Interstate 40 in North Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Interstate 40
Blue Star Memorial Highway
I-40 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NCDOT
Length	420.21 mi (676.26 km)
Existed	1958–present
Major junctions
West end	I-40 at the Tennessee state line
	I-26 / I-240 / US 74 in Asheville I-77 in Statesville I-74 in Winston-Salem I-73 / I-840 / US 421 in Greensboro I-85 in Hillsborough I-440 / US 1 / US 64 in Raleigh I-87 / I-440 / US 64 in Raleigh I-42 / NC 540 Toll near Garner I-95 near Benson I-140 / NC 140 in Murraysville
East end	US 117 / NC 132 near Wilmington
Location
Counties:	Haywood, Buncombe, McDowell, Burke, Catawba, Iredell, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Alamance, Orange, Durham, Wake, Johnston, Sampson, Duplin, Pender, New Hanover
Highway system
Main route of the Interstate Highway System Main • Auxiliary • Business North Carolina Highway System ← NC 39 NC 41 →

Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major highway that crosses the United States. It stretches over 2,500 miles (4,000 km) from California to North Carolina. In North Carolina, I-40 covers 420 miles (676 km). It runs all the way across the state from the Tennessee border to Wilmington.

I-40 is the longest Interstate Highway in North Carolina. It is also the only Interstate that goes completely across the state from west to east. This highway connects North Carolina's three main areas: the mountains, the central Piedmont, and the eastern coast. It links big cities like Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, and Winston-Salem. It also connects smaller towns and passes through different landscapes. These include the Blue Ridge Mountains, farmlands, and busy city centers.

I-40 has several other names along its route. It is known as the Blue Star Memorial Highway across the state. Other sections are named after important people. For example, parts are called the Sam Hunt Freeway and the Michael Jordan Highway. The highway was first planned in 1956. The first part of I-40 in North Carolina opened in 1958 in Winston-Salem. The last section was finished in 1992.

What is I-40 Like?

I-40 goes through all the different types of land in North Carolina. In 2023, some parts of the highway in Raleigh were used by over 193,000 vehicles each day. Other parts in Pender County had much less traffic. I-40 is part of the National Highway System. This means it is important for the country's economy and travel.

Western North Carolina: Mountains and Tunnels

Sunflowers along I-40 westbound

I-40 enters North Carolina near the Pigeon River. It winds through the Pigeon River Gorge. Here, it goes through two tunnels. When these tunnels opened in 1968, they were the first Interstate tunnels east of the Mississippi River. One tunnel is only for eastbound traffic. The westbound lanes use a cut through the mountain.

After the tunnels, I-40 continues towards Asheville. It joins with US 74. In Asheville, I-40 connects with I-26 and I-240. This area is sometimes called "Malfunction Junction" because it can be confusing. I-40 then goes south of Asheville, near the Biltmore Estate.

After Asheville, I-40 goes up a steep hill called Old Fort Mountain. This part has winding roads and special ramps for trucks that lose their brakes. It is about 6 miles (9.7 km) long. I-40 passes near Black Mountain and Marion. It also crosses the Eastern Continental Divide. This is where rivers start flowing either to the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.

When I-40 reaches Hickory, it connects with US 321. This exit leads to Hickory, Lincolnton, and Gastonia. I-40 then crosses the Catawba River. It then enters Iredell County and passes Statesville. Here, it has a big interchange with I-77. This interchange was rebuilt to help with traffic.

Piedmont Region: Cities and Busy Roads

I-40 in Winston-Salem

I-40 heads northeast into the Piedmont region. It passes through Mocksville and Clemmons. In Winston-Salem, I-40 becomes six lanes wide. It connects with the Salem Parkway, which leads to downtown Winston-Salem. I-40 continues through the southern part of Winston-Salem, passing Hanes Mall. It then meets I-285/US 52/NC 8. Later, it connects with I-74, which goes south to High Point.

