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Interstate 85 Northbound (Durham Vicinity)

Interstate 85 North
Interstate 85 northbound departs Interstate 40 and interchanges with Churton Street south of Hillsborough at Exit 164. A diamond interchange facilitates the movements between the freeway and surface street 0.9 miles south of the Churton Street intersection with U.S. 70 Business & North Carolina 86. Photo taken 08/08/04.
North Carolina 86 Truck southbound travels with Interstate 85 northbound south of Hillsborough. The truck route follows U.S. 70 west to Interstate 85 northbound at Exit 161 to 165 to bypass Hillsborough (pop. 5,446). Photo taken 08/08/04.
0.50-mile guide sign for North Carolina 86 (Exit 165) on Interstate 85 northbound. The state highway splits with U.S. 70 Business one half mile north of Exit 165 outside of Hillsborough and Mountain View (pop. 3,768). Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 northbound at the North Carolina 86 off-ramp (Exit 165). North Carolina 86 continues south from here five miles to Blackwood Station and 6.7 miles to junction Interstate 40 (Exit 266) at the city of Chapel Hill (pop. 48,715). Photo taken 08/08/04.
Posted at the University Road over crossing is the one-mile guide sign for Exit 170. Intersecting the road ahead is U.S. 70 (Hillsborough Road) near Eno River State Park. For some reason or another U.S. 70 is omitted on Exit 170 guide signs and instead TO North Carolina 751 is displayed in text. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 70 widens to accommodate on-ramps to Interstate 85 within its median at Exit 170. The Exit 170 off-ramps merge onto their respective directions (northbound to eastbound and southbound to westbound) otherwise. U.S. 70 (Hillsborough Road) eastbound meets the northern terminus of North Carolina 751 1.5 miles to the east at the Durham County line. North Carolina 751 provides a direct route to the Duke University campus from Interstate 85 northbound from the west. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 crosses into Durham County from Orange County one mile ahead of its split with North Carolina 147 (Buck Dean Freeway) southbound at Exit 172. The North Carolina 147 freeway travels 12 miles between Interstate 85 and Interstate 40 at Research Triangle Park. Rebuilt in the late 1990s, a partial "Y" interchange provides two lanes for the Buck Dean Freeway southbound from Interstate 85 northbound. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Motorists bound for the U.S. 15 & 501 freeway to Duke University and Chapel Hill should take North Carolina 147 southbound to Exit 16 as there is no direct access onto the pair from Interstate 85 northbound. U.S. 15 & 501 merge onto Interstate 85 northbound from a partial "Y" interchange at Exit 174. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Nearing the eastbound beginning of North Carolina 147 (Exit 172) on Interstate 85 northbound. North Carolina 147 follows the Buck Dean Freeway five miles east to downtown Durham. The Durham Freeway continues North Carolina 147 southward from Exit 10 to junction Interstate 40 and Research Triangle Park. The Durham Freeway and the northern reaches of the Buck Dean Freeway were once apart of Interstate 40. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 northbound and North Carolina 147 split at Exit 172. North Carolina 147 (Buck Dean Freeway) sees seven interchanges for Durham between U.S. 15 & 501 (Exit 16) and Research Triangle Park (Exits 8, 7, 6). Interstate 85 continues in an east-west fashion north of downtown between Exits 172 and 178. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Cole Mill Road ties into Interstate 85 midway between the North Carolina 147 and U.S. 15 & 501 partial "Y" interchanges. The north-south surface street ends nearby at U.S. 70 Business (Hillsborough Road) to the south and serves the Huckleberry Spring section of Durham to the north. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Northbound at the Exit 173 diamond interchange with Cole Springs Road. Cole Springs Road northbound intersects Rose of Sharon Road 1.25 miles north of Interstate 85 at Huckleberry Spring. Rose of Sharon Road loops northeast from there to North Carolina 157 (Guess Road) as Cole Springs Road continues northwest to Eno River State Park. