Interstate 795 (North Carolina)
Route information | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Auxiliary route of I-95 | ||||
Maintained by NCDOT | ||||
Length | 25.46 mi[1] (40.97 km) | |||
Existed | 2007–present | |||
NHS | Entire route | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | US 70 in Goldsboro | |||
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North end | I-95 / I-587 / US 264 near Wilson | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | North Carolina | |||
Counties | Wayne, Wilson | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Interstate 795 (I-795) is a 25.49-mile (41.02 km)
I-795 began in 2007 as a renumbering of the US 117 freeway. Since oversized trucks could not use US 117, the state decided to get the road approved for Interstate designation. On September 28, 2007, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) decided to approve the I-795 designation. The state quickly began to renumber mileposts, update signs, and move US 117 back to its original designation. In 2008, major flaws in the surface of the highway began to develop. The thin road surface had begun to deteriorate mainly because of heavy truck use. The pavement was found to have flaws along the entire route and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) decided that the highway should be resurfaced adding an extra 2.5 to 3 inches (6.4 to 7.6 cm) to the surface. The project of resurfacing the road was completed in 2010 and was later awarded the Sheldon G. Hayes Award for the best highway construction project and the smoothest road of 2011.
Route description
I-795 begins at an interchange with US 70 in Goldsboro. From there, the highway begins to head north through the northern parts of Goldsboro. The road passes Lane Tree Golf Course before having an interchange with US 70 Bypass (US 70 Byp.). After the US 70 Byp. interchange, I-795 begins to pass through the northern neighborhoods of Goldsboro before entering the eastern North Carolina countryside. Just after leaving Goldsboro, the highway bypasses the small town of Pikeville. The highway runs along the western edge of the town. I-795 has an interchange with Pikeville–Princeton Road before leaving the Pikeville area. As the highway begins to get closer to Wilson it bears to the west once again to bypass Fremont, another small town north of Goldsboro. I-795 has an interchange with North Carolina Highway 222 (NC 222) The road continues to head north paralleling US 117 as it leaves the town.[2][3]
As the Interstate continues through the rural area between Wilson and Goldsboro, it has an interchange with County Road 1643 (Alton Road) near milemarker 9. The highway continues north for about four more miles (6.4 km) before having another interchange with US 301. Shortly after the US 301 interchange, I-795 merges with I-587 and US 264 heading west. The four-lane highway runs along the southern parts of Wilson which is very rural. The joint highway has an interchange with Downing Street (exit 42) west of the Downing Village neighborhood. As it continues west, it crosses over Mill branch before having an interchange with NC 42 (exit 40) south of the Planters Trail neighborhood in the very rural south west area of Wilson. The road turns to the northwest to meet I-95 just a mile (1.6 km) to the west. I-795 (along with I-587) ends at I-95 at a cloverleaf interchange. The freeway continues to the west of the interchange as US 264.[2][3]
History
Beginnings as US 117 freeway
I-795 began as a new freeway alignment for US 117 completed in 2006, splitting from the old Goldsboro bypass (which still carries US 13) and paralleling the old two-lane US 117 roadway to the US 264 bypass south of Wilson. AASHTO approved an extension of US 117, overlapping US 264 to I-95, at their October 11, 2002, meeting.[4] However, the 1982 Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) specifies that trucks over 48 feet (15 m) in length, including the industry-standard 53-foot (16 m) trailers, can only use Interstates and other routes approved by the state, which included US 70 but not US 117.[5]
Push for Interstate designation
Rather than go through the time-consuming process to add the route to the STAA system, the state decided to get it approved as an Interstate. The
Problems with road surface and their remediation
In 2008, shortly after the road received the I-795 designation, major flaws developed in the route's paving surface. Though rated for a 15-year lifespan, the pavement began to deteriorate after only 16 months of use. During the planning of the road, as early as 2003, some engineers had warned that the thin pavement would be inadequate for heavy truck traffic. However, most NCDOT officials deemed a thicker road surface too expensive, as it would have added approximately $2.8 million (equivalent to $4.45 million in 2023[12]) to the cost of the road. At first, replacing sections that were damaged was expected to cost $1.6 million (equivalent to $2.22 million in 2023[12]), with estimates for resurfacing the entire road running as high as $10 million (equivalent to $13.9 million in 2023[12]). The FHWA sent an engineering team to examine the road in its entirety in the middle of 2008. They found flaws in the pavement in the entire highway, not just those already damaged between US 117 milemarkers 85 and 92. They recommended the entire asphalt surface be replaced with an additional 2.5 to 3.0 inches (6.4 to 7.6 cm) added to the width, at a cost between $15 million and $22 million (equivalent to $20.8 million and $30.6 million in 2023[12]).[13] Meanwhile, NCDOT started repairing the damaged portion of the road surface in October 2008, a process that was completed in about a month and cost around $600,000 (equivalent to $834,000 in 2023[12]). The new state secretary of transportation, Gene Conti, said he would make a decision, taking the FHWA report into consideration, once he took office in early 2009. He decided to abide by most recommendations of the report and announced in mid-2009 that a contract would be let that October with the project starting as early as November 2009.[14] The work, to fix the right lanes first, then put a finishing layer on all lanes, was completed in November 2010.[15] In 2012, the National Asphalt Pavement Association awarded the repaired eight-mile (13 km) segment the Sheldon G. Hayes Award, recognizing it as the best highway construction project and the smoothest road of 2011.[16]
