Skip to main content

Future Interstate 685 Comes to North Carolina

Future Interstate 685 sign along US 421 near Sanford. (Tracy Snead)

North Carolina's newest Future Interstate is officially here. Future I-685 which will run from I-85 in Greensboro along US 421 to Sanford, and then on a yet to be determined route to I-95 in Eastern North Carolina.

The Future I-685 signs can be found along US 421 near Sanford.

The push for an Interstate along US 421 in North Carolina dates to the 1960s as one of the many requested Interstate corridors the state made when additional Interstate mileage was being granted.  In the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the US 421 corridor from I-85 in Greensboro to I-95 in Dunn was named a "High Priority Corridor."  As the highway gets upgraded to Interstate standards, the real Interstate shields can appear.  But they may have to figure out where the future Interstate highway will end first.

You can follow along on I-685's progress at Bob Malme's Future Interstate Site.

Many thanks to Tracy Snead for the photo.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Rep. Sue Myrick's letter to Gov. Easley and Sect. Tippett published in Charlotte Observer

US. Representative Sue Myrick's (R-Charlotte) letter to North Carolina's Governor Mike Easley and NC Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett was published in the Friday, November 30th edition of the Charlotte Observer . Why are we delaying the completion of 1-485 in Charlotte again? I read in The Charlotte Observer how rising prices of materials are leading to the delay. Why didn't these same rising costs delay the loops in Fayetteville and Wilmington? Why are we building loops in Fayetteville and Wilmington before we complete the one in Charlotte? We were working on the one in Charlotte back when I was mayor. That was 20 years ago! ... Last I looked Charlotte was the largest city in the state. There seems to be no recognition of that fact in Raleigh. No recognition that we are at a standstill with traffic. No recognition that we have a traffic problem. Nor is there any recognition of the fact that the state DOT utterly botched up the southern leg of our yet to be completed ...

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Sandstone Falls

The New River, which runs through New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, is best known for its dramatic rapids and whitewater adventures.  Those features begin at one of the river's widest points: Sandstone Falls. From the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk a look at just a small part of the falls. Though the vertical drop of roughly 20 feet is less than many other well-known waterfalls in the state, the falls' expanse, where the river approaches 1500 feet wide, makes Sandstone Falls impressive.   The Boardwalk Trail leads to a better vantage point of the overall falls. It is a great spot for photography, fishing, or laying out in the sun. Access to the falls is relatively easy: from Hinton, cross the New River on Highway 20, then turn right onto CR 26 and follow New River Road to the Sandstone Falls Parking Area. The Island Loop Trail is a short detour off the Boardwalk Trail and shows a quieter side of the area. At Sandstone Falls, you will find a variety of activities fr...

I-90 in Albany, New York and the Berkshire Spur

Today's Albany Times Union has a segment in their weekly Getting There? column that explains some of the history behind how I-90 is designated in the Albany, NY area as well as the Berkshire Spur. The long and short of the article was that I-90 was originally designated on the unsigned portion of the Berkshire Spur, but as free I-90 was built, the designation was moved onto the free portion of road. Additionally, there were talks in 1999 between state and federal officials about the possibility of moving I-90 back onto the unsigned portion of the Berkshire Spur, while extending I-88 onto what we know as free I-90. There would have also had been an I-88/I-90 multiplex between Rotterdam and Albany as a result. http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=916307