Skip to main content

I-40 and I-440 Signage Changes Around Raleigh

I promised in my earlier post that I'd put additional photos in a future entry regarding signage changes along I-40 in Raleigh. These changes are taking place with the re-designation of I-440 as an East-West route across the top of Raleigh and its discontinuance on I-40. NCDOT had a press release last week saying they had completed the I-440 re-signing. Here are some photos taken in January showing examples:
This is on Wade Avenue approaching the I-440 interchange, the previous 'Inner' and 'Outer' designations have been replaced by 'East' and 'West.'
Here's a closeup of the second sign in the interchange. Another 3 control city sign. The trivia about this sign is that only 1 of the cities (Wake Forest) does either of these routes go to. The other destinations might be more appropriate on a I-40 US 64 sign, since you need to get on 64.
This is signage along the roadway itself, all that was done here is place an 'East' panel over the I-440 shield.

Now for sign changes on I-40 itself. I took a detour further east on I-40 from I-440 East down to Jones Sausage Road (brief pause for any snickering) and back to see signage on I-40 West approaching the Beltline. The first sign is:
The construction signage does not relate to the signage project but an ongoing paving job on I-440. Notice the lack of control cities. A 1/2 mile further this is the next sign:
This sign assembly has both a new sign for I-40 and a revised sign for I-40, notice the only control city is Durham. Is this to help or warn drivers? It's the same for the next signs assembly as seen in the previous post:
They've left the previous ground signs telling people to use 440 for north and east Raleigh and I-40 for south and west Raleigh, but an overhead sign might be more helpful. While these are definite changes from the previous signs, not all has been changed along the I-40 portion, like:
This assembly I assume has been there since I-40 was connected to the Beltline and has survived several route changes, additions, and now subtractions. How long will it remain?
As for the signing of I-40 after the merge, there are new I-40 and US 64 signage:
These are new signs, but they don't follow the recent NCDOT practice of putting route shields with more than one designation on green signage. Maybe this contract has been put off for so long it still was using the old specifications. As for the rest of I-40/US 64 there have been some new signs, but, at least westbound, not too many. The signage where I-40 meets I-440 again has not changed.

I also took some photos related to the I-40 widening project in Cary which begins at the end of West I-440 and continues to Wade Avenue:
Barriers have been placed to protect workers in the median and bringing the new lanes down to grade has begun. To speed up the process NCDOT's contractor is using a conveyor system:
To take the dirt and rock from the median over the highway to awaiting trucks. Another conveyor belt will take asphalt to the site when the roadbeds are completed. It appears workers are concentrating their efforts now between Wade Avenue and the NC 54 exit due to the presumed convenient location of the porta-potty:
This design-build project is supposed to be completed by the end of June 2011. If you would like more information go to the official NCDOT site at: http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/I4744/

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dillon Road

Dillon Road is a 34.2-mile highway located in northern Coachella Valley of Riverside County, California.  Dillon Road begins at Avenue 48 on the outskirts of Indio and ends to the west at California State Route 62 near San Gorgonio Pass.  Dillon Road was developed the 1930s as a construction road for the Colorado River Aqueduct.  Dillon Road serves as a northern bypass to much of the development of Coachella Valley.  Dillon Road is known for it's frequent dips and spectacular views of San Gorgonio Pass.   Part 1; the history of Dillon Road Dillon Road was constructed as a haul road for the Colorado River Aqueduct through Coachella Valley.  The Colorado River Aqueduct spans 242 miles from Parker Dam on the Colorado River west to Lake Mathews near Corona.  Construction of the Colorado River Aqueduct began during January 1933 near Thousand Palms and was made functional on January 7, 1939.  West of Berdoo Canyon Road the alignment of Dillon Road is largely concurrent with the Colorado

Oldtown Toll Bridge - Maryland and West Virginia

  The Oldtown Toll Bridge linking Oldtown, Maryland over the Potomac River with neighboring Green Spring, West Virginia is only one of a few truly privately owned toll bridges located in the United States. It's a simple bridge by design, as the 318 foot long Oldtown Toll Bridge is a low water bridge. Low water bridges are designed to allow water to safely and efficiently flow over the bridge deck. Additionally, a dozen concrete pedestals have been secured in the Potomac River in order to support the bridge and wooden deck. The bridge was constructed in 1937 when a gentleman by the name of Mr. Carpenter obtained the proper permits to build the Bridge through an Act of Congress. This was a blessing for residents, especially on the West Virginia side of the Potomac River, as it saved motorists commuting to Cumberland an hour in travel time. Using Mr. Carpenter's blueprints, the Army Corp of Engineers and a number of local laborers constructed the bridge and it remained under the

Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road

Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road is an approximately 21-mile highway located in southeast Kern County.  Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road begins at Tehachapi Boulevard (former US Route 466) in Tehachapi and crosses the Tehachapi Mountains via the 4,820-foot-high Oak Creek Pass.  Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road enters Antelope Valley of the wider Mojave Desert and passes by the historic stage station of Willow Springs to a southern terminus at Rosamond Boulevard.  Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road has historic ties to the Havilah-Los Angeles Road and Stockton-Los Angeles Road due to the once reliable presence of water at Willow Springs. Part 1; the history of Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road Oak Creek Pass and Willow Springs were known to the local tribes of the Tehachapi Mountains for generations.  The first documented European crossing of Oak Creek Pass was during 1776 as part of an expedition by Francisco Garces.  Oak Creek Pass is as used again by John C. Fremont during an 1844-1845 expedition to e