Greensboro Urban Loop (Painter Boulevard)

[cityboi]

I feel the same way. I wish DOT had scrapped the plans for the new 85 and used that money to widen and modernize Death Valley like they did in Durham. I've noticed a few hotels and gas stations along Randleman and South Elm-Eugene that have gone out of business due to the new bypass. I am fed up with how they build a loop around a city and then declare the old route a business interstate. Why couldn't they just leave it as US 220, 29, 421, and 70?

It would have been difficult to totally rebuild the death valley interchanges without SERIOUS traffic tie ups. Those interchanges are way out of date. I actually have no problem with the loop because the Death Valley area looks kinda shady and run down. Its kind of embarassing when people drive through our community and thats the impression Greensboro leaves on people who just drive through and dont really experience Greensboro and visit our beautiful neighborhoods and downtown.

[Creasy336]

well now people traveling along new 85/40 get to experience trees, farms, and a little bit of sprawl. Durham, Salisbury, Concord, and Burlington look way bigger than Greensboro from the loop. I have to agree with the 3di Designation of the former parts of the loop. Green 40 should be a 3di from the Green 40/ Green 85 split (i know confusing) to new 40 near the airport and as blburton stated a 3di designation for Green 85 from the Green 85/ Green 40 split to new 85 near Grandover. Check this out Triad forumers, to make it easy for everybody we could just designate the remaining section of green 85 green 40 as....

Preddy Expy

TO I-185 I-340

Central Greensboro

and to let people know they are bypassing Greensboro NCDOT could put signs up simply designating the loop as the Greensboro Bypass

[cityboi]

Greensboro is also notorious for naming freeways and expressways as parkways or boulevards Bryan Blvd is actually an expressway by definition. There are only a few example of highways being called expressways in Greensboro. Hwy 68 is called "The Linwood Smith Expressway" and Hwy 421 in Greensboro is called expressway.

[cityboi]

Before they rerouted Bryan Boulevard around the planned new third runway, the state was going to build an expressway tunnel under that runway.

[ezcheese]

Before they rerouted Bryan Boulevard around the planned new third runway, the state was going to build an expressway tunnel under that runway.

Are you serious? That would be scary, driving through knowing that heavy airplanes were landing on top of you. I have a thing about tunnels though. I was commuting into Boston every day through the I-93 tunnel around the time that a huge chunk of concrete and other materials came crashing down on a woman's car in the tunnel. That would not be fun.

[cityboi]

Are you serious? That would be scary, driving through knowing that heavy airplanes were landing on top of you. I have a thing about tunnels though. I was commuting into Boston every day through the I-93 tunnel around the time that a huge chunk of concrete and other materials came crashing down on a woman's car in the tunnel. That would not be fun.

I get nervous going in tunnels especially under water like between Hampton and Norfolk, Va or though mountains.

[JerseyBoy]

Are you serious? That would be scary, driving through knowing that heavy airplanes were landing on top of you. I have a thing about tunnels though. I was commuting into Boston every day through the I-93 tunnel around the time that a huge chunk of concrete and other materials came crashing down on a woman's car in the tunnel. That would not be fun.

They did virtually the same thing on 285 in Atlanta where they built a runway over the interstate. I've driven though there many times and it's not so bad when the average speed on the road is 80-90 mph.

[jasoniman24]

I don't see why they just didn't call the whole loop I-840 , and leave I-40 and 85 as mainline interstates. Also I don't know why they are afraid to name a freeway in Guilford County for what it it is, instead of boulevard. A wide commercial strip comes to mind when I hear boulevard, not an interstate.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

WHy doesn't Greensboro Beltway construction get the media attention and hype of Raleigh and Charlotte's loops? The media in other cities constantly do stories on how the new beltways will impact their cities, but GSO seems to be rather unimpressed by the potential growth that accompany such huge road projects.

[Bosox28]

WHy doesn't Greensboro Beltway construction get the media attention and hype of Raleigh and Charlotte's loops? The media in other cities constantly do stories on how the new beltways will impact their cities, but GSO seems to be rather unimpressed by the potential growth that accompany such huge road projects.

probably because it wont be completed until 2020

[blburton]

That's a good question, but I feel that the controversy with those loops are the problems with parts of their loops being obsolete 3 and 4 years after construction or worse yet, experiencing the same horrific traffic problems on opening day.

