General Construction Schedule

Construction on the $122 million Greensboro Western Urban Loop project began in February 2004. Archer Western Contractors of Atlanta, Ga. was the general contractor.

In the department’s draft seven-year 2009-2015 Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan the next section of the Urban Loop from U.S. 70 to U.S. 29 is scheduled for right-of way acquisition in 2009 with construction beginning in 2011. The remaining sections from U.S. 29 to Lawndale Avenue, Lawndale Avenue to U.S. 220 (Battleground Avenue) and U.S. 220 to Bryan Boulevard are currently unfunded at this time.

Press Release(s)

The Greensboro Western Urban Loop is part of the N.C. Department of Transportation’s plan to build an urban loop around Greensboro to improve mobility within the city. By allowing through traffic to bypass Greensboro, this section of the loop will help improve congestion on existing I-40, particularly in the area where I-40, I-85 Business and U.S. Routes 29, 70, 220 and 421 all run concurrently. It is also the third section of the I-73 corridor to open in the state.

The Greensboro Western Urban Loop includes four travel lanes in each direction. Interchanges are located at I-85/I-85 Business, Wendover Avenue and I-40 Business/I-73/I-840. The speed limit is 65 miles per hour. Seven traffic cameras and two overhead message signs have been installed to monitor the highway and alert motorists of incidents affecting travel.

Benefits:

• Allows I-40 to be rerouted around the city, reducing congestion and improving traffic flow along a heavily traveled section of highway where existing I-40, I-85 Business, U.S. 29, U.S. 70, U.S. 220 and U.S. 421 run together.
• Provides a more direct route for traffic heading from south and east of Greensboro to points north and west of the city.
• Marks opening of the third section of I-73 in the state. I-73 is a planned interstate that will eventually run from Sault Saint Marie, Mich. to Myrtle Beach, S.C.
• Marks opening of the fourth section of the Greensboro Urban Loop. Completes 25.3 miles of the total 44-mile loop around the city.

Interesting Facts:

• The I-40/73 Greensboro Western Urban Loop features a 65 miles-per-hour speed limit, seven traffic cameras, three interchanges and two dynamic message signs.
• More than 550,500 dump truck loads of dirt were moved during the project.
• More than 19,000 truckloads of concrete were used for paving alone.
• About 14,000 truck loads of asphalt were used to pave the new highway.
• 27 overhead signs were installed along the loop.
• About 21 miles of guardrails were installed along the highway.
• If the highway’s bridges were laid side by side, they would equal 8.2 acres of surface area. If laid end-to-end, the length of steel beams for the highway’s bridges would equal 5.9 miles. The bridges’ concrete beams would total 1.4 miles end-to-end.
• The highway has about 4 miles of sound walls.