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 15 & 501 northbound merge onto Interstate 85 northbound ahead of the Hillandale Road diamond interchange (Exit 174). From there the trio enter a construction zone associated with the widening and modernization of Interstate 85. North Carolina 157 (Guess Road) intersects the freeway at Exit 175 one half mile east of Hillandale Road. The state route ends at Exit 175 as Guess Road continues southeast to Broad Street and the intersection of Buchanan and Club Boulevards. Use Exit 175 for the North Carolina School of Science & Math. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Signs sit askew on Interstate 85 & U.S. 15-501 northbound for the Exit 176A/B cloverleaf interchange with Gregson & Duke Streets. U.S. 501 departs the freeway via Exit 176B for Duke Street northbound to Roxboro (pop. 8,696) and Lynchburg, Virginia. Exit 176A turns southward onto Gregson Street for downtown Durham at the Northgate Mall. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Exit 176A guide sign for Gregson Street one quarter mile ahead of the off-ramp into downtown Durham. Gregson & Duke Streets form a one-way street couplet from Interstate 85 & U.S. 15-501 southward to U.S. 70 Business (Main Street) and Chapel Hill Street. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 70 emerges from obscurity at the Exit 176A sign bridge for the Gregson Street southbound off-ramp. U.S. 501 northbound leaves the fray for Duke Street along Exit 176B. The federal route merges with U.S. 501 Business (Roxboro Street) 2.3 miles to the north near the North Duke Mall. U.S. 501 reaches the Person County seat of Roxboro in 30 miles. The overheads and fluorescent lighting fixtures pictured here will be replaced upon completion of the Interstate 85 reconstruction. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 & U.S. 15 northbound and U.S. 70 eastbound continue a short distance to junction U.S. 15-501 Business (Roxboro Street) and North Carolina 55 (Avondale Drive) at Exits 177A/B. U.S. 15 Business begins here and travels southward with U.S. 501 Business via Mangum & Roxboro Streets into downtown Durham. North Carolina 55 ends nearby at the Avondale Drive intersection with U.S. 501 Business (Roxboro Street) just north of Exit 177A. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85-U.S. 15 north & U.S. 70 eastbound at the Exit 177A folded diamond interchange with U.S. 15-501 Business (Roxboro Street). Exit 177C did serve North Carolina 55 (Avondale Drive) westbound, but it appears that the loop ramp was removed as part of the reconstruction. Avondale Drive carries the state highway three blocks north to its terminus at Roxboro Street nonetheless. Exit 177B ahead provides a direct ramp onto Avondale Drive southbound for North Carolina 55 into downtown Durham. Photo taken 08/08/04.
The former overhead for Interstate 85 & U.S. 15 northbound at the Exit 178 split with U.S. 70 eastbound. U.S. 70 departs the overlap via a freeway spur to U.S. 70 Business (Miami Boulevard) and North Carolina 98 (Holloway Street / Wake Forest Highway). The freeway to freeway connection is being rebuilt in conjunction with the Interstate 85 modernization project. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Expansion of the partial "Y" interchange with U.S. 70 east at Exit 178 will result in the addition of ramps to/from Interstate 85 north of U.S. 70. U.S. 70 otherwise merges with U.S. 70 Business (Miami Boulevard) 2.5 miles to the south. Miami Boulevard continues U.S. 70 east 2.5 miles to Bethesda and the turn onto New Raleigh Highway. Photo taken 08/08/04.
A look at the construction of new flyover ramps for the Interstate 85 and U.S. 15 & 70 "X" stack interchange (Exit 170). Photo taken 08/08/04.
East Club Boulevard travels east from U.S. 15 & 501 Business (Duke Street) to the Exit 179 diamond interchange with Interstate 85. The surface street intersects Dearborn Drive 1.1 miles to the west and Geer Street (former U.S. 15) 0.3 miles to the east. Pictured here is a damaged advance guide sign for Exit 179 on Interstate 85 & U.S. 15 northbound. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Glen School Road stems northward from Geer Street & Junction Road to Interstate 85 & U.S. 15 at Exit 180. The road acts as a connector between Ferrell Road and Glenn Road northwest of the freeway. Ferrell Road continues East Club Boulevard toward the suburb of Gorman (pop. 1,002). Photo taken 08/08/04.