I-40 then goes northeast, bypassing Kernersville. It joins with US 421 and enters Greensboro. In Greensboro, I-40 passes an exit for PTI Airport. It then reaches a large interchange with I-73/US 421/I-840. This is where US 421 leaves I-40.

I-40 goes through southwestern Greensboro. It connects to important areas in the city, including US 70 (Wendover Avenue). It passes Four Seasons Town Centre. Then, US 29 and US 220 join I-40 for about 1 mile (1.6 km). This part of the Interstate usually has six lanes.

This busy section of I-40 in Greensboro is sometimes called "Death Valley." This nickname came about because of the many serious accidents that happened there. One reason for the accidents is how the lanes merge. Traffic from US 29/US 70/US 220 southbound merges from the right and then exits to the left. This means cars often have to cross many lanes. State traffic engineers studied the area and found it had more rear-end collisions than other urban Interstates.

I-40/I-85 through Burlington

East of Greensboro, I-40 merges with I-85. They run together for about 31 miles (50 km) through Guilford, Alamance, and Orange counties. This section uses I-85 exit numbers. It passes south of Elon, Burlington, Graham, and Mebane. I-40 then separates from I-85 near Hillsborough.

After leaving I-85, I-40 heads southeast towards Chapel Hill. It goes through rural areas and forests. I-40 runs next to NC 86 for a while. It then passes through suburban areas and southern Durham. I-40 enters Research Triangle Park (RTP) after connecting with I-885 and NC 885. This part of I-40 is very important for travel between Raleigh, Cary, and Durham.

Near Raleigh–Durham International Airport, I-40 has an interchange with I-540. Several exits serve the airport. I-40 continues southeast towards downtown Raleigh. It runs north of Cary and south of William B. Umstead State Park. In Raleigh, I-40 turns south at Wade Avenue. It then connects with I-440/US 1/US 64. I-40 then runs with US 64 along the south side of Raleigh. This shared section ends at an interchange with I-87/I-440/US 64. Here, I-40 turns south.

Eastern North Carolina: Farmland to the Coast

Beyond Raleigh, I-40 mostly goes south-southeast towards Wilmington. It leaves Raleigh and passes through eastern Garner. I-40 meets US 70 in Garner. It also starts running next to NC 50. I-40 then reaches an interchange with I-42 and NC 540. I-42 heads east towards Selma and New Bern.

South of this exit, I-40 leaves Wake County and enters Johnston County. It connects with NC 42, NC 210, and NC 242. These exits lead to towns like Clayton and Benson. I-40 passes east of Benson and meets I-95. This interchange was rebuilt to make driving smoother.

I-40 westbound at exit 301

I-40 continues southeast through farmland in Johnston County. It meets NC 96. Near Newton Grove, I-40 enters Sampson County. It passes along the side of Newton Grove, connecting with NC 50/NC 55 and US 701. I-40 continues southeast through Sampson County. It meets NC 403 near Faison. Here, I-40 starts running next to US 117.

I-40 then enters Duplin County. It meets NC 24 and NC 24 Bus. west of Warsaw. NC 24 then runs with I-40 for about 8.4 miles (13.5 km). An interchange with US 117 is south of Warsaw. I-40 then goes around Magnolia to the east. NC 24 leaves I-40 at NC 903, which leads to Kenansville. After this, I-40 mostly turns south. It bypasses Teachey, Rose Hill, and Wallace to the east. Exits for NC 11 and NC 41 provide access to these towns. I-40 then runs next to the Northeast Cape Fear River and enters Pender County.

Eastern terminus of I-40 at US 117 and NC 132 looking westbound

The highway meets US 117 again south of Wallace. I-40 stays on the west side of US 117 for about 5.6 miles (9.0 km). It then bypasses Burgaw to the east, meeting NC 53. Continuing south, I-40 meets NC 210 again near Rocky Point. It then crosses the Northeast Cape Fear River into New Hanover County. Here, it gets the name "Michael Jordan Freeway."

