Soon after the merge of U.S. 74 eastbound onto Interstate 40 is the two-mile guide sign for North Carolina 215 (Exit 31). North Carolina 215 spurs south from the Exit 31 diamond interchange into Canton (pop. 4,029) and West Canton (pop. 1,156). Photo taken 08/15/04.
Interstate 40 & U.S. 74 eastbound cross over SR-1550 one mile ahead of the Exit 31 off-ramp for the southbound beginning of North Carolina 215. North Carolina 215 travels 1.9 miles south to junction U.S. 19 & 23 (New Clyde Highway) just west of downtown Canton. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Newfound Road ties into Interstate 40 & U.S. 74 at the second Canton interchange (Exit 33). Pictured here is the one-mile guide sign for the forthcoming diamond interchange. Newfound Road travels northeast from Main Street and downtown Canton 1.7 miles to Exit 33. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Auxiliary guide sign of Exit 33 for the community of Leicester in western Buncombe County. Newfound Road continues 12 miles to its end at Georgetown and junction North Carolina 63. North Carolina 63 enters Leicester 3.8 miles north of the Newfound Road intersection. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Interstate 40 & U.S. 74 truck advisory sign for the sharp curvature of the freeway between Exit 33 and the Buncombe County line. Interstate 40 & U.S. 74 stay north of Canton and the U.S. 19 & 23 between Exit 27 and Asheville. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Exit 33 represents the last Haywood County interchange for Newfound Road and Canton. Interstate 40 & U.S. 74 descend toward to Luther, Candler, and the Asheville metropolitan area from here. Photo taken 08/15/04.
One-mile guide sign for the Exit 37 diamond interchange for Candler. SR-1200 stems north from U.S. 19 & 23 (Smoky Park Highway) to Interstate 40 & U.S. 74 at the community of Luther. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Six interchanges of Interstate 40 eastbound serve the greater Asheville area between Exits 37 and 55. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Entering the Asheville western suburbs of Enka, Sulphur Springs, Sand Hill, and Hominy on Interstate 40 & U.S. 74 eastbound. U.S. 19 & 23 (Patton Avenue) travel from Candler and Hominy eastward to the Exit 44 interchange and Enka ahead. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Interstate 40 & U.S. 74 eastbound at the Exit 44 off-ramp to U.S. 19 & 23 (Patton Avenue). The tandem enters the city limits of Asheville (pop. 68,889) northeast of the freeway. From there Patton Avenue carries the federal routes four miles east to their merge onto Interstate 26 & 240 near downtown. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Approaching the directional interchange of Interstate 40 & U.S. 74 eastbound with Interstate 26 & Interstate 240 east. The upcoming junction sees the departure of U.S. 74 from Interstate 40 onto Interstate 26 eastbound. The 36 mile overlap between the two highways however remains silent through to its end at Columbus (pop. 992). Photos taken 08/23/03 & 08/15/04.
One-half mile from the Exit 46A ramp departure of Interstate 26 & U.S. 74 eastbound. The pair travel north-south from Asheville to the city of Hendersonville (pop. 10,420), a distance of roughly 18 miles. From there Interstate 26 begins its southeasterly turn toward Spartanburg, Columbia, and Charleston, South Carolina. Photo taken 08/23/03 & 08/15/04.
Interstate 40 and U.S. 74 part ways via the Exit 46A off-ramp. Until August 5, 2003, the Exit 46 interchange represented the western terminus of Interstate 26. Coinciding with the opening of a nine mile stretch of freeway between Mars Hill and Sams Gap to the north, Interstate 26 saw extension from Asheville northward to Interstate 81 and the Tri-Cities region of Tennessee. Photo taken 08/15/04.
Signs were slow to receive Interstate 26 shields along the Interstate 240 and U.S. 19 & 23 freeways north of Interstate 40. The control city of Interstate 40 becomes Hickory (pop. 37,222) through to the Interstate 240 eastern terminus. Statesville (pop 23,320 becomes the primary reference point from there onward. Photo taken 08/23/03.