Exit 182 also serves the community of Gorman via Red Mill Road on Interstate 85 & U.S. 15 northbound. Red Mill Road ends at Geer Street (old U.S. 15) south of the Gorman Church Road intersection and Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing nearby. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 & U.S. 15 northbound at the diamond interchange with Red Mill Road (Exit 182). Red Mill Road travels 3.9 miles overall between Geer Street and Teknika Parkway through Falls Lake State Park. Photo taken 08/08/04.
The final interchange of Interstate 85 & U.S. 15 within Durham County joins the freeway with Redwood Road at Exit 183. Redwood Road loops north from Fletcher's Chapel Road to the community of Redwood at Hereford Road and Clark Road northwest of Exit 183. Photo taken 08/08/04.
A partial-cloverleaf interchange composes the junction between Interstate 85 & U.S. 15 and Redwood Road below. Redwood Road skims the western reaches of Falls Lake State Park and Falls Lake itself between Clark Road and Redwood. Interstate 85 & U.S. 15 cross Falls Lake ahead into Granville County. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 & U.S. 15 travel a causeway across Falls Lake through Falls Lake State Park. The freeway switches to a concrete surface Granville County line one mile ahead of the U.S. 15 split from Interstate 85 at Exit 186A. The original alignment of U.S. 15 crossed the lake at roughly the same location between Geer Street and Roycroft Road. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 15 parts ways with Interstate 85 northbound via Exit 186A for Northside, Creedmoor (pop. 2,232), and Hester. U.S. 15 travels 5.6 miles northeast to Creedmoor and junction North Carolina 56 (Lake Road / Wilton Avenue). From there the federal highway follows Durham Avenue out of town on the 11.6 mile drive back to Interstate 85 at Exit 202. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Exit 186B loops onto Roycroft Road westbound from Interstate 85 northbound. Roycroft Road becomes Gate Number One Road through Cozart on the northward drive to B Street and Butner (pop. 5,792). Photo taken 08/08/04.
Exit 189 also serves the town of Butner from Interstate 85 northbound. A diamond interchange joins Gate Number Two Road with the freeway three quarters of a mile east of Butner. Photo taken 08/08/04.
One half mile south of the Exit 189 off-ramp for Gate Number Two Road on Interstate 85 north. Gate Number Two Road becomes Central Avenue in Butner to the north and Cash Road 1.75 miles to the south at junction U.S. 15. Photo taken 08/08/04.
The first guide sign for Exit 191 with North Carolina 56 exists within the Exit 189 interchange east of Butner. North Carolina 56 (Butner Creedmoor Road) travels west 2.2 miles into Butner along C Street to its western terminus at Central Avenue. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 northbound at Exit 191. North Carolina 56 (Butner Creedmoor Road) continues 2.7 miles east from Interstate 85 to U.S. 15 (Durham Avenue) and Creedmoor. From there the state highway ventures east seven miles to Wilton (junction North Carolina 96) and 14 miles to U.S. 1 near Franklinton (pop. 1,745). Photo taken 08/08/04.
The longest exit less stretch of Interstate 85 within the state of North Carolina exists between North Carolina 56 (Exit 191) and U.S. 15 (Exit 202). U.S. 15 crosses paths with Interstate 85 for the final time at Exit 202 three miles south of the Granville County seat of Oxford (pop. 8,338). Photo taken 08/08/04.
One mile south of Exit 202 diamond interchange with U.S. 15 (Lewis Street). U.S. 15 follows Lewis Street, Hillsboro Street, and College Street through the town of Oxford. The federal highway continues from there to junction U.S. 158 on the 25 mile journey to Clarksville, Virginia (pop. 1,329). Photo taken 08/08/04.
Traffic to U.S. 15 (Lewis Street) northbound leaves Interstate 85 northbound at Exit 202. U.S. 15 merges with U.S. 158 Business for 0.8 miles along College Street in downtown Oxford. North Carolina 96 also ties into the fray downtown from Linden Avenue. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Three interchanges serve the Oxford area on Interstate 85. The second of these joins North Carolina 96 (Linden Avenue) with the freeway 1.25 miles southeast of downtown. North Carolina 96 enters the state as Virginia 96 from Virgilina, Virginia 19 miles northwest of Oxford. Photo taken 08/08/04.