I-40 passes east of Castle Hayne. It connects with Holly Shelter Road. An interchange with I-140 and NC 140 is about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Holly Shelter Road. From I-140 and NC 140, I-40 continues south. It turns southwest and meets US 117 and NC 132. The eastern end of I-40 is at US 117 and NC 132 in Wilmington. The highway continues south as North College Road towards the University of North Carolina Wilmington and Carolina Beach.

Special Names for I-40

I-40 has many special names in addition to its number.

• Blue Star Memorial Highway: This name is used across the entire state.
• Sam Hunt Freeway: This section is shared with I-85 near Graham.
• Harriet Morehead Berry Freeway: This part is in Orange County. It is named after a woman who helped improve roads in North Carolina.
• John Motley Morehead III Freeway: This section is between Chapel Hill and Durham. It is named after a generous person who went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Dan K. Moore Freeway: This part is in the Research Triangle Park. It is named after a former governor of North Carolina.
• Tom Bradshaw Freeway: This section is from Wade Avenue Extension to US 70 in Garner. It is named after a former mayor of Raleigh.
• James Harrington Freeway: This part runs from US 70 to I-95.
• Robert D. Warren Sr. Highway: This section is in Johnston and Sampson counties. It is named after a former state senator.
• Henry L. Stevens Jr. Highway: This part is in Duplin County. It is named after a judge and leader of the American Legion.
• Michael Jordan Highway: This section is from the Pender–New Hanover county line to the end of I-40. It is named after the famous basketball player Michael Jordan, who grew up in Wilmington.
• Tobacco Road: College sports fans sometimes call I-40 this name. It connects the four North Carolina schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
• Jimmy Capps Freeway: Since February 1, 2024, a section of I-40 near Benson is named after Jimmy Capps, a country music singer.

How I-40 Was Built

I-40 was part of the original Interstate Highway plan from 1956. North Carolina was given about 714 miles (1,149 km) for its share of the Interstate system. About 219 miles (352 km) were for a route from Tennessee to Greensboro. This route became I-40.

The first part of I-40 in North Carolina opened in 1958. It was a 3-mile (4.8 km) section in Winston-Salem. For the next 32 years, I-40 was built and extended. It eventually reached its current length from the Pigeon River Gorge to Wilmington.

Early Roads and Planning

Before I-40, there were old trading paths used by Native Americans. One of these paths, Rutherford's Trace, followed a similar route to modern I-40. In 1921, the North Carolina Highway System was created. NC 10, called the "Central Highway," ran between Asheville and Greensboro. By 1926, when US 70 was added to NC 10, most of the road was paved.

After World War II, the government planned a new highway system. In 1947, a map showed a route similar to US 70 from Tennessee to Greensboro. In 1956, the Federal-Aid Highway Act officially created the Interstate system. In 1957, I-40 was approved for this route.

Building the Highway

In 1953, work began on a 6.5-mile (10.5 km) road in Haywood County along the Pigeon River. This road would connect to Tennessee. In 1958, this project was the first I-40 construction job in the country. That same year, the first two sections of I-40 opened in North Carolina. One was in Winston-Salem, and the other was from Kernersville to Greensboro.

Over the years, more sections of I-40 opened:

• In 1960, I-40 expanded in Burke County, from Conover to Statesville, and near Winston-Salem.
• By 1961, it extended west from Dysartsville Road to Marion.
• In 1963, the gap between Winston-Salem and Kernersville was finished.
• In 1968, after 10 years of work, a 20-mile (32 km) section opened from the Tennessee state line to Cove Creek.
• In 1969, I-40 was approved to extend east from Greensboro to Raleigh and then to Smithfield.
• By 1971, more gaps were filled, connecting sections in Enka and Mocksville.
• In 1978, after much discussion, the state decided to route I-40 to Wilmington.
• In 1982, the original I-40 route from Tennessee to Greensboro was officially completed.
• In 1984, I-40 was extended in Raleigh and construction began on the section to Wilmington.
• By 1986, I-40 reached its current eastern end in Wilmington.
• In 1989, I-40 was extended west to I-85 near Hillsborough and east to I-95 in Benson.
• On June 29, 1990, I-40 was fully connected between Raleigh and Wilmington. This helped connect the Port of Wilmington to the rest of the state.
• The final gap of I-40 was completed around 1992. This was when it was added to the existing I-85 from Greensboro to Hillsborough.

