I-85 Corridor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The I-85 Corridor is a multi-state region that follows I-85 across the Southeastern United States. It stretches from Montgomery, Alabama to Petersburg, Virginia. Principal metropolitan areas include Atlanta, Georgia; Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina (also known as the upstate); the Charlotte metropolitan area; the North Carolina Triad (which includes High Point and Greensboro); Durham, North Carolina; and Petersburg, Virginia.
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[edit] Cities
Specific major cities include:
- Anderson, South Carolina
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Burlington, North Carolina
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Concord, North Carolina
- Durham, North Carolina
- Gastonia, North Carolina
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- High Point, North Carolina
- Kannapolis, North Carolina
- Montgomery, Alabama
- Petersburg, Virginia
- Spartanburg, South Carolina
[edit] Transportation
Various other interstates have junctions with Interstate 85: I-95, I-40, I-73, I-74, I-77, I-26, I-75 and I-20. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport and Charlotte/Douglas International Airport are both among the 20 busiest in the country, and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, Piedmont Triad International Airport, Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Richmond International Airport also serve the region. It is also important to note that there are currently feasibility studies in the works to extend Interstate 85 from Montgomery to I-20/59 at Meridian, Mississippi. This would carry the interstate through Alabama's deeply impoverished "Black Belt" and is viewed as an opportunity to bring commerce to the region.
[edit] Geography
The corridor is located in the Piedmont region between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The Atlantic Ocean lies between two and four hours' drive to the southeast of the region.
[edit] Economy
The region boasts a diverse economy - traditions of manufacturing and transportation have grown to include technology, biotech and finance. Atlanta is a regional cultural and business mecca, Charlotte has emerged as the second largest banking center in the U.S. and is home to University Research Park (7th largest research park in the country), The Triangle (North Carolina) is home to Research Triangle Park, the largest research park in the country, and both The Upstate and Piedmont Triad remain important national manufacturing hubs. The Piedmont Triad Research Park is found just off Future I-285 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
[edit] Education
The area is home to several colleges and universities, including:
- Agnes Scott College
- Auburn University
- Bob Jones University
- Clemson University
- Davidson College
- Duke University
- Elon University
- Emory University
- Furman University
- Georgia State University
- Georgia Tech
- Greenville Technical College
- Guilford College
- Limestone College
- Morehouse College
- North Carolina A&T State University
- North Carolina Central University
- North Carolina School of the Arts
- North Carolina State University
- Spartanburg Community College
- Spelman College
- Tuskegee University
- University of Georgia
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- USC Upstate
- University of Richmond
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia State University
- Wake Forest University
- Wofford College