Interstate 840 North Carolina
Overview
Located within the Triad region in north-central North Carolina, Interstate 840 follows the Greensboro Urban Loop from I-40 and I-73 by Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI) to the west and the exchange joining I-40, I-85 and I-785 near Stewarts Mill to the east. I-840 accompanies Interstate 785 along the Greensboro Urban Loop for 7.65 miles south from U.S. 29 to I-40/85.
Interstate 85 comprises the southeastern quadrant of the Greensboro Urban Loop. The 13 mile long section opened to traffic in February 2004.1 Completed by February 2008, the southwest leg of the Greensboro Urban Loop is a part of Interstate 73.
Project U-2525C, the final section constructed along the Greensboro Northern Loop, extends 4.7 miles east from Lawndale Drive to U.S. 29. Work commenced on the $137.7 million project in April 2018. A two mile portion opened between Lawndale Drive and N Elm Street nearly a year ahead of schedule on December 23, 2020.8 The remainder of the six lane freeway is opened to traffic on January 23, 2023. Completion of overall work was expected by Spring 2023,1 and actually was in January 2023.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved the final 7.28 miles of Interstate 840 as a logical addition to the Interstate System at the October 2022 meeting.
History
The 44 mile long Greensboro Urban Loop originated in a late 1940s transportation plan to add a parkway encircling the city. It was later named Painter Boulevard, after a former city manager.7 The initial section of Interstate 840 completed was the two mile segment north from I-40 and I-85 to U.S. 70. Located east of Greensboro and initially signed as Future I-840, the segment opened to traffic in 2002.
Subsequent construction for Interstate 840, between I-40 west of Greensboro and Joseph Bryan Boulevard, was underway during the week of September 8, 2003. The $101.6 million project was expected to open to traffic by Summer 2007, but was delayed until February 21, 2008. Citing potential benefits to Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI) area traffic congestion, this leg of the Greensboro Urban Loop was prioritized by state officials.2 Upon completion, the west leg of the loop was dually signed as Future I-73 and I-840.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering conditionally approved two additional segments of I-840 at their September 2017 meeting: one extending from its split with I-73 and Bryan Boulevard to U.S. 220 in northwest Greensboro, and the other continuing northward from U.S. 70 on the east side of the loop to U.S. 29.3
Work on the northern half of the beltway continued with construction underway in October 2013 on project U-2524C. Costing $123 million, work extended I-840 northeast from Bryan Boulevard (I-73) to U.S. 220 (Battleground). A dedication ceremony took place for the 3.8 mile, six lane wide freeway on April 13, 2018. It opened to motorists on April 19, 2018.4
Route Information
Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
I-840 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
Location | Vehicles per day |
---|---|
Exits 103 (I-40) to 104 | 62,000 |
Exits 104 to 107 | 50,500 |
I-73 to Exit 6 (US 220) | 19,000 |
Source: 2019 NCDOT AADT Mapping Application
Project U-2424B added the next four lane section of the eastern loop. Started in August 2014, $140 million in construction lengthened I-785/840 northward from U.S. 70 to U.S. 29 in northeast Greensboro. The 5.5 mile segment opened to traffic a year a head of schedule on December 7, 2017.1 30,000 vehicles per day (vpd) were projected on this section of I-785/840, with forecast traffic rising to 58,000 vpd by 2040.5
With work progressing ahead of schedule,6 the succeeding sections of the Greensboro Northern Loop extended east from U.S. 220 (Battleground Road) to N Elm Street. Work on Project U-2524D, the 1.9 mile long link from U.S. 220 (Battleground Road) east to Lawndale Drive started in November 2016.1 Costing $67 million, this section was anticipated for completion in September 2019,7 and eventually opened to traffic on December 30, 2019. The penultimate section lengthened Future I-840 another two miles east from Lawndale Drive to N Elm Street.
Photo Guides
East End – Greensboro, North Carolina
East at
South East at
North at
West South at
West End  – Guilford, Greensboro, North Carolina
South West at
North at
East South at
West North at
Sources:
- “Western section of Urban Loop slated to open next.” News & Record (Greensboro, NC), December 8, 2017.
- “Work to begin this week on new section of Greensboro loop.” News & Record (Greensboro, NC), September 10, 2003.
- AASHTO Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering Meeting Minutes, September 24, 2017
- “New section of Urban Loop in Greensboro open for traffic.” News & Record (Greensboro, NC), April 19, 2018.
- “Eastern Section of Greensboro Urban Loop Now Open.” WFMY News 2 (Greensboro, NC), December 6, 2017.
- “Greensboro Urban Loop Work Moving Faster Than Expected.” WFMY News 2 (Greensboro, NC), October 18, 2018.
- “Urban Loop becoming reality for some, looming for others in Greensboro.” News & Record (Greensboro, NC), December 22, 2018.
- “Next-To-Last Section of Greensboro Urban Loop Opens.” North Carolina Department of Transportation, press release. December 23, 2020.
Page updated January 31, 2024.