| Interstate 85 Main route of the Interstate Highway System |
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| Length: | 668 mi (1075 km) |
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Interstate 85 (abbreviated I-85) is an interstate highway in the southeastern United States. The Dwight D Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System (or simply the Interstate System) A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand Interstate 65 (I-65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. US Route 82 is an east-west United States highway in the southern United States US Highway 82 (US-82 internally designated by the Alabama Department of Transportation as State Route 6 (SR-6 is a major northwest-southeast State highway Montgomery (məntˈgəmɜriː is the Capital, second most populous city and the 4th most populous metropolitan area in the Southern U Interstate 75 (I-75 is a major north-south Interstate Highway in the midwest and southeastern United States. In Georgia, Interstate 20 runs from the Alabama border to the Savannah River, which the Georgia- South Carolina border straddles Interstate 26 (I-26 is a nominally east-west (but physically more north-south main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. Spartanburg is the largest city in and the County seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United Interstate 77 (abbreviated I-77) is an Interstate highway in the eastern United States. Interstate 73 (abbreviated I-73) is a main route of the Interstate Highway System, currently located entirely within the U Interstate 40 (I-40 is a major west-east Interstate highway in the United States Durham is a city in the US state of North Carolina. It is the County seat of Durham County In the Commonwealth of Virginia, Interstate 95 runs through the state US Route 460 is a spur of US Route 60. It currently runs for 655 miles (1054 km from Norfolk Virginia at U Petersburg is an Independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River. The Dwight D Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System (or simply the Interstate System) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Its southern terminus is at an intersection with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus intersects with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond. Interstate 65 (I-65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. Montgomery (məntˈgəmɜriː is the Capital, second most populous city and the 4th most populous metropolitan area in the Southern U In the Commonwealth of Virginia, Interstate 95 runs through the state Petersburg is an Independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River. This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
An addition to Interstate 85 is proposed which will extend the route west from Montgomery, Alabama to just east of the Mississippi state line. Montgomery (məntˈgəmɜriː is the Capital, second most populous city and the 4th most populous metropolitan area in the Southern U Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States [1]
Contents |
| Lengths | ||
|---|---|---|
| mi | km | |
| AL | 80 | 130 |
| GA | 180 | 292 |
| SC | 106 | 172 |
| NC | 233 | 377 |
| VA | 69 | 112 |
| Total | 668 | 1,082 |
Interstate 85 begins as a fork off Interstate 65 in Montgomery. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand Interstate 85 (I-85 travels southwest-northeast through the U In the US state of Georgia, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Atlanta. In the US state of South Carolina, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Greenville and Spartanburg. In North Carolina, Interstate 85 scales the state for 233 miles (337 kilometers from the South Carolina border to the Virginia border Interstate 85 is a major Interstate highway that links many areas of the southeastern United States from Montgomery Alabama to Petersburg Virginia A control city is a city or locality posted on a Traffic sign indicating forward destinations on a certain route Montgomery (məntˈgəmɜriː is the Capital, second most populous city and the 4th most populous metropolitan area in the Southern U Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2007 population of 54348 LaGrange is a City in Troup County, Georgia, United States. It is named after the country estate near Paris of the Marquis de Columbus is a City in Muscogee County, Georgia, United States. Interstate 185 (I-185 is a 4930 mile (7934 km secondary interstate in western Georgia. Anderson is a city in and the County seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. Greenville is a mid-sized city located in the upstate of South Carolina. Spartanburg is the largest city in and the County seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United Gastonia is a city in North Carolina, United States. It is the County seat of Gaston County. Concord (kän-kord is a city in the US state of North Carolina. Salisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. Lexington is the County seat of Davidson County North Carolina, United States. High Point is a city located in the Piedmont Triad (The 30th largest metro area in the United States with a population of 1 Burlington is a city in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U