Posted by Scott D. Yost | May 20, 2024 | News
On Monday, May 20, regional transportation, economic development, business and elected leaders from around the region got together for a sign unveiling to celebrate the designation of US 421 as Future Interstate 685.
It’s all part of an attempt by area leaders and economic development officials to brand and market – under one banner – the many assets across a swath of central North Carolina in order to make companies think of the space as one region known as “the Carolina Core.”
The area is a more than 120-mile swath of central North Carolina that includes Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point and Fayetteville—and one that boasts megasites, universities and other assets that companies want to see.
The Interstate sign unveiling was held in Randolph County, adjacent to the just newly completed bridge over U.S. 421 at the under-construction Toyota Battery Manufacturing plant.
Carolina Core Regional Economic Development Director Loren Hill was just one of the many leaders there delighted with the way things are going.
“Today’s unveiling of the Future Interstate 685 sign is a true testament to the collaboration and teamwork that is fueling our economic momentum here in the Carolina Core,” Hill said. “Thanks to the collective efforts of our partners at the state, local and federal levels, this future interstate designation will help further increase our region’s economic competitiveness, while improving connectivity and commerce throughout the state.”
In addition to Hill, speakers at the event included NC Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins and NC Department of Transportation Board Member Lisa Mathis.
In late 2021, legislation from Congress passed, designating US 421 from I-85 to I-95 as Future I-685.
Now, regional leaders are seeking a second Future Interstate designation for the segment of US 421 from Wilkesboro to I-40 in Winston-Salem.
According to a press release from the Carolina Core economic development agency, “This progress marks a significant achievement for the Piedmont Triad Partnership, which named the Future Interstate designation as a key strategic initiative when unveiling the Carolina Core in 2018.”
Since then, roughly $20 billion in capital investment and more than 50,000 new jobs have been announced in the Carolina Core region.
Those behind the effort argue that adding the interstate will help make “this booming economic corridor” better and safer, especially with a lot of freight being transported in and out of the region.
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15 Comments
See AlsoTrump will be joined by more allies in court todayFrom Division III to 'Late Night': Nebraska GM Sean Padden is Matt Rhule's troubleshooterBryan S Bennetton May 20, 2024 at 2:52 PM
I guess this is progress for many, but for others it will be a disaster.
Those that want the Triad to be another Charlotte or “better yet” Atlanta will love this.
Those that want the area to stay the same with quiet Rural areas and Neighborhoods will hate this.The Million Dollar question is, Who will win?
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Steven Hon May 20, 2024 at 9:04 PM
The catch is, your taxes will take a hike soon ..
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Jvon May 20, 2024 at 3:20 PM
Any EV stations to be forth coming?
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Jim Morrison May 20, 2024 at 6:00 PM
Bunch of Ohio State Engineers want to renumber and replace our history. 421 is a great historic highway . I went to NC State and hate to see these subtle changes to our history. What happened to our manhood?
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Jbaileyon May 20, 2024 at 7:21 PM
If I had wanted to live in a Chicago or New York or LA I would have moved there . The roads will bring more vehicles and even more people and higher density and the inevitable degradation of quality of life so typical of those areas !!!!!!
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Dan Poston May 20, 2024 at 7:12 PM
So, will the new I-685 be the primary link between all the “15 Minute Cities” being planned for NC?
Will we see a surfeit of charging stations for all the Chinese BYD EVs that’ll be coming from Mexico ( to avoid Joe Bidet’s 100% tarriff on Chinese cars imported from China); cars I understand will have only about a 130 mile range? I find it ironic that at a time when private vehicles are being demonized ( Klaus Schwab avers there will be no private vehicles by 2030) and city streets are starting to look like those you find in Haiti, that plans are being made to spend untold millions on a superhighway.
Enquiring minds want to know….Reply
Jon May 20, 2024 at 7:17 PM
If I had wanted to live in a Chicago or New York or LA I would have moved there . The roads will bring more vehicles and even more people and higher density and the inevitable degradation of quality of life so typical of those areas !!!!!!!
JbaileyReply
MTon May 20, 2024 at 9:38 PM
NC Nativeon May 21, 2024 at 7:07 AM
Not only destruction of peaceful rural areas, growth at any cost, more cars/people/nose/frustration, but idiots who don’t understand the Interstate number system. 3 digits have meaning: odd first digit is a spur (540 in Raleigh, 395 in DC) while even first digit is a bypass/alternate (295 through VA, 440 in Raleigh). Unless this routes back to touch 85 in a second location it should be an odd leading number, like 585.
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Karen Purcellon May 21, 2024 at 9:15 AM
Our beautiful state is turning into Southern California with ticky tacky houses and apartments going up everywhere. Economic progress, according to this article, is based on a vision from that of an earlier time. We now know from research that these big roads do not necessarily bring benefits for the average person. Who is making the money on this??? Rhino please get digging. Sad, sad, sad for the People.
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Steel4everon May 21, 2024 at 6:28 PM
Sounds like your talking about Belmont
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Sargeon May 21, 2024 at 9:30 AM
NC has doubled in population in the last 25 years. Think about that. DOUBLED! From 300 of history before, total accumulation of people, doubled,…in basically overnight.
Where do we draw the line? Where do we say enough? I think the 11 Million people point,…IS ENOUGH!!? We keep building interstates, while our small town and country roads are packed to the limits.
The “Small Town” that I moved to in the 90’s, a town of 1300, is now busting at the seams at nearly 5000, and not 1 road improved, widened, hell, even repaved or repaired, this century! But they keep building houses, apartments, schools, fire departments, police stations, factories, industrial parks, DATA centers, stores, but the roads continue to fall apart, and not anything planned for the next 10 years!!! I think they’re trying to make The Old North State, into a massive Corporate Village. It’s time for We The People, to standup and say NO MORE. ENOUGH!!!!
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Billon May 21, 2024 at 12:48 PM
Great to see this come to pass at last. This will provide a way to get to eastern North Carolina without going through Raleigh. It will also provide a way for the small towns in the state to provide employment opportunities and retain their citizens rather than have the young people migrate to the bigger cities for employment.
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Phyllis Smithon May 21, 2024 at 1:10 PM
The next phase I 95 to Wilmington? The port.. Where is info on that please? Timeline?
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MILLER FORESTERon May 21, 2024 at 6:24 PM
My 2c is that there are just too many people, and they are moving to areas where more jobs are available. And in areas that are more free.
Rule of the committe: If anything is any good, everyone will jump in and ruin it.
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