Interstate 495 (North Carolina)

Interstate 495 marker

Interstate 495
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length: 4.09 mi[1][2] (6.58 km)
Existed: 2013 – present
Major junctions
South end:
I‑440 / US 64 / US 64 Bus. in Raleigh
North end: I‑540 / US 64 / US 264 in Knightdale
Location
Counties: Wake
Highway system
← I‑485US 501 →

Interstate 495 (I-495) is a designated, auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It serves as a connector between I-440 and I-540 in Wake County; when completed, it will also connect with I-95, in Rocky Mount.

Route description

I-495 is a six-lane connector interstate highway that connects I-440, in Raleigh, and I-540, in Knightdale; it is entirely concurrent with US 64/US 264. Speed limit for majority of the route is 70 miles per hour (110 km/h). Mileage markers and exit numbers along route are from US 64.

History

I-495/US 64/US 264, near Knightdale

I-495 first appeared on February 20, 2013, when the North Carolina Department of Transportation submitted a request to AASHTO in order to establish Interstate 495 as a new auxiliary route of I-95. The proposed 44.99-mile (72.40 km) route would begin at I-440/US 64/US 64 Business in Raleigh and would end at I-95, in Rocky Mount, completely concurrent with US 64.[3]

On March 15, 2013, AASHTO received a modified request from NCDOT requesting the establishment of I-495 from I-440 to I-540 (4.09 mi or 6.58 km) and Future I-495 from I-540 to I-95 (40.90 mi or 65.82 km). In the official request, it also requested a waiver to not renumber I-540 because it would be connecting to another interstate and the reason for the future designation is because that section will require improvement to pavement, shoulders, and in one spot roadway width (near Nashville). It was approved, though needed an additional approval from FHWA.[2] On December 12, 2013, it was announced by Governor Pat McCrory and Transportation Secretary Tony Tata that the proposed section was approved by the FHWA and was added to the interstate highway system. I-495 will exist as described by its application to AASHTO, with a Future I-495 signed to I-95.[4]

The freeway section, the part that is to be signed I-495 and continuing east to US 64 Business, was completed in 2006. From I-440 to Rolesville Road, the freeway was built to interstate standards; which is why the first official section of I-495 was able to connect between I-440 and I-540.[5] East of Rolesville Road, the freeway was built over the years to state freeway standards, since 1975. This older section of freeway will eventually be upgraded to interstate standards; which include road rehabilitation and wider lanes and shoulders.

Future

Future I-495, along US 64/US 264

I-495 is slated to continue east along US 64 to I-95, once road improvements are completed upgrading it to interstate standards. Currently, this section is signed as Future I-495.[2][4]

Long-term plans by the Raleigh-Durham area's Regional Transportation Alliance call for extension of the interstate east of I-95 toward Elizabeth City, then northeastward to the Norfolk-Virginia Beach (Hampton Roads) metropolitan area. RTA's plan envisions the entirety of the corridor from Raleigh to Norfolk receiving a new two-digit interstate designation. This interstate would connect two of the United States' largest metropolitan areas still lacking direct interstate access between each other. It has been proposed that this interstate highway corridor could be designated as I-44, I-50, or some other number.[6][7] However, subsequent review of available and preferred route numbers has produced two more-likely candidates: Interstate 56 if an east-west designation is chosen or Interstate 89 if a north-south designation is chosen.[8] Interstate 56 does not exist anywhere in the country while I-89 does exist in New England but is far removed from the Raleigh-Norfolk corridor and unlikely to cause confusion.

Junction list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
WakeRaleigh0.00.0419
I‑440 west / US 64 west / US 64 Bus. east – Wake Forest		West end of US 64 overlap and western terminus of US 264
Southern terminus of I-495
0.91.4420New Hope Road
Knightdale3.15.0422Hodge Road
4.16.6423 I‑540 west – Wake Forest, RDU AirportEast end of US 64/US 264 overlap
North end of I-495 and south end of Future I-495
 425Smithfield RoadBuilt to interstate standards, signed future[2]
Wendell427Taylor Road/Wendell Falls Parkway
429
US 64 Bus. (Wendell Boulevard) – Knightdale
430Rolesville Road – Rolesville
 432Lizard Lick Road – WendellUpgrade to interstate standards[2]
Zebulon435
US 64 Bus. west / NC 96 – Zebulon, Oxford
436 US 264 east to NC 97 – Wilson, Greenville
Franklin 439 NC 39 – Louisburg
 442SR 1737 (Tant Road)
Nash 
US 64 Alt. east / NC 231 to NC 98 – Spring Hope, Middlesex, Wake Forest
  NC 581 – Spring Hope, Bailey
 Old Franklin Road – Momeyer
Nashville458
US 64 Alt. west / US 64 Bus. east – Nashville, Momeyer
459 NC 58 – Nashville, Castalia
461
US 64 Bus. west (Red Oak Road) – Nashville, Red Oak
 463Old Carriage Road – Red Oak
Rocky Mount464 I‑95 / US 64 east – Wilson, Fayetteville, RichmondUpgrade to interstate standards[2]
Northern terminus of Future I-495
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

Route map: Bing / Google

  1. 1 2 Google (December 14, 2013). "Interstate 495" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Binder-all applications May 2013" (PDF). American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. May 2013. p. 56. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  3. ↑ I-495 Route Change (2013-02-20) (PDF) (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. December 14, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "North Carolina Gets a New Interstate, with the I-495 Designation near Raleigh" (Press release). Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Department of Transportation. December 14, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  5. ↑ "US 64 Route Change (2006-11-08)" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. November 8, 2006. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Interstate 495 to Rocky Mount—Future I-44 to Hampton Roads". Raleigh, NC: Regional Transportation Alliance. December 14, 2013. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  7. ↑ Gibson, Terry R. (November 27, 2012). "Designation of I-44" (PDF) (Letter to John F. Sullivan III). Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Raleigh-Norfolk: I-495, I-44, I-50, I-89, I-56 … ?". Raleigh, NC: Regional Transportation Alliance. December 31, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2016.

External links

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