Recent Changes and Improvements

By the end of the 1900s, I-40 had many upgrades. The old East-West Expressway in Winston-Salem, which carried I-40, was very busy. In 1988, it was decided to build a new bypass around Winston-Salem. This new 20.89-mile (33.62 km) section opened by the end of 1992. I-40 was moved to this new, wider road. The old road became Interstate 40 Business.

Between 1989 and 1996, a 35-mile (56 km) section between Alamance and Orange counties was widened from four to eight lanes. In 1997, I-40 in Greensboro also received upgrades.

In December 2004, a 10.6-mile (17.1 km) section from Durham to RTP was widened from four to six lanes. However, the paving had problems, and the road had to be repaved again in 2005.

Crews clearing the westbound lanes from the 2012 rockslide

The section of I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge is known for being curvy and narrow. It has many serious accidents. This is because the road is cut into mountainsides and next to the river. There is little room for cars to move if there is an accident. Speeding trucks and thick fog also cause problems. This area is also known for rockslides. In 1997, a rockslide closed the road for almost three months. In 2009, another large rockslide closed I-40 in both directions for several weeks.

In February 2008, I-40 was briefly moved to the southern part of the Greensboro Urban Loop. This was the first change to I-40 since the Winston-Salem bypass opened. However, many people complained about the confusion. So, in September 2008, I-40 was moved back to its original route through Greensboro. All the signs were changed by July 1, 2009.

In 2011, an 8-mile (13 km) section between Harrison Avenue and Gorman Street in Raleigh was widened. This project cost $49 million.

From 2013 to late 2018, a big project called "Fortify" rebuilt I-40 along the southern edge of Raleigh. This included widening the road, rebuilding bridges, and improving exit ramps.

In Statesville, the I-40/I-77 interchange was upgraded. This project started in March 2012 and was mostly finished by December 2023. It widened both I-40 and I-77 to eight lanes and rebuilt the interchange.

Starting in late 2018, the section of I-40 between the I-40/I-440 split and NC 42 is being widened. Many overpasses are being rebuilt. A new interchange at NC 42 is being built as a diverging diamond interchange. A new ramp between I-440 east and I-40 east opened in December 2020. The new lanes between the Raleigh Beltline and the Clayton Bypass opened in April 2023.

In 2024, Hurricane Helene caused major damage to the eastbound lanes of I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge. This closed the road completely. Crews worked to fix it, and the road reopened on March 1, 2025, with one lane in each direction. The cost to rebuild the eastbound lanes is estimated to be very high.

Future Plans for I-40

There are plans for more improvements to I-40:

• In Asheville, part of the I-26 Connector project will improve I-40. This will widen the highway and improve interchanges.
• Another widening project is planned for I-40 between mile markers 259 and 279 in Orange and Durham counties. This project has faced some delays.
• A widening project is also planned for I-40 between the I-440/US 1/US 64 interchange and the Lake Wheeler Road interchange in Raleigh. This project will add one or two lanes and redesign the interchange. Construction is expected to begin in 2025.

