Preferred Alternative Selected
Adding lanes on I-40 from the I-440/U.S. 64 interchange to Lake Wheeler Road (I-5701)
The N.C. Department of Transportation is moving forward with Preferred Alternative 2 that would create one new through lane in each direction by connecting the existing auxiliary lanes located between the interchanges at Gorman Street and Lake Wheeler Road.
Additionally, new auxiliary lanes will be added to replace the auxiliary lanes that have been converted to through lanes. The result will be four through lanes in each direction from the I-440/U.S. 1/U.S. 64 interchange to Lake Wheeler Road, plus one auxiliary lane in each direction between the interchanges.
Rebuilding the existing interchange at I-40/I-440/U.S. 1/U.S. 64 (I-5703)
NCDOT has selected Alternative 2 as the Preferred Alternative. Alternative 2 would remove the ramps that go to and from northbound U.S. 1/U.S. 64 to Walnut Street and would relocate them farther south to connect to Piney Plains Road/Dillard Drive.
The on-ramp from Crossroads Boulevard to northbound U.S. 1/U.S. 64 would be closed. This provides more room for vehicles to merge onto U.S. 1/U.S. 64 before the I-40 interchange.
This Preferred Alternative also includes flyovers (a ramp that is crossing another roadway) for the two heaviest traffic areas, which are from northbound U.S. 1/U.S. 64 to westbound I-40 and from westbound I-40 to southbound U.S. 1/U.S. 64. The loop ramp from northbound U.S. 1/U.S. 64 to westbound I-40 will be removed.Please refer to the Public Comment & Summary and NCDOT Response to Public Comments in the
Project Documents section.
Next Steps
Environmental effects of the preliminary designs will be evaluated in environmental documents. Both projects classify as Categorical Exclusion (a classification given to federal aid projects or actions, which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant impact on the environment). A separate Categorical Exclusion document is being prepared for each project.