502: Was sped up after the N.C. Turnpike Authority (NCTA) was able to get a single environmental permit, allowing for utility work to begin. That coupled with strong local support and expected toll revenues moved the project up NCDOT's list of priorities and the bidding process for the segment began much earlier than anticipated in Summer 2023. The work was to be done in two sections; the first one would be from south of Rock Quarry Road northward to
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