Interstate 885 North Carolina

Interstate 885 North Carolina
Triangle Expressway – Research Triangle Park, NC ↔ Durham, NC•8.86 miles

Overview

Interstate 885 runs along the Durham Freeway north from I-40 and the Triangle Expressway (Toll NC 885) at Research Triangle Park to the East End Connector. Opened to traffic on June 30, 2022,1 the East Connector is a 1.25 mile long roadway constructed between the Durham Freeway and the east Durham bypass (U.S. 70) near East End Avenue. I-885 overlays U.S. 70 northward to I-85/U.S. 15 at Exit 178. 2.75 miles of U.S. 70 were upgraded to limited access standards.

Previously anticipated to open to traffic in November 2019, and delayed to June 2021 and then December 2021, the project was completed overall in Summer 2022. Final paving operations for the East End Connector commenced in the first week of May 2022 between I-85 and the connector. Sign installation for I-885 commenced during the second week of May 2022. Upon completion NC 147 was truncated north from I-40 to the East End Connector. The TriEx south from I-40 to Toll NC 540 (Western Wake Expressway) was renumbered from Toll NC 147 to Toll NC 885.2

Completion of the East End Connector was delayed from June to December 2021 due to the demolition of a temporary railroad bridge for CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroad trains spanning U.S. 70 near where it converges with I-885. The concrete piers for the bridge blocked a portion of the new lanes for the wider road. A permanent replacement bridge for the Norfolk Southern Railroad was already complete, but the CSX Railroad bridge was still without tracks. Built by a North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) contractor, winter weather delayed construction for the CSX span. CSX was responsible for laying tracks on the crossing, which was expected to take place during Summer 2021.3

Mileage by State

North Carolina8.86 mi

Data Sources

January 7, 2025 NCDOT State Maintained Roads – Primary Routes. https://hub.arcgis.com/datasets/NCDOT::state-maintained-roads-primary-routes/about

History

The East End Connector was first proposed in 1959 as part of the city of Durham's thoroughfare plan. The freeway was funded by a bond referendum in 1962, with the first section completed in 1970. Additional exits were added in the 1990s. NCDOT studied the connector again in the late 1990s, but construction was still unfunded in project lists issued in 2003 and 2005. It eventually was incorporated in the 2009-15 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).4 A ground breaking ceremony for the project took place in April 2015.5

Right of way acquisition for the East End Connector commenced in April 2012. Construction on the $142 million project was pushed back from April 2014 to a starting date in February 2015. Work was originally anticipated to run through May 2020, then November 2020.

I-885/US 70 south split - Durham, NC
Interstate 885 (East End Connector) south under construction at the directional T interchange (Exit 10) with the separation of U.S. 70 (S Miami Boulevard) . 05/31/21
I-885/US 70 south at US 70B/NC 98 - Durham
Future signs along I-885/U.S. 70 south posted at the diamond interchange with U.S. 70 Business (Hollaway Street) west to Downtown Durham and NC 98 east to Joyland. 05/31/21

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) submitted Interstate 885 to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) at the Spring 2022 meeting. It was approved. 2014 sign schematics by NCDOT previously showed the route acknowledged for the East End Connector.6

North End Interstate 85 U.S. 15 U.S. 70 ‐ Durham, NC

Interstate 885 North U.S. 70 West at Interstate 85 U.S. 15

I-885/US 70 north at Cheek Road, 0.75 miles from I-85/US 15.

A parclo interchange (Exit 12) connects I-885/U.S. 70 with Cheek Road (SR 1800) three quarters of a mile south of I-85/U.S. 15. 10/12/23

I-885/US 70 north at Cheek Road, 0.75 miles from I-85/US 15. I-885 concludes with two lanes joining I-85 south and one for I-85 north. I-885 north at I-85/US 15 north to Petersburg, Virginia. US 70 continues west from I-885 onto I-85/US 15 ahead of Exit 177.

Interstate 85 U.S. 15 North U.S. 70 East at Interstate 885

I-85/US 15-70 south at Interstate 885 in Durham, NC.

U.S. 70 separates from I-85/U.S. 15 north at the directional T interchange (Exit 178) with I-885 south in east Durham. 10/12/23

I-85/US 15-70 south at Interstate 885 in Durham, NC. I-85/US 15 split with US 70 east at I-885 south in Durham, NC.

