Interstate 295 North Carolina
Overview
Interstate 295 is the designation for the partially completed Fayetteville Outer Loop encircling Fayetteville. The freeway improves connectivity between the US Army’s Fort Bragg and I-95, as well as providing a new commuter route between the base and city of Fayetteville.
The loop had been listed by various sources as being 27 miles long1 and 40 miles long 2. The final design takes I-295, 39 miles around the north, west and south sides of Fayetteville.7 The current route connects Interstate 95 and U.S. 13, by the town of Eastover, with the All American Freeway at Fort Bragg.
Sign changes made in 2014 redesignated the original seven-mile section joining U.S. 401 (Ramsay Street) with I-95 from Future I-295 to N.C. 295. This designation is temporary, awaiting both the completion of the loop and upgrades to bridges along the route and interchange with I-95/U.S. 13.
Construction on the remaining sections of I-295 are as follows:
- I-95 to Camden Road – scheduled completion by July 2021
- Camden Road to U.S. 401 (Raeford Road) – construction through 2022 or 2023
- U.S. 401 (Raeford Road) to Cliffdale Road – expected completion by May 2022
- Cliffdale Road to All American Freeway – open to traffic by Fall 2019
History
The Fayetteville loop was first considered in 1977. Discussion for the road continued through the Governor Jim Martin administration to 1993 and further by U.S. Rep Richard Hudson and Fayetteville Major J.L. Dawkins around the year 2000.6 An Interstate designation was eventually sought, with North Carolina officials submitting Interstate 195 to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on May 30, 2003. That choice was rejected. On May 6, 2005, North Carolina resubmitted the Fayetteville bypass to AASHTO, this time requesting the designation of Interstate 295. AASHTO approved I-295 as a future route, with signs erected along completed sections of the route soon thereafter.
The first two segments of Interstate 295 opened were the section from U.S. 401 (Ramsay Street) to River Road on June 16, 2003,2 and the section from River Road east to Interstate 95 and U.S. 13 on July 7, 2005.3 The initial segment generally served local traffic.
Construction continued along future Interstate 295 westward to the All American Freeway (proposed as NC 555) to the August 4, 2014 opening of the 1.7-mile link between NC 24-87 and NC 210. This portion cost $6.1-million, with work commencing in March 2013.4 Completion of the freeway from the All American Freeway to U.S. 401 (Ramsay Street) was scheduled for late 2016.5 The initial stretch extended the freeway west from Murchison Road (NC 210) to Bragg Boulevard on August 11, 2016. Succeeding work on the $146 million project7 completed the link to the All American Freeway on December 2, 2016.8
The next phase of road work for Interstate 295 underway is the 6.7 mile segment from the All American Freeway south to Cliffdale Road. A $125.4-million contract was awarded for the project in August 2014,5 and scheduled for completion in October 2018.7 However a design change in this segment adding a $2 million tunnel to accommodate Fort Bragg military vehicles pushed the scheduled completion back to Summer or Fall 2019.9 Subsequent construction included a $85.2 million design-build contract awarded in March 2016 for I-295 south from Cliffdale Road to U.S. 401 (Raeford Road).
More than $400 million was invested to complete the remainder of the loop by 2025. This included a budgetary allocation in 2015 to speed the time table for the start of work on the portion between Camden Road and Interstate 95 to the south by one year to 2020.7
Route Information
North End – Eastover, NC
South End – Parkton, NC
Mileage – 14.10
Cities – Fayetteville
- Junctions –
Source: December 31, 2018 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
The completed Fayetteville Outer Loop will be 39 miles long.7
N.C. 295 – Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
| Location | Vehicles per day |
|---|---|
| Exits 21C to 23 | 23,000 |
| Exits 23 to 25 | 29,000 |
| Exits 25 to 28 | 23,000 |
| Exits 28 to 30 | 22,000 |
| Exits 30 to 34 | 20,000 |
Source: 2017 NCDOT AADT Mapping Application
Highway Guides
North End 
– Eastover, North Carolina
| Perspective from Interstate 95 south | |
|---|---|
 |
Exit 58 departs from Interstate 95 south for both U.S. 13 north to Newton Grove and the North Carolina 295 freeway west to Fort Bragg. Photo taken 01/01/17. |
 |
A high speed ramp links I-95 south with NC 295 south while an at-grade turn takes motorists east to the northbound beginning of U.S. 13. Photo taken 01/01/17. |
| Perspective from North Carolina 295 north | |
 |
Traveling north on NC 295 (former Future I-295), the first advance signage for Interstate 95 (northern terminus) appears after the River Road interchange. Use Interstate 95 north to Benson and Raleigh and south to Fayetteville, Lumberton, and Florence. Photo taken 05/30/07. |
 |
The interchange with Interstate 95 was opened to traffic on July 7, 2005, with a flyover to make the connection to Interstate 95 north. Photo taken 05/30/07. |
 |
High speed ramps connected the north end of NC 295 with Interstate 95 north and south. The freeway otherwise defaults onto the northbound beginning of U.S. 13. Photo taken 05/30/07. |
 |
A high speed flyover shuttles motorists onto Interstate 95 north toward Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia with two lanes. Photo taken 05/30/07. |
 |
