Charlotte, what's up with your loop?

"Driving_Impaired" (drivingimpaired)
10/23/2013 at 12:56 • Filed to: None

I've got a wheelchair bball tourney this weekend in Concord, NC. I googled directions and noticed something a little odd as the route goes through Charlotte...

As most major cities do, Charlotte has a highway loop that runs around the city perimeter (like 285 here in Atlanta). Except, you can't quite call this a "loop" seeing that it is not connected!! I noticed on the satellite images there appears to be a clearing and eventual plans to complete the loop. A quick wiki search showed that this "loop" has existed in some form (as highway 485) since the 70s. Forty years to finish a highway?!

And I thought Pennsylvania was bad...

DISCUSSION (31)

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 12:59

Two words: Outer Perimeter.

It's *still* not built, or let alone planned, even though its seriously needed. Damn BANANAs

For Sweden > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
10/23/2013 at 13:03

You leave fruit out of this.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > For Sweden
10/23/2013 at 13:05

You mean Fear of Revitalization, Urban In-fill and Towers?

Or maybe the BANANAs will turn into CAVE people.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 13:10

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstat…

"The final segment, from I-77 to I-85 near UNC Charlotte , has begun the Right of Way Acquisition phase with contracts awarded in June 2010. [25] [26] "

Also, if you zoom you can see where construction has begun already.

boostbeef > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 13:14

Uptown Charlotte is nice to look at though.

That's right, they call it uptown instead of downtown.

I have no idea why. lol

RX > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 13:15

Usually the fault of environmentalists. Or possibly the "not in my backyard" people. If they can cause enough fuss and create enough red tape, they can delay it until the government runs into financial issues then the whole thing gets delayed another 15 years. Happens in Chicago all the time. It delayed the 355 completion for a few decades, and it continues to delay the 53 to 94 connection.

Nibbles > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 13:16

Denver has this issue too:

Kinja'd!!!

It's as if, when designing the outer structure, they completely forgot about the wildlife refuge. And the ridge between Denver and Highway 93. And the fact that Highway 93 is shit. Also the western portion (C-470, Centennial to Green Mountain) is freeway and the eastern portion (E-470, Centennial to Interlocken) is toll road.

getchapopcorn > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 13:18

http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/charl…

getchapopcorn > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
10/23/2013 at 13:19

Not planned? It's slated to be finished in december of 2014! If you get on google maps and zoom in you can see the work.

http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/charl…

Chteelers > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
10/23/2013 at 13:19

Yeah, they've really stepped up construction to finish it recently. I live in this general area so I'm well aware of it. The upside will be much faster freeway access for me when it's finished, the downside is that the current construction fuqs up my commute and they bulldozed through my favorite local curvy fun road.

getchapopcorn > For Sweden
10/23/2013 at 13:19

Seriously - the only things fruits ever did for any of us was be delicious! How dare you give something like that a bad name.

JEM > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 13:45

My first reaction to this was "Why the hell doesn't Boston have a loop highway?! We're a major city!"

Right. A major city on the ocean. Derp.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > getchapopcorn
10/23/2013 at 14:14

The Outer Perimeter has been proposed *in Georgia* multiple times, and the latest iteration was killed by former Governor Sonny Perdue.

The point was that if it takes 40 years to actually finish I-485, the clock is still running on Atlanta's second Perimeter highway.

DOMdotCOM > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 14:19

Yeahhh they haven't built it yet. Confused the shit out of me when i lived there. Unless you need to go to Huntersville, you don't need to worry about it. Yes Uptown is their downtown, but check out the South Park area, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and has some amazing eateries. Let me know if you need some suggestions!

getchapopcorn > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
10/23/2013 at 14:23

My fault — misunderstood.

Driving_Impaired > DOMdotCOM
10/23/2013 at 16:40

I will definitely check that area out. Lot of down time as we only have two games each day. I would love some recommendations on places to eat. Only requirements... accessible and nothing nothing super upscale!

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > RX
10/23/2013 at 16:55

In this case it was more "Raleigh didn't want to send federal tax dollars to anywhere but Raleigh. "

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 16:57

Almost anywhere in Plaza-Midwood or Southend is good. Pinky's on Freedom at Morehead is good for cheap pub grub with a twist.

DOMdotCOM > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 17:14

This is my brothers website, check the places out!

Charlotte Burger Blog

DOMdotCOM > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/23/2013 at 17:20

PINKYS! hell yeah! or the Diamond... or Cowfish!

You live in CLT?

Driving_Impaired > DOMdotCOM
10/23/2013 at 17:37

this is AWESOME. I consider myself something of a burger aficionado so I am all over this. thanks!

Driving_Impaired > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/23/2013 at 17:38

I appreciate it! Pinky's sounds good to me!

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > DOMdotCOM
10/23/2013 at 18:00

Well, the Diamond isn't very wheelchair-friendly — Anyone using a wheelchair would have to go in the side door and the aisles are really narrow. I've lived in the Charlotte area about 20 years (now in Mount Holly) and love the Diamond.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Driving_Impaired
10/23/2013 at 18:04

Check it out: Pinky's!

I'd also suggest The Diamond but as I mentioned, side-door entrance, narrow aisles, and almost all the seats are booths so getting the chair situated could be a hassle. Food is excellent, though.

If you're looking for more upscale and don't mind spending $15 a person on Brunch, Sunday mornings at 300 East are pretty damned good.

DOMdotCOM > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/24/2013 at 01:03

No shit? I lived right off of Mt Holly/Huntersville Rd, near the Sonic and that BP gas station!

Driving_Impaired > DOMdotCOM
10/25/2013 at 12:39

Alright guys, definitely hitting up Pinky's and hoping to be done with the tourney in time to grab a good brunch Sunday as well. On a separate note, any suggestions for some good Mexican?

DOMdotCOM > Driving_Impaired
10/25/2013 at 13:39

1900 Mexican Grill or Azteca and this is coming from a Mexican.

Driving_Impaired > DOMdotCOM
10/25/2013 at 13:43

excellent, a couple of our teammates are also Mexican so this is much appreciated!

Driving_Impaired > DOMdotCOM
10/28/2013 at 12:04

Well unfortunately I never made it to Pinky's but did get to 1900 and washed down some excellent food with some of the best mojitos I've ever had. Ended up going out in NoDa Saturday night (to the Blind Pig) completely forgetting this was Halloween weekend so it was quite entertaining.

Did not make for a good Sunday morning in which we had to play two games though...

Sir Halffast > Driving_Impaired
11/21/2013 at 14:46

My family moved to Charlotte in 1997. They started construction on 485 about two years later. Since then, I have graduated HS, gone away to college, moved to Russia, moved to California for grad school, moved to the DC area, gotten married, and bought a house. And they're still not done with freaking 485.

master85D > Driving_Impaired
11/21/2013 at 15:15

It'd run into our IKEA. Can't have that.