I-40 Exits in North Carolina

County	Location	Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
Haywood	​	0.0	0.0		I-40 west – Knoxville	Continues into Tennessee
	​	6.7	10.8	7	Cold Springs Creek Road – Harmon Den
	​	14.8	23.8	15	Fines Creek Road
	Cove Creek	20.5	33.0	20	US 276 south – Waynesville, Maggie Valley	Northern end of US 276
	​	24.2	38.9	24	NC 209 – Lake Junaluska, Hot Springs
	​	27.3	43.9	27	US 19 / US 23 / US 74 west – Clyde, Waynesville	West end of US 74 overlap
	Canton	31.2	50.2	31	NC 215 – Canton
		33.2	53.4	33	Newfound Road – Canton
Buncombe	​	37.4	60.2	37	Wiggins Road – Candler, East Canton
	​	41.9	67.4	42	Liberty Road	Future interchange; construction scheduled to begin in 2025
	Asheville	44.3	71.3	44	US 19 / US 23 / US 74A east – West Asheville, Enka, Candler
		45.9	73.9	46A	I-26 / US 74 east – Hendersonville, Spartanburg	East end of US 74 overlap; no eastbound entrance; westbound left exit
				46B	Future I-26 west / I-240 east – Asheville, Johnson City	No westbound exit; eastbound left exit
		46.7	75.2	47	NC 191 – West Asheville	To Farmers Market
		50.2	80.8	50	US 25 – South Asheville, Biltmore House	Signed as exits 50A (south) and 50B (north) westbound
		51.3	82.6	51	US 25A – Asheville
		52.8	85.0	53A	US 74A east / Blue Ridge Parkway – Bat Cave
				53B	I-240 / US 74A west – East Asheville
		55.1	88.7	55	To US 70 – East Asheville	To VA Hospital
	​	58.8	94.6	59	Patton Cove Road – Swannanoa
	Black Mountain	63.8	102.7	64	NC 9 – Black Mountain, Montreat
		64.8	104.3	65	US 70 west – Black Mountain	West end of US 70 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	65.7	105.7	66	Dunsmore Avenue – Ridgecrest
McDowell	Old Fort	71.4	114.9	72	US 70 east – Old Fort	To Mount Mitchell; East end of US 70 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		72.4	116.5	73	Catawaba Avenue – Old Fort
		74.8	120.4	75	Parker Padgett Road
	Marion	81.2	130.7	81	Sugar Hill Road – Marion
		83.4	134.2	83	Ashworth Road
		84.6	136.2	85	US 221 – Marion, Rutherfordton
		86.3	138.9	86	NC 226 – Marion, Shelby
	​	89.8	144.5	90	Harmony Grove Road – Nebo, Lake James
Burke	​	94.1	151.4	94	Dysartsville Road
	​	95.8	154.2	96	Kathy Road
	Glen Alpine	97.5	156.9	98	Causby Road – Glen Alpine
		99.5	160.1	100	Jamestown Road / Dixie Boulevard – Glen Alpine
	Morganton	102.9	165.6	103	US 64 – Morganton, Rutherfordton
		104.1	167.5	104	Enola Road
		105.1	169.1	105	NC 18 – Morganton, Shelby
	​	106.2	170.9	106	Bethel Road
	​	107.4	172.8	107	NC 114 – Drexel
	Valdese	110.7	178.2	111	Abees Grove Church Road / Milestone Avenue – Valdese
		111.4	179.3	112	Mineral Springs Mountain Road – Valdese
	Rutherford College	112.3	180.7	113	Rutherford College Road / Malcom Boulevard – Connelly Springs, Rutherford College
	Icard	116.2	187.0	116	Old NC 10 – Icard
	Hildebran	117.9	189.7	118	Old NC 10
		118.8	191.2	119	Henry River Road / Center Street – Henry River, Hildebran	Signed as exits 119A (Henry River) and 119B (Hildebran) eastbound
Catawba	Long View	120.6	194.1	121	33rd Street – Long View
	Hickory	122.8	197.6	123A	US 321 south to NC 127 – Lincolnton, Gastonia	Cloverleaf interchange with Collector/distributor roadways
				123B	US 321 north to US 70 – Hickory, Lenoir, Boone	To Appalachian State University and Hickory Regional Airport