Durham is a city in the US state of North Carolina. It is the County seat of Durham County Oxford is a city in Granville County, North Carolina, United States. Henderson is a city in Vance County, North Carolina, United States. South Hill is a town in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, United States. Petersburg is an Independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River. Interstate 85 (I-85 travels southwest-northeast through the U Interstate 65 (I-65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. Montgomery (məntˈgəmɜriː is the Capital, second most populous city and the 4th most populous metropolitan area in the Southern U From here, I-85 parallels U.S. Route 80 until the highway nears Tuskegee. US Route 80 is an east-west United States highway. As the "0" in the route number indicates it was originally a cross-country route from the Atlantic At Tuskegee, I-85 leaves U. S. 80 and starts to parallel U.S. Route 29, which the highway parallels for much of its length. US Route 29 is a north-south United States highway that runs for 1036 miles (1667 km from the western suburbs of Baltimore Maryland, to Pensacola Florida
I-85 also passes near Auburn, Opelika and Lanett before crossing the Chattahoochee River into Georgia. Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2007 population of 54348 Opelika is a city in and the County seat of Lee County in the east central part of the U Lanett is a city in Chambers County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 7897 The Chattahoochee River runs from the Chattahoochee Spring in the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Georgia, near the Carolinas to the southwestward The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule
In Georgia, Interstate 85 bypasses West Point before coming into the LaGrange area. In the US state of Georgia, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Atlanta. West Point is a City in Harris and Troup Counties in the US state of Georgia. LaGrange is a City in Troup County, Georgia, United States. It is named after the country estate near Paris of the Marquis de East of LaGrange, I-85 intersects Interstate 185. Travelers can take I-185 to Columbus and Fort Benning. Columbus is a City in Muscogee County, Georgia, United States. Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southwest
I-85 in Georgia is secretly designated - but not signed as - State Route 403. In the US state of Georgia, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Atlanta.
From LaGrange, I-85 heads northeastward towards Atlanta. Before reaching Atlanta, the highway passes the suburbs Newnan, College Park and East Point as well as intersecting Interstate 285 and providing access to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Newnan is a city in Coweta County, Georgia, 39 miles (63 km southwest of Atlanta. College Park is a city located partly in Fulton County Georgia and partially in Clayton County Georgia, in the United States. The City of East Point is southwest of the neighborhoods of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. Interstate 285 (I-285 is a Beltway Interstate highway encircling Atlanta Georgia, for 63 On the south side of the city, I-85 merges with Interstate 75 to form the Downtown Connector. Interstate 75 (I-75 is a major north-south Interstate Highway in the midwest and southeastern United States. In Atlanta Georgia, the Downtown Connector or 75/85 (pronounced "seventy-five eighty-five" is the overlapped connector of Just before downtown, the highway goes through a pile-up intersection with I-20. Afterward, the two highways go through the heart of the city until they split just north of Georgia Tech. The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly known as Georgia Tech, or Tech, is a public, Coeducational Research university in I-75 heads northwest while I-85 heads northeast. However, at the exit, I-75 drivers must take the right three lanes while I-85 motorists must use the left three lanes.
Continuing northeast of Atlanta, Interstate 85 continues through the northeastern suburbs, bypassing Chamblee and Doraville, where there is another intersection with I-285 (nicknamed Spaghetti Junction). Interstate 85 (I-85 is an Interstate highway in the southeastern United States. Chamblee is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 9552 at the 2000 census Doraville is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. Tom Moreland Interchange, colloquially known as Spaghetti Junction, is the intersection of the major roadways Interstate 85 and Interstate 285
Continuing northbound, drivers will see another interstate spur - Interstate 985, which provides a link to Gainesville - before heading through northeastern Georgia. Interstate 985 (I-985 is a long auxiliary Interstate Highway in Georgia. Gainesville is a city in Hall County in Georgia, United States of America. At Lake Hartwell - which was formed by the damming of the Savannah River - I-85 crosses into South Carolina. Lake Hartwell is an artificial Lake bordering Georgia and South Carolina on the Savannah, Tugaloo, and Seneca Rivers For the Department of Energy facility see Savannah River Site The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America.
