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Interstate 240 (North Carolina)
Encyclopedia
Interstate 240 is a 9.1 miles (14.6 km) long Interstate Highway loop in the U.S. state of North Carolina
. It serves as an urban connector for Asheville
and runs in a half-circle around the north of the city's downtown district between exits 53B and 46B of Interstate 40
. Between those points, Interstate 40
continues in an east–west direction further south of the city, roughly parallel to the Swannanoa
and French Broad
rivers. The western segment of I-240 is now being renumbered as Interstate 26
as part of a larger project extending I-26 from its former western terminus at I-40/I-240 to US Route 23 near Kingsport, Tennessee
.
A planned construction project dubbed the I-26 Connector, intended to build a straighter path of I-26 through Asheville (bypassing the I-240/US 19/23/70 interchange), has recently been lowered in priority by the NC Department of Transportation. A major part of this project would have been the construction of a new interstate-standard bridge across the French Broad River
. Additional plans for I-240 in west Asheville call for its expansion from 4 lanes to 8 lanes.
Years prior to the loop's completion, I-240 was known as Interstate 140; however, no signage was ever posted for I-140. The I-140
designation has now been given to a spur route in Wilmington
.
-23, opened from the Beaucatcher Tunnel westward to N.C. 191.
The next step began with the 1964 presentation by J. O. "Buck" Buchanan to the N.C. Highway Commission Board.
An interstate highway was to be built to downtown Asheville to connect with the existing freeway. The best way to do this, it was concluded, was to blast an 800 feet (243.8 m)-wide passage through Beaucatcher Mountain.
The Beaucatcher Mountain Defense Association, formed in the early 1970s, endorsed a tunnel
, which would mean only about 5 percent of the mountain would be disturbed.
In 1977, the North Carolina Department of Transportation
selected Asheville Contracting Co. for the project. 3 million cubic feet of rock would have to be moved, and all of it could be used in the construction. The company had several connections to those responsible for the road plan: company president Baxter Taylor was a business partner of Ted Jordan, a highway board member and a member of the Chamber of Commerce Highway Committee; they founded Hyde Insurance Company, which sold $39.9 million in bonds
to finance the plan. And Buchanan went on to work in public relations for Asheville Contracting.
One of the Defense Association's arguments was the highway's proximity to Zealandia
, the estate of Philip Henry
, whose Tudor
mansion was covered by the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act. However, when the mansion was named to the National Register of Historic Places
on March 14, 1977, the destruction of the mountain had started.
and the University of North Carolina at Asheville
.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It serves as an urban connector for Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
and runs in a half-circle around the north of the city's downtown district between exits 53B and 46B of Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
. Between those points, Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
continues in an east–west direction further south of the city, roughly parallel to the Swannanoa
Swannanoa River
The Swannanoa River flows through the Swannanoa Valley of western North Carolina, and is a major tributary to the French Broad River. It begins at its headwaters in Black Mountain, NC, however, it also has a major tributary near its headwaters: Flat Creek, which begins on the slopes of Mount...
and French Broad
French Broad River
The French Broad River flows from near the village of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into the state of Tennessee. Its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville is the beginning of the Tennessee River....
rivers. The western segment of I-240 is now being renumbered as Interstate 26
Interstate 26
Interstate 26 is a nominally east–west main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W and U.S. Route 23 in Kingsport, Tennessee, generally southeastward to U.S. Route 17 in Charleston, South Carolina...
as part of a larger project extending I-26 from its former western terminus at I-40/I-240 to US Route 23 near Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
.
A planned construction project dubbed the I-26 Connector, intended to build a straighter path of I-26 through Asheville (bypassing the I-240/US 19/23/70 interchange), has recently been lowered in priority by the NC Department of Transportation. A major part of this project would have been the construction of a new interstate-standard bridge across the French Broad River
French Broad River
The French Broad River flows from near the village of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into the state of Tennessee. Its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville is the beginning of the Tennessee River....
. Additional plans for I-240 in west Asheville call for its expansion from 4 lanes to 8 lanes.