Raleigh's and Charlotte's loops also encompass many of the city's suburbs and when they were initially built, a majority of the interchanges were tree-laden and pristine. It's helped contribute to a lot of the newness, traffic, sprawl, etc 20 miles from downtown in some cases. Most of the western half of Greensboro's loop will traverse through already developed areas. You have HP Rd, Wendover, Friendly, Bryan Blvd, and Battleground which will all be major interchanges on the loop with up to 20+ years worth of established "cityscape" surrounding. Compare with the Brier Creek interchange and other north Raleigh interchanges.... or the many interchanges on I-485 east of Charlotte. In the beginning, the western segment of Greensboro's loop will serve as more of a N/S expressway to help ease the flow of traffic from north to south on the western side of the county. Hopefully Guilford College, Wendover, New Garden, and Fleming Rd will all benefit. What do others think?

WHy doesn't Greensboro Beltway construction get the media attention and hype of Raleigh and Charlotte's loops? The media in other cities constantly do stories on how the new beltways will impact their cities, but GSO seems to be rather unimpressed by the potential growth that accompany such huge road projects.

[blburton]

LOL. 25 years will actually be faster than both Charlotte's and Raleigh's loop where from groundbreaking to completion, it could take 30 and 40 years (without tolls), respectively.

probably because it wont be completed until 2020

[Creasy336]

probably because it wont be completed until 2020

Well being that it got a late start compared to Charlotte and Raleigh, and will be mostly complete or underconstruction by 2012 I don't think Greensboro is doing that bad. One major reason the loop hasn't recieved as much attention is because it hasn't caused as much growth "yet". Malls and whole communties popped up in Wake and Mecklenburg county ready to close to the day those freeways opened followed by huge office and residential growth.

On another note, eventhough its too late, I wish NCDOT had used I-685 for the entire loop, and routed I-73 near four seasons mall using US 220 to I-40s old alignment. This would keep that important recently modernized 6-8 stretch a mainline interstate.

[Creasy336]

To be honest BLBurton I think Battleground Ave will see the most growth of all the interchanges. "IF" Greensboro were a new large scale mall or retail project it would go there.

[DigitalSky]

WHy doesn't Greensboro Beltway construction get the media attention and hype of Raleigh and Charlotte's loops? The media in other cities constantly do stories on how the new beltways will impact their cities, but GSO seems to be rather unimpressed by the potential growth that accompany such huge road projects.

I notice this too

I also notice that Greensboro's loop - in relationship to Raleigh and specifically Charlotte - is being built in advance. Charlotte needed the loop way before it started being built... Greensboro is still doing ok traffic-wise without having a loop.

[cityboi]

I will say time wise, Greensboro's loop is being built fairly quick. but believe it or not, this was first planned back in the late 1950s

[JerseyBoy]

The reason why it's being built faster is because it is smaller than the other big two in the state that are around 65-75 miles long around.

[cityboi]

The reason why it's being built faster is because it is smaller than the other big two in the state that are around 65-75 miles long around.

true Greensboro's is around 46 miles but even for a 46 mile loop, construction is going quickly. it took them years and years just to widen I-40 in west Greensboro.

[cityboi]

here is a little article update on the opening of the I-40 bypass (western loop) This segment will carry I-73 as well.

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...C0101/708090348

[Creasy336]

I guess I'll still be using good old Business 40/85, I will give the new 40 a test drive to Winston-Salem, It might end up being quicker with a speed limit of 65 allowing me to go 70+ .

[JerseyBoy]

I guess I'll still be using good old Business 40/85, I will give the new 40 a test drive to Winston-Salem, It might end up being quicker with a speed limit of 65 allowing me to go 70+ .

Slow poke, you should try driving with me.

[cityboi]

LOL It seems like Old I-40 would be quicker because I do at least 65 all the way through. The new I-40 curves out which means its actually a longer distance.

[cityboi]

I noticed the bridge over I-40 is coming along. Its been a while since ive been through there.

[cityboi]

I wonder what the offiical name of this beltway will be? Believe it or not Painter Blvd is not the name of the loop but a nonofficial nickname for the loop.

[Creasy336]

It'll be named after some politician just as most of the freeways in NC. Instead of just south Greensboro beltway, Greensboro Bypass or something like that. Hey Greensboro can just call it "New 85" like in Winston-Salem where they still use New 40. Simple enough