Just northeast of the I-75/I-85 northern split, I-85 was rerouted just north of its original route in the 1990s from just northeast of the interchange to near the State Route 400 interchange. Georgia State Route 400 (known commonly as Georgia 400 or just 400) is a Highway in the U [3] The original route is now signed State Route 13. State Route 13, known as Buford Highway and Atlanta Highway, is a state highway in the U
Interstate 85 provides the major transportation route for the Upstate of South Carolina, linking together the major centers of Greenville and Spartanburg with regional centers of importance. In the US state of South Carolina, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Greenville and Spartanburg. South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. Greenville is a mid-sized city located in the upstate of South Carolina. Spartanburg is the largest city in and the County seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United
In South Carolina, Interstate 85 bypasses Clemson and Anderson on the way to Greenville. Clemson is a city in Anderson and Pickens counties in the US state of South Carolina. Anderson is a city in and the County seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. Beginning at Anderson, I-85 widens from four to six lanes. Near Powdersville, U. Powdersville is a Census-designated place (CDP in Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. S. 29 joins I-85 and they run concurrently until they cross the Saluda River. The Saluda River is a principal Tributary of the Congaree River, about 200 mi (320 km long in northern and western South Carolina in the United
Interstate 85 bypasses just south of Greenville, but provides two links into the city via spur routes Interstates 185 and 385. Interstate 185 (I-185 is located in the city of Greenville South Carolina. Interstate 385 (I-385 is an Interstate highway located in The Upstate region of South Carolina. U. S. 29 splits from I-85 and joins I-185 toward downtown Greenville. I-185 recently saw a major expansion south of the city as the Southern Connector was completed. In this section, the roadway is six to eight lanes wide, depending on the location.
Much of the Upstate's industrial, institutional, and commercial base is located along I-85, especially with regards to the growing automotive industry. The North American headquarters for Michelin, along with a major BMW assembly plant, and the new Clemson University International Center for Automobile Research are all visible from the road. Michelin (full name SCA Compagnie Générale des Établissements Michelin) ( based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne Région ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 Additional companies have major operations along this corridor, including Hubbell Lighting, Sara Lee, Hitachi, and General Electric. () is a Multinational corporation specializing in high-technology and services headquartered in Marunouchi Itchome Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. I-85 also bypasses Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, which serves the Greenville-Spartanburg metropolitan area. Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, also known as GSP International Airport or Roger Milliken Field, is a public Airport located in
Instead of going into Spartanburg, I-85 bypasses the city to the north. Its original route is now signed Business Loop 85 and was approved by AASHTO on April 22, 1995. Interstate 85 Business is a Business Loop of the Interstate Highway System and a Freeway, running along the old route of Interstate 85 through [4]
North of Spartanburg, I-85 narrows from six lanes back to four lanes and bypasses Gaffney. Gaffney is a city in and the County seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States. At Gaffney, motorists can see The Peachoid, a large water tower with its top shaped like a peach, which is one of the state's most important crops. The peach ( Prunus persica) is a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach
Much of the terrain between Spartanburg and the North Carolina border is rural in nature.
In North Carolina, I-85 merges with I-40 from Greensboro to Hillsborough, just west of Durham. In North Carolina, Interstate 85 scales the state for 233 miles (337 kilometers from the South Carolina border to the Virginia border Interstate 40 (I-40 is a major west-east Interstate highway in the United States Hillsborough is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States. Durham is a city in the US state of North Carolina. It is the County seat of Durham County In Alamance County, the highway is also known as the Sam Hunt Freeway. Alamance County is a County located in the US state of North Carolina.
