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Q: If this question has been asked before I apologize in advance. I've lived here for almost eight years and have always wondered something about the Outer Beltline of 440.

Let's suppose you are at the Crabtree mall and wanted to get down to Garner. Taking the Outer Loop would be a good choice. However, once you get to the split of 1/64 to Sanford and I-40, you may run into some serious confusion.

Amazingly, there is no signage to let a traveler know they have to take I-40 toward Benson in order to actually stay on the Outer Loop of 440.

I seriously wonder just how many folks have wandered off towards Sanford not realizing that they weren't on 440 anymore. Thanks in advance. -- Rob Bruening

A: Once again we turned to the N.C. Department of Transportation for the answer. Here's what they had to say:

The question of how to best sign I-440 has long been discussed. A few years ago, the idea of signing the "Inner Beltline" and "Outer Beltline" was implemented, with mixed results that didn't satisfy everyone and seemed to confuse some drivers.

While it was initially designated that I-440 made up the entire Beltline, running concurrently with I-40 along the southern half, the Federal Highway Administration and the N.C. Department of Transportation have determined the southern half of the Beltline should be designated as just I-40, dropping the I-440 from that route. And there is a sign at the I-40 and U.S. 1/64 split that points drivers on the Outer Beltline in the direction of I-40 East.

A project to revise and upgrade the signing along I-40 and I-440 is in the planning and design stages. We anticipate that this project will be on tap this year or early in 2009. The project will sign I-440 as East and West, and I-40 as East and West, and will enhance the guide signing around the Beltline as well.