		125.1	201.3	125	Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard – Hickory	To Lenoir-Rhyne University
		126.2	203.1	126	To US 70 – Hickory, Newton
	Conover	128.1	206.2	128	Fairgrove Church Road	To Hickory Motor Speedway
		130.2	209.5	130	Old US 70
		131.1	211.0	131	NC 16	Permanently closed by 2008.
		131.6	211.8	132	NC 16 – Newton, Conover, Taylorsville
		132.6	213.4	133	Rock Barn Road
	Claremont	134.3	216.1	135	Oxford Street – Claremont
	Catawba	138.1	222.3	138	NC 10 west (Oxford School Road) – Catawba
Iredell	​	140.4	226.0	141	Sharon School Road
	​	144.0	231.7	144	Old Mountain Road – West Iredell
	​	145.4	234.0	146	Stamey Farm Road
	Statesville	147.7	237.7	148	US 64 / NC 90 – West Statesville, Taylorsville
		149.5	240.6	150	NC 115 – Downtown Statesville, North Wilkesboro
		151.2	243.3	151	US 21 – East Statesville, Harmony
		152.0	244.6	152	I-77 – Charlotte, Wytheville	Signed as exits 152A (south) and 152B (north); I-77 exit 51
		152.9	246.1	153	US 64 – Statesville	Permanently closed as of October 1, 2012; was an eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		153.7	247.4	154	US 64 (Old Mocksville Road)
	​	161.8	260.4	162	US 64
Davie	Mocksville	167.8	270.0	168	US 64 – Mocksville
		169.5	272.8	170	US 601 – Mocksville, Yadkinville
	​	173.5	279.2	174	Farmington Road
	​	179.8	289.4	180	NC 801 – Bermuda Run, Tanglewood	Signed as exits 180A (south) and 180B (north) Westbound
Forsyth	Clemmons	182.1	293.1	182	Harper Road – Tanglewood, Bermuda Run
		183.5	295.3	184	Lewisville–Clemmons Road – Lewisville, Clemmons
	Winston-Salem	187.7	302.1	188	US 421 (Salem Parkway) – Downtown Winston-Salem, Yadkinville	No access from US 421 south to I-40 west; eastbound left exit
		188.6	303.5	189	US 158 (Stratford Road)
		189.3	304.6	190	Hanes Mall Boulevard	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		191.3	307.9	192	NC 150 (Peters Creek Parkway) – Downtown Winston-Salem
		192.5	309.8	193C	Silas Creek Parkway, South Main Street	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		193.2	310.9	193A	I-285 south / US 52 south / NC 8 south – Lexington
				193B	US 52 north / NC 8 north – Mount Airy
		194.3	312.7	195	NC 109 / Clemmonsville Road – Thomasville
		195.9	315.3	196	I-74 east – High Point	Future NC 192; I-74 will be rerouted onto a new alignment once construction is complete
	​			198	I-74 (Winston-Salem Beltway)	Future interchange (Construction started in Spring 2022; completion date November 2026)
	Kernersville	200.7	323.0	201	Union Cross Road	Diverging diamond interchange
		203.5	327.5	203	NC 66 / Regional Road – Kernersville, High Point
Guilford	Colfax	206.4	332.2	206	US 421 north (Salem Parkway) – Downtown Winston-Salem, Kernersville	North end of US 421 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	Greensboro	207.4	333.8	208	Sandy Ridge Road
		209.7	337.5	210	NC 68 – High Point, Piedmont Triad International Airport
		210.7	339.1	211	Gallimore Dairy Road	SP Diamond Interchange
		212.1	341.3	212A	I-73 / US 421 south to I-85 – Asheboro	Eastbound left exit; south end of US 421 overlap; I-85 signed eastbound
				212B	I-73 north / I-840 east – PTI-GSO Airport, Martinsville