Immediately upon coming into North Carolina, drivers will realize that Charlotte, North Carolina is still 45 minutes away. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States This is because Interstate 85 takes a more west to east routing along with U.S. Route 29 and U.S. Route 74, nears Kings Mountain. US Route 29 is a north-south United States highway that runs for 1036 miles (1667 km from the western suburbs of Baltimore Maryland, to Pensacola Florida US Route 74 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 524 miles (843 km from Wrightsville Beach North Carolina, to Chattanooga Tennessee
Drivers will go through Gastonia and will eventually reach Charlotte with the option to bypass using Interstate 485. Gastonia is a city in North Carolina, United States. It is the County seat of Gaston County. For two unbuilt highways see Interstate 485 (Georgia. Interstate 485 (I-485 is an Interstate highway and a partially-completed
In Charlotte, I-85 bypasses Charlotte-Douglas International Airport and turns northeastward just before reaching downtown Charlotte; thus I-85 just bypasses downtown to the north. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a public International airport located in Charlotte North Carolina. Charlotte center city (also known as Uptown or Downtown Charlotte) is the area comprising the township and original city of Charlotte, North Carolina
The junction between I-85 and Interstate 77 north of downtown Charlotte is a strange configuration. Interstate 77 (abbreviated I-77) is an Interstate highway in the eastern United States. While I-85 passes under I-77, the northbound lanes of I-77 are to the west of I-77's southbound lanes. The travel lanes on I-77 return to their proper positions north and south of this interchange.
North of Charlotte, the highway passes near Concord, where one can see the Lowes Motor Speedway. Concord (kän-kord is a city in the US state of North Carolina. Lowe's Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) is a speedway in Concord North Carolina, north of Charlotte. There is much dedication to the Earnhardt family as there are many roads named using his name, such as Dale Earnhardt Boulevard and North Carolina Highway 3. Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr ( April 29, 1951 &ndash February 18, 2001) was an American race car driver best known for his career driving
At milepost 98, the northbound lanes of I-85 cross under the southbound lanes, and cross back to the correct configuration near milepost 102. This results in motorists driving to the left of opposing traffic for approximately three miles (5 km). The switch is not very noticeable, because the roadways are separated by up to 400 feet (123 m) of woods in this area. A rest area and Vietnam Veterans memorial are located in the median of this section, so the crossover allows for all exits into the rest area to be normal right-hand exits.
Continuing northbound, I-85 passes though or near Salisbury, Lexington and High Point before reaching Greensboro. Lexington is the County seat of Davidson County North Carolina, United States. At Greensboro, I-85 shifts to its to a new routing, away from downtown. At Exit 120, Business I-85 (old I-85 through town) exits and Interstate 40 begins its overlap with I-85. Interstate 40 (I-40 is a major west-east Interstate highway in the United States I-85 intersects with a new I-40 freeway for travelers bound westward towards Winston-Salem. The former I-85 routing nearest downtown Greensboro (now Business I-85/Business 40 (Business 40 joins 85 at "Death Valley")) is also notorious for many traffic accidents and earned the above mentioned nickname "Death Valley".
The two highways are cosigned as they pass through Burlington and Mebane then separate near Hillsborough. Burlington is a city in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U Mebane (ˈmæbɪn is a city located mostly in Alamance County North Carolina, with a part of it in Orange County North Carolina. Hillsborough is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States. Interstate 85 continues to Durham while Interstate 40 turns toward Chapel Hill and Raleigh. Durham is a city in the US state of North Carolina. It is the County seat of Durham County Interstate 40 (I-40 is a major west-east Interstate highway in the United States Chapel Hill is a town in Durham and Orange counties in North Carolina and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Raleigh (pronounced rah-lee) is the Capital of the State of North Carolina and the county seat of Wake County, USA Around this area, one can visit the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University in Durham. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ( UNC, North Carolina, or simply Carolina) is a public, Coeducational Research Duke University is a private Research University located in Durham, North Carolina, United States.