A three level stack is formed from the Interstate 26 eastbound mainline and Interstate 26 westbound ramp to Interstate 40 westbound bridges at the Exit 46B ramp departure. Interstate 240, a 9.14 mile urban loop, begins with Interstate 26 toward Asheville proper. The two interstates share
roughly four miles of pavement through to the U.S. 19-23-70 junction at downtown. Photo taken 08/23/03 & 09/12/04.
Interstate 40 departs the junction with Interstates 26-240 and U.S. 74 and quickly intersects North Carolina 191 (Brevard Road) at Exit 47. Brevard Road serves the western reaches of the city and the Western North Carolina Farmers Market. Photo taken 09/12/04.
The eastbound freeway reduces from three to two lanes as the carriageways of Interstate 40 near one another ahead of Exit 47. Photo taken 07/16/05.
Interstate 40 passes underneath Brevard Road ahead of the Exit 47 off-ramp for North Carolina 191. Brevard Road carries North Carolina 191 south 1.5 miles from Haywood Road to Interstate 40. From here the state highway continues southward to 1.75 miles to junction Interstate 26 & U.S. 74. Photo taken 07/16/05.
Leaving the folded-diamond interchange with North Carolina 191, Interstate 40 spans the French Broad River through rural lands south of Asheville. Photo taken 07/16/05.
Two miles west of the three-quarter cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 25 (Exit 50) at Shiloh along Interstate 40 east. Interests to the Biltmore Estate and the Biltmore Village Historic District should use U.S. 25 (Hendersonville Road). Photo taken 07/16/05.
U.S. 25 (Hendersonville Road) provides the main surface route into downtown Asheville from Biltmore Forest (pop. 1,440), Valley Springs, and Skyland. Photo taken 07/16/05.
Interstate 40 enters the town of Biltmore Forest at the crossing of Ram Branch on the one-half mile approach to U.S. 25 (Exit 50). U.S. 25 follows McDowell Street northward into the city of Asheville. The federal highway serves Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and Mission Hospitals Memorial Campus. Photo taken 07/16/05.
Vanderbilt Road crosses over Interstate 40 ahead of the three-quarter cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 25 (Hendersonville Road) at Exit 50. U.S. 25 follows Hendersonville Road, McDowell Street, Southside Avenue, Biltmore Avenue, and Broadway Street on the 3.7 mile drive between Interstate 40 and Interstate 240 at downtown Asheville. Photo taken 07/16/05.
Swannanoa Mountain rises along the eastern horizon as Interstate 40 nears the London Road under crossing at Biltmore. Photos taken 07/16/05.
Nearing the Exit 51 folded-diamond interchange with U.S. 25A (Sweeten Creek Road) in East Biltmore. Photo taken 07/16/05.
Eastbound Interstate 40 spans the Sweeten Creek ahead of the Exit 51 ramp departure to U.S. 25A (Sweeten Creek Road). U.S. 25 Alternate parallels U.S. 25 to the east along Brook Street and Sweeten Creek Road between Arden and the city of Asheville. Photo taken 07/16/05.
Curving northeastward, Interstate 240 returns to Interstate 40 with U.S. 74A at Gashes Creek. Interstate 240 & U.S. 74A travel west toward downtown Asheville; U.S. 74A east continues away from Interstate 40 to Reynolds and Fairview. Photo taken 07/16/05.
A three-quarter cloverleaf interchange joins Interstate 40 with Interstate 240 west & U.S. 74A at Exits 53A/B. U.S. 74A travels twenty miles east to Bat Cave and the merge with U.S. 64. U.S. 64 & 74A continue a short distance to Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. Photo taken 07/16/05.
Exit 53A leaves Interstate 40 eastbound for U.S. 74A (Charlotte Highway); U.S. 74A quickly enters a grade separated intersection with the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway stays south and east of Asheville on its northeasterly route to Mount Mitchell. U.S. 74A otherwise continues another 44 miles to junction U.S. 221 at Rutherfordton. Photos taken 07/16/05.
A loop ramp carries drivers onto U.S. 74A west for the westbound beginning of Interstate 240. Interstate 240 and U.S. 74A head west five miles to junction Interstate 26, gaining U.S. 70 along the way. However initially U.S. 74A parts ways with Interstate 240 for Fairview Road to North Carolina 81 (Swannanoa River Road). The departing federal highway serves the Western North Carolina Nature Center. Photo taken 07/16/05.