		213.0	342.8	213	Guilford College Road
		213.8	344.1	214	US 70 (Wendover Avenue)	Signed as exits 214A (west) and 214B (east) eastbound
		215.3	346.5	216	Patterson Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		216.8	348.9	217	Gate City Boulevard, Koury Boulevard
		218.2	351.2	218	US 220 south / Freeman Mill Road – Asheboro	West end of US 220 overlap; signed as exits 218A (US 220) and 218B (Freeman Mill Road)
		219.0	352.4	219	US 29 south – Charlotte	South end of US 29 overlap
		219.3	352.9	220	Randleman Road
		219.9	353.9	221	South Elm-Eugene Street – Downtown Greensboro
		221.0	355.7	222	Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
		221.1	355.8	223	US 29 north / US 220 north – Reidsville	North end of US 29/US 220 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance
		223.3	359.4	224	Gate City Boulevard, Lee Street	To Bennett College, UNC Greensboro, A&T University and Greensboro College
		225.7	363.2	226	McConnell Road
		226.5	364.5	227	I-85 south / I-785 north / I-840 west – Danville, Charlotte	South end of I-85 overlap
I-40 overlaps with Interstate 85 (exits 131 to 163)
Orange	Hillsborough	258.3	415.7	259	I-85 north – Durham	North end of I-85 overlap
		260.8	419.7	261	Old NC Highway 86 – Hillsborough
		262.9	423.1	263	New Hope Church Road
		265.8	427.8	266	NC 86 – Chapel Hill, Hillsborough
Durham	Chapel Hill	269.9	434.4	270	US 15 / US 501 – Chapel Hill, Durham
		272.7	438.9	273	NC 54 – Chapel Hill, Durham	Signed as exits 273A (west) and 273B (east) westbound
	Durham	274.2	441.3	274	NC 751 – Jordan Lake
		275.6	443.5	276	Fayetteville Road – Southpoint, North Carolina Central University	SP Diamond Interchange
		277.8	447.1	278	NC 55 to NC 54 – Apex
	Research Triangle Park	279.1	NC 885 Toll south (Triangle Expressway) – Morrisville
		279B	I-885 north (Durham Freeway) to NC 147 – Downtown Durham
		280.1	450.8	280	Davis Drive
	Durham	280.8	451.9	281	Miami Boulevard
		281.4	452.9	282	Page Road
		282.3	454.3	283	I-540 east / NC 540 west to NC 540 Toll / US 1 south – North Raleigh	Signed westbound as exits 283A (East I-540) and 283B (West NC 540); I-540 exit 1
Wake	Morrisville	283.5	456.2	284	Airport Boulevard – RDU International Airport	Signed eastbound as exits 284A (west) and 284B (east); under conversion into Diverging diamond interchange.
	Cary	284.7	458.2	285	Aviation Parkway – Morrisville, RDU International Airport	Signed westbound as exits 285A (south) and 285B (north)
		287.0	461.9	287	Harrison Avenue – Cary
	Raleigh	288.6	464.5	289	To I-440 / US 1 north / Wade Avenue – Downtown Raleigh	To PNC Arena, Carter–Finley Stadium, State Fairgrounds, NCSU Veterinary College, and NC Museum of Art
		290.5	467.5	290	NC 54 – Cary
		291.4	469.0	291	Cary Towne Boulevard – Cary
		292.6	470.9	293A	US 1 south / US 64 west – Cary, Asheboro	West end of US 64 overlap
				293B	I-440 east / US 1 north – Raleigh, Wake Forest	Cloverleaf interchange with Collector/distributor roadways
		295.0	474.8	295	Gorman Street
		297.1	478.1	297	Lake Wheeler Road
		298.0	479.6	298	US 70 / US 401 / NC 50 (S. Saunders Street) – Raleigh Downtown, Garner	Signed as exits 298A (east/south) and 298B (west/north), to be converted into a Diverging diamond interchange
		298.8	480.9	299	Person Street, Hammond Road