From Durham, I-85 turns northeastward and heads toward Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Until replaced during a recent upgrade, signs for Richmond used to exist in this part of North Carolina even though the end of the road is in Petersburg, Virginia. This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Starting from the Virginia border, drivers will pass South Hill and McKenney before heading into a large forest of trees. Interstate 85 is a major Interstate highway that links many areas of the southeastern United States from Montgomery Alabama to Petersburg Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state South Hill is a town in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, United States. McKenney is a small southern historic town in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, United States. After the forest, Interstate 85 reaches Petersburg and ends at Interstate 95. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, Interstate 95 runs through the state The highway is briefly cosigned with U.S. Route 460 from a few miles west of Petersburg in Dinwiddie County to I-95. US Route 460 is a spur of US Route 60. It currently runs for 655 miles (1054 km from Norfolk Virginia at U Dinwiddie County is a county located in the US state &mdash officially " Commonwealth " &mdash of Virginia.
The last four miles (6 km) of I-85 near Petersburg once formed the southern end of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike, which was completed in 1958. The Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike was a Toll road located in the Richmond-Petersburg region of central Virginia, USA. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The tolls were removed in 1992 after Interstate 295 was completed. Interstate 295 ( I-295) is an eastern and northern bypass of the cities of Richmond and Petersburg in the U [5]
Virginia's portion of I-85 also the only Interstate highway in the state with a posted speed limit greater than 65 miles per hour (105 kilometers per hour). For a discussion of the maximum speed possible in the universe see Speed of light and Special relativity. It was raised from 65 mph to 70 mph (113 km/h) on July 1, 2006, by the state legislature.
I-85 was rerouted around Greensboro in 2004; and it split with I-40 eight miles (13 km) east of the original departure point. I-40 now runs with I-85 along the bypass to the southern/western end and I-40 continues on a new freeway alignment at Exit 121. Despite its reroute around Greensboro, the overall length for I-85 in North Carolina (233 miles/373 km) remains the same as before.
There is currently a plan by Alabama state transportation officials to extend I-85 across western Alabama, where it will connect with I-20 near Cuba, Alabama. Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. Cuba is a town in Sumter County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 363 This extension will roughly follow the route of U. S. 80, going through or bypassing Selma and Demopolis. Selma is a city in and the County seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. Demopolis is the largest city in Marengo County, Alabama, United States. [6] This section is also envisioned by some as part of a proposed Interstate 14. Interstate 14 is a proposed interstate set to run from Natchez Mississippi or Alexandria Louisiana to Augusta Georgia or North Augusta South
Interstate 85 is scheduled to have several new spur routes in the future. Interstate 285 is also planned to follow part of the U.S. Route 52 freeway from Lexington to Winston-Salem, both in North Carolina. Interstate 285 (I-285 in North Carolina is a newly designated interstate route running 23 miles (37 km from Lexington NC ( Interstate 85: Exit 87 US Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Interstate 785 is currently planned by the North Carolina Department of Transportation to run from Greensboro to Danville, Virginia. Interstate 785 (I-785 is the designation for a future interstate route that will run 45 miles (72 km from Interstate 40 and Interstate 85 in Greensboro North Danville is an Independent city in Virginia, bounded by Pittsylvania County Virginia and Caswell County North Carolina. The proposed route would follow the current U. S. 29 corridor.
| Main Interstate Highways (multiples of 5 in pink) | |||||||||||||||||||
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| 4 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 30 | |||
| 35 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 49 | 55 | 57 | 59 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 68 | 69 | ||||
| 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 (W) | 76 (E) | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | ||||||
| 83 | 84 (W) | 84 (E) | 85 | 86 (W) | 86 (E) | 87 | 88 (W) | 88 (E) | 89 | 90 | |||||||||
| 91 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 99 | (238) | H-1 | H-2 | H-3 | |||||||||
| Unsigned | A-1 | A-2 | A-3 | A-4 | PRI-1 | PRI-2 | PRI-3 | ||||||||||||
| Lists | Primary | Main - Intrastate - Suffixed - Future - Gaps | |||||||||||||||||
| Auxiliary | Main - Future - Unsigned | ||||||||||||||||||
| Other | Standards - Business - Bypassed | ||||||||||||||||||
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AL | SR-85 |
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NC | NC 86 |
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