Goldsboro Bypass
I-795 formerly served as the temporary west end of the new Goldsboro Bypass Freeway (
Future
In 2012, the Eastern North Carolina NPO/RPO coalition proposed a southern extension of I-795 from its current terminus, south along
Public hearings were held in November and December 2018 for the plan to upgrade the four-lane US 117 to
Exit list
County | Location | mi | km | Exit[a] | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NC 581 Conn.) – Wilmington | Continuation as NC 581 Conn. | |||||
25 | US 70 to US 13 – Smithfield, Raleigh, Kinston | Signed as exits 25A (west) and 25B (east) southbound; no exit number northbound | ||||
22.12 | 35.60 | 22 | US 70 Byp. (Goldsboro Bypass) | |||
Pikeville | 20.45 | 32.91 | 18 | Main Street – Pikeville | ||
Fremont | 16.09 | 25.89 | 14 | NC 222 – Fremont, Kenly | ||
Wilson | | 8.77 | 14.11 | 9 | Alton Road – Black Creek, Lucama | |
| 5.10 | 8.21 | 5 | US 301 to I-587 / US 264 east – Wilson, Kenly, Smithfield | ||
| 4.10 | 6.60 | — | I-587 / US 264 east – Greenville | East end of I-587 and US 264 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance; I 587 exit 23 | |
| 3.80 | 6.12 | 22 | Downing Road –Wilson | Exit numbers follow I 587 | |
Wilson | 1.19 | 1.92 | 20 | NC 42 – Wilson, Clayton | ||
0.00 | 0.00 | 18 | I-95 / I-587 begins – Benson, Rocky Mount | Northern terminus; northern end of the I-587 and US 264 overlap; western terminus of I-587; signed as exits 18A (south) and 18B (north); I-95 exit 119 | ||
— | US 264 west – Raleigh | Continuation as US 264 | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
- U.S. Roads portal
Notes
References
- ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- ^ a b Google (May 14, 2014). "Interstate 795 (North Carolina)" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
- ^ a b State Transportation Map (Map) (2013–14 ed.). Cartography by North Carolina State Tax Commission. North Carolina Department of Transportation. 2013.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (November 5, 2002). "Report of the Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering to the Standing Committee on Highways" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
- Goldsboro News-Argus. Retrieved December 17, 2011. (registration required)
- ^ North Carolina Department of Transportation (March 23, 2007). Application from the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the Establishment of a Route I-795 (PDF) (Report). American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Retrieved December 17, 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Staff (April 5, 2007). "Schedule Change Request, W-5007" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (May 5, 2007). "Report of the Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2017.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (September 29, 2007). "Report for SCOH" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
- Goldsboro News-Argus. Retrieved December 17, 2011. (registration required)
- ^ "NCDOT to Begin Installing I-795 Signs in Wayne, Wilson Counties" (Press release). North Carolina Department of Transportation. November 7, 2007. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
- ^ Gross Domestic Product deflatorfigures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
- ^ "I-795 Repairs Could Cost $22 million". Raleigh, NC: WRAL-TV. January 8, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
- ^ Staff (January 8, 2009). I-795 Post-Construction Project Review (PDF) (Report). Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
- ^ Staff (October 16, 2009). "State of North Carolina Department of Transportation Invitation to Bid" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
- ^ Siceloff, Bruce (March 7, 2012). "Rebuilt Interstate 795 wins awards". Raleigh, NC: The News & Observer. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
- ^ "NCDOT Opens First Section of Goldsboro Bypass to Traffic" (Press release). North Carolina Department of Transportation. December 16, 2011. Archived from the original on December 24, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
- ^ "2012 Projects" (PDF). Eastern North Carolina NPO/RPO Coalition. Eastern North Carolina NPO/RPO Coalition. October 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
- ^ Stefan, Natzke; Mike, Neathery; Edward, Starks (December 20, 2021). "Statutory Listing of Corridor Descriptions". High Priority Corridors. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ "Transportation officials to hold hearings on I-795 extension". Associated Press. November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
- ^ State Transportation Map (Map) (2011–12 ed.). North Carolina Department of Transportation. 2011.
External links
- Media related to Interstate 795 (North Carolina) at Wikimedia Commons
- I-795 at AARoads
- I-795 at the AARoads' Interstate Guide