		300.3	483.3	300	Rock Quarry Road	Signed as exits 300A (south) and 300B (north) westbound
		301.1	484.6	301	I-87 north / I-440 west / US 64 east – Rocky Mount	East end of US 64 overlap; Eastbound exit is a left exit
	​	303.5	488.4	303	Jones Sausage Road	Diverging diamond interchange
	Garner	305.6	491.8	306	US 70 – Garner, Clayton	Signed as exits 306A (west) and 306B (east) westbound
		309.6	498.3	309	I-42 east – Smithfield, Goldsboro	Western terminus of I-42
		309.8	498.6	310	NC 540 Toll west (Triangle Expressway)	Eastern terminus of NC 540
Johnston	​	311.8	501.8	312A	NC 42 – Clayton, Fuquay-Varina	Rebuilt into Diverging diamond interchange
	​	312.4	502.8	312B	Cleveland Road	New interchange opened in April 2024
	McGee's Crossroads	318.6	512.7	319	NC 210 – Smithfield, Angier
	Benson	325.4	523.7	325	NC 242 south to US 301 – Benson
		327.8	527.5	328	I-95 – Benson, Fayetteville, Rocky Mount, Smithfield	Signed as exits 328A (south) and 328B (north); I-95 exit 81
	​	333.6	536.9	334	NC 96 – Meadow
Sampson	Newton Grove	341.0	548.8	341	NC 50 / NC 55 to US 13 – Newton Grove
		343.3	552.5	343	US 701 to US 13 – Clinton, Newton Grove	to Bentonville Battlefield
	​	348.0	560.1	348	Suttontown Road
	​	355.4	572.0	355	NC 403 – Faison
Duplin	Warsaw	364.5	586.6	364	NC 24 west / NC 24 Bus. east to NC 50 – Warsaw, Clinton	West end of NC 24 overlap
		369.6	594.8	369	US 117 – Warsaw
	​	372.9	600.1	373	NC 24 east / NC 903 – Magnolia, Kenansville, Beulaville	East end of NC 24 overlap
	Rose Hill	380.0	611.6	380	Charity Road – Rose Hill
	​	384.1	618.1	384	NC 11 – Wallace, Greenevers
	​	385.4	620.2	385	NC 41 – Wallace, Beulaville
Pender	​	390.2	628.0	390	US 117 – Wallace
	Burgaw	398.5	641.3	398	NC 53 – Burgaw, Jacksonville
	Rocky Point	408.1	656.8	408	NC 210 – Rocky Point	To Moores Creek National Battlefield
New Hanover	Castle Hayne	414.5	667.1	414	Holly Shelter Road – Castle Hayne
	Murraysville	416.9	670.9	416	I-140 west / NC 140 – Jacksonville, Myrtle Beach, Topsail Island, New Bern	Signed as exits 416A (west) and 416B (east); I-140 exit 20
	Wilmington	419.9	675.8	420	US 117 / NC 132 north / Gordon Road – Castle Hayne	Signed as exits 420A (Gordon Road) and 420B (US 117/NC 132) westbound
		423.6	681.7	—	US 117 / NC 132 south – State Port, Carolina Beach	Continues as US 117/NC 132
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Other I-40 Routes

North Carolina has five related Interstate routes and three former business routes for I-40.

• I-140 is a route in Wilmington that goes around US 17.
• I-240 forms a loop around downtown Asheville.
• I-440 is part of the inner loop around Raleigh.
• I-540 is an outer loop around the Raleigh area.
• I-840 is part of the northern section of the Greensboro Urban Loop.

There used to be an I-40 Business route that went through downtown Winston-Salem. I-40 itself was rerouted to a newer bypass around the city. In 2020, the I-40 Business route was renamed the Salem Parkway.

Another I-40 Business was briefly created in Greensboro in 2008. This happened when I-40 was moved to a new bypass around the city. However, due to local complaints, I-40 was moved back to its original route through Greensboro later that same year.