Years prior to the loop's completion, I-240 was known as Interstate 140; however, no signage was ever posted for I-140. The I-140
Interstate 140 (North Carolina)
Interstate 140 is a part of the Interstate Highway System in the US state of North Carolina. It is a spur route that will run for upon its completion within both New Hanover and Brunswick Counties in serving as a bypass of Wilmington...
designation has now been given to a spur route in Wilmington
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
.
History
In the early 1960s, the east–west Freeway around downtown Asheville, designated U.S. 19U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 19 is a north–south U.S. Highway. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie....
-23, opened from the Beaucatcher Tunnel westward to N.C. 191.
The next step began with the 1964 presentation by J. O. "Buck" Buchanan to the N.C. Highway Commission Board.
An interstate highway was to be built to downtown Asheville to connect with the existing freeway. The best way to do this, it was concluded, was to blast an 800 feet (243.8 m)-wide passage through Beaucatcher Mountain.
The Beaucatcher Mountain Defense Association, formed in the early 1970s, endorsed a tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
, which would mean only about 5 percent of the mountain would be disturbed.
In 1977, the North Carolina Department of Transportation
North Carolina Department of Transportation
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is responsible for building, repairing, and operating highways, bridges, and other modes of transportation, including ferries in the U.S. state of North Carolina.-History:...
selected Asheville Contracting Co. for the project. 3 million cubic feet of rock would have to be moved, and all of it could be used in the construction. The company had several connections to those responsible for the road plan: company president Baxter Taylor was a business partner of Ted Jordan, a highway board member and a member of the Chamber of Commerce Highway Committee; they founded Hyde Insurance Company, which sold $39.9 million in bonds
Bond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
to finance the plan. And Buchanan went on to work in public relations for Asheville Contracting.
One of the Defense Association's arguments was the highway's proximity to Zealandia
Zealandia
SS Zealandia, nicknamed Z was a historically significant Australian cargo and passenger ship. It served as a troopship in both World War I and World War II. Zealandia transported the ill-fated Australian 8th Division. Its crew were the last Allied personnel to see HMAS Sydney, which was lost with...
, the estate of Philip Henry
Philip Henry
Philip Henry may refer to:*Philip Henry *Philip Henry , Jamaican artist*Philip Henry , English clergyman...
, whose Tudor
Tudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
mansion was covered by the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act. However, when the mansion was named to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on March 14, 1977, the destruction of the mountain had started.
Route description
I-240 passes near the Biltmore EstateBiltmore Estate
Biltmore House is a Châteauesque-styled mansion near Asheville, North Carolina, built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895. It is the largest privately-owned home in the United States, at and featuring 250 rooms...
and the University of North Carolina at Asheville
University of North Carolina at Asheville
The University of North Carolina at Asheville is a co-educational, four year, public liberal arts university. The university is also known as UNC Asheville. Located in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina, UNCA is the only designated liberal arts institution in the University of North...
.
Exit list
Numbers begin on the west side of Asheville and ends on the east side of the city. The entire route is in Buncombe County, Asheville| Exit # Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1A | , Knoxville Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
No access from I-240 west to I-40 east; use exit 1B |
| , Spartanburg Spartanburg, South Carolina thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of... |
West end of I-26 overlap | |
| 1B | ||
| 1C | Amboy Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| 2 | ||
| 3A | West end of US 19/US 23/US 74A overlap | |
| 3B | Westgate, Resort Drive | |
| 4A | East end I-26/US 19/US 23 overlap; west end of US 70 overlap | |
| 4B | Patton Avenue – Downtown Asheville Asheville, North Carolina Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active... |
No westbound exit |
| 4C | Montford Avenue, Haywood Street | |
| 5A | ||
| 5B | East end of US 70/US 74A overlap | |
| 6 | Chunns Cove Road, Tunnel Road (US 70, US-74A) | |
| 7 | Three-level diamond interchange | |
| 8 | West end of US 74A overlap | |
| 9 | , Knoxville Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
|
| East end of US 74A overlap; continuation beyond I-40; eastbound exit and westbound entrance |