Interstate 85 U.S. 15 South at Interstate 885 U.S. 70

I-85/US 15 south enter Durham, NC ahead of I-885/US 70.

I-85/U.S. 15 travel southwest from Falls Lake and Gorman into the city of Durham ahead of I-885/U.S. 70. 12/27/22

I-85/US 15 south enter Durham, NC ahead of I-885/US 70. I-85/US 15 south at I-885/US 70 in Durham, North Carolina. Exit 178 leaves I-85/US 15 south for Interstate 885.

South End Interstate 40 North Carolina Route 885 ‐ Triangle Expressway – Research Triangle Park, NC

Interstate 885 South at Interstate 40 North Carolina Route 885

I-885 travels south through RTP to the TriEx.

Interstate 885 concludes at I-40 and the north end of the TriEx (Toll NC 885), 1.75 miles south of T.W. Alexander Drive (SR 2028). 12/27/22

I-885 travels south through RTP to the TriEx. I-885 south at I-40 east to Raleigh, North Carolina. I-885 south at E Conwallis Road, 0.75 miles from NC 885 (TriEx). I-885 south at Exit 6 in Research Triangle Park.

Interstate 40 East at Interstate 885 North Carolina Route 885

I-40 east a half mile ahead of I-885/NC 885 in Durham.

Interstate 40 advances east from NC 55 in Durham to a cloverleaf interchange (Exit 279) with I-885/NC 885 in RTP. 12/16/22

I-40 east a half mile ahead of I-885/NC 885 in Durham. I-40 east at NC 885 (TriEx) south to Morrisville. I-40 east at I-885 (Durham Freeway) north through RTP.

Interstate 40 West at Interstate 885 North Carolina Route 885

I-40 continues west from Davis Drive in RTP to I-885 north.

I-40 converges with NC 885 (TriEx) and I-885 (Durham Freeway) in RTP, 0.44 miles west of Davis Drive (SR 1999). 12/16/22

I-40 continues west from Davis Drive in RTP to I-885 north. Two lanes depart from I-40 west for I-885 north to Durham, NC.

North Carolina Route 885 North at Interstate 40 Interstate 885

NC 885 (TriEx) north crosses Davis Dr two miles south of I-40/885.

NC 885 (Triangle Expressway) heads 2.40 miles north through Research Triangle Park (RTP) to meet Interstate 40 just beyond NC 54. 10/12/23

NC 885 (TriEx) north crosses Davis Dr two miles south of I-40/885. NC 885 (TriEx) one mile south of I-40/885 at Research Triangle Park (RTP) NC 885 (TriEx) north at I-40 east in Research Triangle Park (RTP) NC 885 / Triangle Expressway end sign NC 885 (TriEx) transitions into I-885 (Durham Freeway) at Exit 5 B.

South End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

North Carolina Route 885 North at Interstate 40 Interstate 885

Replaced guide signs for Interstate 40 on NC 885 (TriEx) north in RTP

The Triangle Expressway (TriEx) opened to traffic north form the Western Wake Expressway to I-40 and NC 147 (Durham Freeway) on December 8, 2011. Signs for I-40 from then were replaced in 2023. 12/16/22

Replaced guide signs for Interstate 40 on NC 885 (TriEx) north in RTP NC 885 (TriEx) north at I-40 west and I-885 north in RTP

References

  1. North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). East End Connector. Retrieved from https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/east-end-connector/Pages/default.aspx
  2. North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). (2022, May 4). Final Paving Begins as East End Connector Project Wraps Up. [Press release]. Retrieved from https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-05-04-final-paving-east-end-connector-i-885.aspx
  3. "Opening of Durham East End Connector delayed for 6 more months." Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC), June 5, 2021.
  4. "I-885, the next highway in Durham: What it looks like and when it will open." Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC), July 18, 2018.
  5. "NCDOT project closes section of N. Miami Boulevard in Durham - The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)." News & Observer, The (Raleigh, NC) June 10, 2015.
  6. "New Interstate 885 in Durham" online posting by bob7374, AARoads Forum, August 19, 2014.
Updated February 1, 2024