An end shield appears for NC 295 north at the northbound off-ramp from I-95. U.S. 13 takes over along the four-lane roadway and travels east to Spiveys Corner and Newton Grove. Photo taken 01/01/17. |
| Historic Perspective from Interstate 95 north | |
 |
The first appearance of signage for Future Interstate 295 on northbound Interstate 95 was posted after Exit 55, Murphy Road. In addition to serving as the northern terminus of Future Interstate 295, Exit 58 serves as the southern terminus of U.S. 13. From here, U.S. 13 travels north to Morrisville, Pennsylvania, by way of Newton Grove, Goldsboro, Greenville, the Hampton Roads region, the Delmarva Peninsula, Wilmington, and Philadelphia. Photo taken 05/30/07. |
 |
Future Interstate 295 initially extended west from Interstate 95 to U.S. 401. Signs were changed to reflect North Carolina 295 in place of I-295 by 2014. Photo taken 05/30/07. |
 |
Northbound Interstate 95 reached Exit 58 for Future Interstate 295 west to Fort Bragg and U.S. 13 northeast to Goldsboro and Kinston. The off-ramp is not a freeway-to-freeway connection, with at-grade turns required for NC 295 and U.S. 13. Photo taken 05/30/07. |
| Perspective from U.S. 13 south | |
 |
Beyond the intersection with SR 1863 (Pembroke Lane), U.S. 13 south intersects the north side ramps with I-95, where the US route transitions to NC 295. Photo taken 01/01/17. |
South End – All American Freeway – Fort Bragg, North Carolina
| Perspective from North Carolina 295 south | |
|---|---|
 |
A short segment of North Carolina 295 opened to traffic on December 2, 2016, extending the route west to the All American Freeway (Exits 21B/A). Motorists shift from the freeway mainline onto the collector distributor roadway west of the bridges near Bonnie Doone Lake. Pavement along the main roadways were already laid by January 2017 for the next segment to open south to Cliffdale Road. Photo taken 01/01/17. |
 |
What will eventually be a three-lane c/d roadway currently separates traffic at the west end of NC 295 for the All American Freeway north into Fort Bragg and south to Fayetteville. A high speed flyover will take traffic exiting Fort Bragg to NC 295 east. Photo taken 01/01/17. |
 |
Exit 21A loops below the flyover for NC 295 east to the All American Freeway south. NCDOT proposed numbering the freeway as NC 555 in 2014, but signs for the route have not been posted as of January 2017. The freeway leads south to Owen Drive, which connects with Business Loop I-95 south to I-95. Photo taken 01/01/17. |
Future Southern Terminus – east of Parkton, North Carolina
Interstate 295 will tie into I-95 just south of the Cumberland County line in a rural area east of Robeson County.
Former Southern Terminus 
– north Fayetteville, North Carolina
| Historic Perspective from Future Interstate 295 west | |
|---|---|
 |
Future I-295 west crossed the Cape Fear River and a Norfolk Southern Railroad line to end at a half single point urban interchange (SPUI) with U.S. 401. The section leading west to NC 210 opened to traffic on August 11, 2016. Photo taken 05/30/07. |
 |
The interchange with U.S. 401 was completed as a single point urban interchange. This view looks at the previous half opened exit. U.S. 401 follows Ramsay Street south along a four lane arterial toward the city center and a rural route north to the town of Lillington, where it merges with NC 210. Photo taken 05/30/07. |
| Historic Perspective from U.S. 401 (Ramsey Street) south | |
 |
Shield assembly posted along U.S. 401 southbound between Andrews Road and the half opened single point urban interchange with Future I-295. The initial segment of I-295 ran east from here in 2013. The freeway was extended west in 2016. The I-295 shield was replaced with an NC 295 shield by 2015. Photo taken 05/30/07. |
Sources:
- Discover Fayetteville: On The Go.
http://www.discoverfayetteville.com/community/traffic.shtml - Secretary Tippett’s Remarks – Fayetteville Outer Loop Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on June 16, 2003.
http://www.ncdot.org/public/speeches/loopceremony06_03.html - Fayetteville, NC: Fast Facts – Fayetteville, N.C. is a Community of History, Heroes, and a Hometown Feeling
http://www.ncinvest.com/fayetevillefastfacts.htm– according to Eddie Terry: “Outer Loop Set For Completion 2020: The second phase of the Fayetteville Outer loop opened on July 7th. The second section of the project connects River Road and I-95. Motorist can now travel from I-95 to River Road and Ramsey Street. The next phase of the project, from Ramsey Street to the All American Freeway, is scheduled to begin in 2008. When complete, the Outer Loop will connect I-95 and US 13 to Ft. Bragg, then curve around Fayetteville and Hope Mills and re-connect to I-95 near St. Pauls. The entire project is expected to be completed by 2020.” - “Fayetteville’s Outer Loop segment opens, connects Bragg Boulevard and Murchison Road.” Fayetteville Observer, August 4, 2014.
- “Gov. McCrory says finishing Fayetteville Outer Loop a priority.” Fayetteville Observer, September 18, 2014.
- “I-95 to Bragg Blvd. section of Outer Loop open to traffic.” Fayetteville Observer, August 12, 2016.
- “State Opens New Section of the Fayetteville Outer Loop.” NCDOT, news release, August 11, 2016.
- “Next Section of Fayetteville Outer Loop Ready to Open.” NCDOT, news release, December 1, 2016.
- “New segment of Outer Loop project delayed until 2019.” The Fayetteville Observer (NC), November 13, 2018.
Page updated February 4, 2019.
