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Interstate 85 in North Carolina

Interstate 85 marker

Interstate 85

Map
I-85 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length234.6 mi[1] (377.6 km)
Existed1958–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end I-85 at the South Carolina line near Blacksburg, SC
Major intersections
North end I-85 at the Virginia line near Bracey, VA
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountiesCleveland, Gaston, Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Rowan, Davidson, Randolph, Guilford, Alamance, Orange, Durham, Granville, Vance, Warren
Highway system
NC 84 NC 86

Interstate 85 (I-85) is an Interstate Highway that runs from Montgomery, Alabama, to Petersburg, Virginia. In North Carolina, I-85 travels 231.23 miles (372.13 km) from the South Carolina state line near Grover, North Carolina, to the Virginia state line near Wise. Despite being signed north–south, I-85 physically travels in a southwest–northeast direction across the state. The major landscapes traversed by I-85 include most of the Piedmont region of urban and rural pockets, with views of Kings Pinnacle seen from its southernmost stretch. The Interstate Highway connects the three most populous metropolitan areas of North Carolina: the Charlotte metropolitan area, Piedmont Triad, and Research Triangle, as well as nine of the 20 largest municipalities in the state. Outside of North Carolina, I-85 connects the state with Richmond, Virginia, to the north and Upstate South Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia, to the south. I-85 parallels several US Highways including US Highway 29 (US 29) between South Carolina and Greensboro, US 70 between Greensboro and Durham, US 15 between Durham and Oxford, and US 1 between Henderson and Virginia.

  1. ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved August 21, 2022.