North Carolina 96 (Linden Avenue) sees a diamond interchange with Interstate 85 at Exit 204. The state highway turns south from Oxford 13 miles to Wilton and 23 miles to Youngsville (pop. 651). North Carolina 96 does not end until reaching North Carolina 55 west of Newton Grove (pop. 606) near the Interstate 40 & 95 junction at Benson. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 158 intersects Interstate 85 at the Exit 206 diamond interchange east of Oxford. The federal route splits into a Business and Bypass route between west Oxford and Williamsboro Street just west of Interstate 85. U.S. 158 parallels Interstate 85 from Exit 206 east to Exit 213 at Henderson. A second business loop for U.S. 158 serves downtown Henderson along Oxford Road to the east. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 158 Bypass passes under Interstate 85 one mile ahead of the Exit 209 interchange with Poplar Creek Road. Poplar Creek Road constitutes 3.2 miles of roadway between U.S. 158 Business (Oxford Road) and Dabney Road to the north. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 passes under Poplar Creek Road ahead of the loop ramp of Exit 209. Poplar Creek Road intersects U.S. 158 Bypass 0.3 miles north of Interstate 85 on the trek to Dabney. Use Dabney Road west to Salem Road for Henderson-Oxford Airport. Photo taken 08/08/04.
The next five interchanges (Exits 212-216) serve the Vance County seat of Henderson (pop. 16,095) on Interstate 85 northbound. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Ruin Creek Road crosses paths with Interstate 85 at the Exit 212 diamond interchange in west Henderson. The north-south road meets Dabney Road and U.S. 158 Bypass within 0.75 miles of the freeway. Ruin Creek Road ends at U.S. 158 Business (Oxford Road) 1.75 miles to the south. Photo taken 08/08/04.
A third northbound auxiliary lane joins Interstate 85 between Ruin Creek Road and the Dabney Road half-diamond interchange. Dabney Road steers southeast from Ruin Creek Road and U.S. 158 Bypass two miles to U.S. 158 Business (Oxford Road / Dorsey Avenue) at downtown Henderson. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 158 Bypass merges onto Interstate 85 beyond the Exit 213 off-ramp to Dabney Drive. Dabney Drive joins U.S. 158 Business (Dorsey Avenue) two blocks west of U.S. 1 Business (Raleigh Road). U.S. 1 & 158 Business follow Garnett Street northeast from there. Raleigh Road serves the community of South Henderson (pop. 1,220) otherwise from near the east end of Dabney Drive. Photo taken 08/08/04.
The first reassurance markers of the Interstate 85 north & U.S. 158 Bypass eastbound overlap. U.S. 158 Bypass joins Interstate 85 northbound via a partial "Y" interchange east of Dabney Drive through to Exit 215 in north Henderson. Photo taken 08/08/04.
North Carolina 39 (Andrews Avenue) enters downtown Henderson from the Kerr Lake area to the north. The state highway ends 16 miles to the north of Interstate 85 & U.S. 158 Bypass at the Virginia state line. North Carolina 39 sees a partial-cloverleaf interchange at Exit 214 on the north edge of town. From there Andrews Avenue carries the highway southeast to to Gillburg southeast of Henderson. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 158 Bypass parts ways with Interstate 85 northbound via the partial "Y" interchange to Garnett Street (U.S. 1 & 158 Business). Interstate 85 southbound sees ramps at Parham Road for U.S. 1 Business southbound into downtown Henderson. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 north & U.S. 158 Bypass east near their split at Exit 215. U.S. 158 Bypass joins U.S. 1 & 158 Business along Garnett Street eastbound through northeast Henderson to Middleburg (pop. 162). The tandem parallel Interstate 85 to the east between Henderson and Manson (Exit 223). The northbound control city of Interstate 85 features Richmond instead of Petersburg. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 158 Bypass eastbound leaves Interstate 85 northbound via Exit 215. U.S. 158 & U.S. 1 Business meet the U.S. 1 Henderson freeway 2.2 miles to the east. There U.S. 1 Business ends and U.S. 1 joins U.S. 158 east for the 3.5 mile journey northeast to Middleburg. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Satterwhite Point Road junctions with Interstate 85 midway between the U.S. 158 Bypass and U.S. 1 Bypass interchanges. The north-south road migrates northward from its beginning at U.S. 1 Business & 158 2.7 miles north to Flat Rock. The road serves Satterwhite Point and Nutbush Bridge at the Kerr Lake State Recreation Area. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 northbound mileage sign posted at the High Street over crossing at Henderson. Richmond is shown as the northbound control city for the Interstate 85 connection with Interstate 95 at Petersburg, Virginia. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 northbound at the Satterwhite Point Road diamond interchange (Exit 217). Satterwhite Point lies seven miles north of Henderson along the shores of Kerr Lake. Photo taken 08/08/04.
