Interstate 840 in North Carolina is yet another in the series of proposed beltways planned for the Tarheel State. Located in the vicinity of the Triad, a rapidly growing region in the north-central portion of Norther Carolina, Interstate 840 is ultimately planned to be the Greensboro Loop around the city of Greensboro from Interstate 40 west of downtown Greensboro near the Piedmont Triad International Airport to Interstate 40-85 east of Greensboro. Interstate 840 will represent the northern half of the Greensboro Loop; the southern half will be designated as Interstate 40-73 (western half) and Interstate 40-85 (eastern half). Existing Interstate 40 will be redesignated as Business Loop I-40.1
Most of the western half of this loop appears as "under construction" in both the 2005 Mapquest and 2005 Rand McNally Road Atlases, between the Interstate 85/Business Loop I-85 split northwest to Piedmont International Airport and then north to Joseph Bryan Boulevard (Airport Parkway). The northeastern quadrant of this beltway will be constructed after the western half, with the exception of the first segment to open: a two-mile segment from the Interstate 40-85 split east of downtown. The two-mile segment of freeway was completed in 2002 and opened to traffic as "Future Interstate 785/840," with signs pointing "TO U.S. 70" from the Interstate 40/85 overlap.
The ultimate Interstate 840 beltway will not be completed for some time, but it will be built in conjunction with other major nearby highway projects, including the relocation of Interstate 85 to a bypass south of Greensboro, the construction of Interstate 73 and Interstate 74 in the Greensboro and Winston-Salem areas (including Painter Boulevard), and the upgrade of U.S. 29 between Greensboro and Danville, Virginia, to Interstate 785. In fact, Interstate 840 will be combined with Interstate 73 near the international airport and merged with Interstate 785 between U.S. 29 and Interstate 40-85.
Construction will commence on a new section of Interstate 840 the week of September 8, 2003. This stretch of highway begins at Interstate 40 west of Greensboro and travels northeast to Bryan Boulevard. The $101.6 million project is expected to open to traffic by Summer of 2007. This leg of the Greensboro Urban Loop was prioritized by state officials because of the benefits to area congested in proximity to the Piedmont Triad International Airport.2
Later sections of Interstate 840 will involve the connection of the western segment with the brief eastern segment, and this will likely be coupled with work to complete Interstate 785.
At the time this photo was taken, Interstate 840 was not signed on northbound Interstate 85, which is part of the new Greensboro loop route and will become part of Interstate 40 once the southwestern quadrant of the beltway is built. For now, northbound Interstate 85 approaches Exit 131, Junction Interstate 40 west, Business Loop I-85 south, and Interstate 840 north to U.S. 70. Only the section from Interstate 40-85 to U.S. 70 was open at the time this picture was taken. Photo taken by Carter Buchanan (08/08/04).
The right lane becomes exit only for Exit 131, Junction Interstate 40 west, Business Loop I-85 south, and Interstate 840 north to U.S. 70. The following exit is Exit 132, Mt. Hope Church Road. Photo taken by Carter Buchanan (08/08/04).
Northbound Interstate 85 reaches Exit 131, Junction Interstate 40 west, Business Loop I-85 south, and Interstate 840 north to U.S. 70. Photo taken by Carter Buchanan (08/08/04).
Perspective from Interstate 40 west/Interstate 85 south
0.75 miles east of the southern terminus of Future Interstate 840 on Interstate 40 west/85 south. Note that the sign bridge is already affixed with brackets for the eventual guide signs for the new Interstate 40/85 split at the same interchange. Eventually this sign bridge may see a myriad of route shields with new potential Business Loops for 40 and 85, and the addition of Interstates 73, 74, and 785 to the area. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (06/13/03).
The sprawling Future Interstate 840 and Interstate 40/85 interchange. The roadway to the left is the future Interstate 85 alignment southeast of Greensboro. This segment of freeway has been under construction since 1999. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (06/13/03).
Exit 131A for Future Interstate 840 northbound departs Interstate 40 west/85 south. Exit 131B may be allocated for the Interstate 85 southbound split from the Interstate 40 mainline. As it stands right now, Interstate 40 and 85 continue together for another seven miles before their mutual split at Greensboro. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (06/13/03).
Perspective from Future Interstate 840 north
A skewed view of the northbound beginning of Future Interstate 840 northbound. This freeway will eventually extend north from the realigned Interstate 85 Greensboro Bypass that is still under construction to the south and southwest. Photo taken by Chris Patriarca (06/13/03).
Eastern Terminus - U.S. 70 - east of Greensboro, North Carolina
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