yadkinv

It is, isn't it? I like that pic.

And, according to story, the founder of Krispy Kreme was wondering where to locate his doughnut company (from somewhere in Tennessee - perhaps Nashville) when he whipped out a pack of Camel cigarettes, and noticed Winston-Salem on the side, and thought to himself that a place with such international exposure (this was the 1930s) is where I want my doughnut operation, and so... This might be apocryphal, and the first location was actaully in Salem (as in Old Salem).

It seems that the one about the largest highway system has just changed. NCDOT recently noted (I don't have the exact article handy) that NC is now number two behind Texas.

Jimmy Johns is headquartered in Champaign, Illinois.

You are absolutely correct, Jersey Boy. This project needs to be funded and to move ahead no matter what, even if the city has to go into debt to do it. Every player, as you suggest, needs to be involved. However, while there is a glimmer of hope with the city, if the county is involved, forget it. Also, the Powerplant Project is critical, and should not be dropped or even delayed.

Apparently it will be where the brick Delco Building is now located on Spruce Street. Some months ago the WSJ ran an article with a rendering of the addition, but I can't find it now.

This is really, really great, especially the potential for a really good hotel tower, but one learns not to become too elated at such announcements in W-S until construction actually begins. Two theaters, how about eight because Sawtooth is going to do six at their new and remodeled center. I agree that the library should probably be in the downtown core instead, and by the way should be a showpiece, but you can count that out based upon Forsyth County performance.

Metro Baltimore is just over 2.5 million whereas metro W-S is just over .5 million, so the fraction, all variables being equal (although they never are) would be about 20 percent. Even so that would be great, but the effect is likely to be even greater because of other variables at work in PTRP. This is exciting, but we must wait until it's well along for any real excitement. By the way, I hope that hotel at the corner of Fifth & Main is a small footprint and very high since it's going to be in a hole.

This is outstanding! This outfit did wonders for the delapidated Inner Harbor of Baltimore; I hope this doesn't fall through they way that 4th Street did - it seems different though.

Don't waste any more hard to find funds; put the money where it's really needed.

I think this has been mostly a Guilford/Greensboro project from the beginning - isn't 60 - 70 percent in Guilford County?

Well. there are differing opinions, and it seems in NC, the NCDOT has opted for what is not prevalent in most of the country (it is in SC a bit as well). In my opinion, and others, Interstate designation signifies transportation importance, and most locational analysts use this as a heavily weighted criteria in their analyses. So, having separate such designations is overall benefiicial. Green 40 should not lose its Interstate designation, but should be changed to something other than green.

Actually it is very important to have Interstate Highway designations, not to satisfy the unimportant ego or desires of groups or individuals, but for the all important economic recognition game nationally. That is also why the I 274 designation is important for the western leg of the W-S Beltway, and why I 285 is already designated for US 52 from I 85 in Lexington to I 40 in W-S, and that it should be extended northward to I 74. Further, and has been suggested, US 421 from I 77 to I 40 in W-S should be signed as a three digit even of I 77 such as I 477 (I 277 is taken). This road, by the way is to Intertstate standards (or almost) as it is now signed in orange I 40 alternate - the only such designation I've ever seen. Anyway, what is now green I 40 in W-S should have been signed I 840 (that designation of the Greensboro Beltway should have been a three digit of I 85) even though it might not have been brought to standard for years; that seems to be the way it works everywhere else in the nation (preserving the all important Interstate signing for cities). No matter what one believes, the green designation of Interstates carries a negative connotation, and as was pointed out hurts the business community. Imagine indicating PTRP is on green 40, or it's on I 1040 (red, white, and blue). It might be moot now according to an article in today's W-S Journal. Since a new stretch of the Greensboro Beltway recently opened, it was signed I 40, and the old western section of I 40 is signed green I 40 apparently creating confusion with two green I 40's in the Triad. Now, W-S has been asked to come up with another designation for its green I 40. How very intersting that W-S has had green I 40 since 1992, but now is on the spot to come up with a new designation - seems to be a bit of yet more transportation bias against W-S. I think W-S should use the opportunity to sign its green I 40 with I 1040, the first four digit Interstate Highway (all of the single, even three digits of I 40 are taken in the State, and it can't be odd by definition), or maybe even push for an entirely new Interstate category.

But, I still don't see the difference. Unless I missed something, the only difference between the CBE and green 40 is that green 40 was downgraded (by whom, NCDOT or AASHTO?) and CBE was not (apparently the same for many other substandard interstates). This is patently unfair to W-S, which needs interstates to be economically viable. It doesn't matter about the history of development of the greens in the West, they are different, and so greens like former I 40 in W-S should not be designated green. Again, this is patently unfair for CBE to remain an interstate, and former I 40 in W-S to be downgrade especially since ostensibly it's not possible to fix CBE because of the infrastructure. So, if it's not possible for that reason, then CBE and all of the others nationwide should be downgraded as well. My question is who does the downgrading, the relevant DOT or AASHTO? If the DOT, then shame shame on NCDOT for not knowing what greens really look like. It should be AASHTO, or why do they even exist? In short, if nothing can be done about this injustice, and that is the correct word to use here, then there should be a new category of Interstates established by AASHTO because green 40 in W-S and green 85 in Greesnboro are definitely not green (although green 85 in High Point does fit the definition - more so anyway). I suggest a new category, possibly Interstate Secondary or Alternate (not Business as that's green - Connector, Loop, a Spur can't be used because that's the terms for the 3-digit Interstates), and the color should be blue although that might be too close to the green color; orange is not good because that indicates construction or of a temporary nature; not brown as that designates historical; maybe white and blue only.

Exactly, the Cross Bronx Expressway is precisely one of the many I had in mind. So, if these are grandfathered in why not green 40; having an interstate designation is a big deal, and greens are designed for non-expressway situations. Most are in the West, have stoplights, and were invented because most interstates in the West by-passed downtowns. If NCDOT is responsible for the green interstates in NC, specifically, I 40 in W-S and I 85 in Greensboro, they don't know what greens look like in the West.

If it will not be to interstate standards then many many others in urban areas or not. I've been on interstates throughout the U.S. that aren't as good as green I 40 is now!

This is a big decision, that is, how the repairs and improvements will be done. Once complete, it will be to interstate standards, and the green I 40 designation should be removed, and a regular interstate standard be used. The problem is that it must be even, and I 240, 440, 640, and 840 are taken now in North Carolina. Actually, the Greensboro Beltway probably should have been I 885 using I 85 as the parent instead of I 40 thereby leaving I 840 for W-S. Now, the only alternatives are to make what is now green I 40 in W-S I 1040, the first four digit interstate, or to make it I 474, 674, or 874 since the western leg of the W-S beltway will be I 274.

Congratulations on what seems to be a very professional and highly useful guide and publication. This is great!

This will be great if it comes to fruition. This outfit does really good work!

Really great aerials of W-S; thanks.

I agree, this whole thing seems a cheap attempt to replicate RTP, and replication is never successful or the answer. It needs its own signature, or better and as implied, Greensboro and Winston-Salem should concentrate on the successes in their respective downtowns, and not spread (waste) precious resources too thinly.

This is nice - thanks for doing this!

So, 800 jobs in PTRP now, not bad, and 9,200 more in less seven years. That's ambitious, and I hope it happens!

That's really a nice perspective (minus the wires).

Absolutely extraordinary photo from beyond Pilot Mountain