Skip to main content

Tour of Phase III of the Triangle Expressway

On Thursday, December 20th, the third - and at this point final - phase of the Triangle Expressway opened to traffic.  The opening extended the NC 540 Toll Road and additional five miles from US 64 in Apex to the NC 55 Bypass in Holly Springs.

Prior to the expressway's opening, I was fortunate enough to tour the highway via the Expressway Trot 5k on December 2nd.  On Christmas Eve, I took a spin on the new road for the first time.

For the entire flickr set, head here.

Since I never was able to get a good photo of it prior (and because I live on the opposite end of Wake County from here), I finally am able to post a photo of the 'END' NC 540 shield for the brief free section of NC 540. (I-40 to NC 54).

IMG_6727

Prior to that shot, the VMS announced that the highway is now open to NC 55 in Holly Springs.  This message alternates with a message explaining that tolls on that section will begin on January 2, 2013.

IMG_6726

And here's the newly opened stretch of highway!

IMG_6731

Don't let the empty roadway fool you - there was a fair amount of cars traveling the toll road on this afternoon.

IMG_6733

Designers of the toll road have mentioned that they included some visual aesthetics to enhance the driving experience and to differentiate if from a normal limited access highway.  The fancier concrete sign bridges, brick overpass foundations, and also brick sound barriers are part of those aesthetics.

IMG_6735

In addition, trees and shrubs have recently been planted in the grass median throughout the length of the toll road.

Here's the TriEx South at South Salem St. (Old US 1).

IMG_6740

Overheads for US 1 North and South just after the South Salem Street interchange.

IMG_6741

Toll NC 540 ends at the NC 55 Holly Springs Bypass.  What's interesting about this interchange is that traffic wanting to get on Bypass NC 55 West is directed over the median and onto the northbound Toll 540 carriageway to crossover NC 55 before taking a loop ramp onto Bypass NC 55 West.

IMG_6748

Here's the overhead for entering the Triangle Expressway from Highway 55 East.

IMG_6751

I detoured onto US 1 briefly so I could check out the signage for the new toll road on US 1 and also I was informed that the flyover ramp from US 1 North to Toll NC 540 North was actually pretty neat.

Here's the overheads on US 1 North at the Triangle Expressway Interchange (Exit 93)

IMG_6760

I think this is the first time in North Carolina a split ramp on a flyover interchange is split into A/B ramps.  I know that the ramps from I-40E to I-540/NC 540 or I-95N to I-40 does not have an A/B split.

IMG_6762

Chris Allen had given me a heads up on the flyover ramp from US 1 North to Toll 540 North.  And it is actually pretty interesting.  The ramp goes under the Triangle Expressway before going over US 1 to reach NC 540 North.  The signature red brick of the Triangle Expressway actually makes an impression here.

IMG_6763

Finally, I exited onto S. Salem St to check out how the new toll road is signed on more of a surface street/rural road.  Interestingly, there's an additional sign outside of the 'TOLL' 'NC 540 diamond' and Arrow.

IMG_6772




Comments

James Mast said…
"I think this is the first time in North Carolina a split ramp on a flyover interchange is split into A/B ramps."

Not true. The Northern I-485 interchange with I-77 did this first on the Inner loop ramp.

http://goo.gl/maps/d5rOM
Chris Allen said…
Thank you for not saying "Chris Allen had mentioned the US 1 flyover ramp, but I actually thought it was totally lame and uninteresting and a complete waste of my time." :)
Brent White said…
James, I-77 Southbound at I-277 has had the split into A/B ramps at least since 1994.
James Mast said…
Brent, that's not a flyover like the I-485/I-77 interchange is.

Popular posts from this blog

Abandoned US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon

Within the Truckee River Canyon in the Sierra Nevada range numerous abandoned portions of US Route 40 can be found alongside modern Interstate 80.   This segment of highway was opened during 1926 as a bypass of the Dog Valley Grade which carried the early North Lincoln Highway and Victory Highway. The corridor of the Truckee River Canyon State Highway would be assigned as US Route 40 when the US Route System was commissioned during November 1926. During 1958 the segment of Interstate 80 between Boca, California and the Nevada state line was complete. When Interstate 80 opened east of Boca numerous obsolete portions of US Route 40 were abandoned. Some of these abandoned segments have been incorporated into the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail.  Part 1; the history of US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon The Truckee River Canyon for centuries has been an established corridor of travel known to native tribes crossing the Sierra Nevada range.  The first documented wagon crossi...

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway.  In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County.  That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848.  During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California.  Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada.  The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926.  Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938.  A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947.   Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association.  Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe.   Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the  September 1950 California Highways & Public Works  during its Centennial Edition.  The or...