The U.S. 1 Henderson bypass freeway merges onto Interstate 85 northbound north of Exit 217 via a partial "Y" interchange. From there the Interstate continues northeast to Exit 220 with U.S. 1 & 158 (Fleming Road) at Middleburg. The one-mile guide sign resides at the SR-1322 overpass. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 1 & 158 parallel Interstate 85 between Henderson and Exit 220. The tandem veer eastward from the Exit 220 junction 8.6 miles through Middleburg, Manson, and Ridgeway to Norlina (pop. 1,107). At Norlina U.S. 158 joins U.S. 401 south for one mile and U.S. 401 north joins U.S. 1 north three miles to Interstate 85. U.S. 401 reaches the Warren County seat of Warrenton (pop. 811) four miles south of Norlina. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 northbound passes over SR-1371 ahead of the U.S. 1 & 158 (Fleming Road) off-ramp of Exit 220. U.S. 1 returns to Interstate 85 with U.S. 401 13 miles to the northeast near the Virginia state line. U.S. 158 travels 34 miles east from Norlina and U.S. 401 to Roanoke Rapids (pop. 16,957) and the Interstate 95 corridor. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 crosses into Warren County ahead of its interchange with Manson Road at Exit 223. A two-mile guide sign is posted along northbound for the diamond interchange one mile northwest of Manson. Photo taken 08/08/04.
The last four interchanges of Interstate 85 in North Carolina reside within northwest Warren County. Pictured here is the Manson Road off-ramp (Exit 223) of northbound. Manson Road continues 1.9 miles north to Bullocksville Park Road / Ridgeway Road near Drewry. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Ridgeway Road travels 2.1 miles east from Manson Road to its own interchange with Interstate 85 at Exit 226. Like Exit 223, Exit 226 is also a diamond interchange. Use either Ridgeway Road west or Manson Road north for the Kerr Lake State Recreation Area. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 northbound at the Ridgeway Road off-ramp (Exit 226). Ridgeway Road ends 2.5 miles to the east at junction U.S. 1 & 158 (Fleming Road) and the community of Ridgeway. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Oine Road intersects Interstate 85 at the community of Oine and Exit 229. The road loops west 7.9 miles from U.S. 1 & 158 west of Norlina to the Exit 233 interchange with U.S. 1 & 401. Use Oine Road north for Virginia 4 near Palmer Springs, Virginia and John H. Kerr Dam. Photo taken 08/08/04.
U.S. 1 returns with U.S. 401 at the Exit 233 diamond interchange near the Virginia state line. U.S. 401 originally ended in Norlina at the U.S. 1 & 158 split. However in 2001 NCDOT extended the federal highway northward six miles with U.S. 1 to tie it into Interstate 85. U.S. 401 parallels the U.S. 1 corridor south from Norlina to Warrenton, Louisburg (pop. 3,111), and Raleigh. Photo taken 08/08/04.
Interstate 85 northbound at the southbound beginning of U.S. 401 and U.S. 1 at Exit 233. The pair travel three miles south from Exit 233 to the community of Wise. U.S. 1 northbound otherwise crosses the Virginia state line in 0.75 miles. Ten miles to the north U.S. 1 joins U.S. 58 eastbound en route to South Hill (pop. 4,403). Photo taken 08/08/04.
Virginia state welcome sign on Interstate 85 northbound at its departure from the Tar Heel State. Interstate 85 ends 69 miles to the north at junction Interstate 95 in Petersburg. U.S. 1 parallels Interstate 85 closely through most of its Virginia alignment. Photo taken 08/08/04.

Page Updated December 9, 2004.