Interstate 540 (North Carolina)

In North Carolina, Interstate 540 is the modern perimeter loop of Raleigh, North Carolina. The road is several miles further from downtown Raleigh than Interstate 440, the Cliff Benson Beltline. Known formally as the Northern Wake Expressway, the "Outer Loop" presently runs 16 miles (26 km) from I-40 near Raleigh-Durham International Airport around the northern part of Raleigh to U.S. Route 1 (Capital Boulevard) northeast of Raleigh.

When finished, the loop will total over 50 miles in length; as of 2005, only about one quarter of the project has been completed and is open to traffic. Currently, as of November 2005, sections from US 1 to US 64 in Knightdale, North Carolina in the east and from I-40 to NC 54 and NC 55 in the west are under construction. While work on the western section may be completed in 2006, NCDOT just announced that the work on the eastern portion will not be completed now until 2007. Work on the southern portion of the beltway has not been begun at this time and the final segments may not be open until 2030. Some have suggested tolls be used to help complete this section earlier.

NCDOT plans to renumber I-540 to I-640 once the Outer Loop is completed back to I-40 in Garner, but these plans may change due to potential motorist confusion.

External link

• I-540 on Wake County Roads

References

• http://www.ncdot.org/planning/tpb/SHC/pdf/SHC_Vision_Map_Triangle.pdf Note 2 on map regarding renumbering current I-540 as I-640
• http://www.nbc17.com/news/5325199/detail.html "Planners Suggest Making I-540 Toll Road" accessed 11/29/05.
• http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/372268.html "Finish Date of Part of I-540 Loop Postponed" accessed 11/29/05.