Urban Loop as part of "a comprehensive thoroughfare system for Greensboro." At one time, the road was a parkway similar to Wendover Avenue and named Painter Boulevard, but the city did not have enough money to build it, and federal help would require a road like an Interstate Highway. It was named for Pennell Churchman Painter, the first city manager of Greensboro, serving from 1921 to 1929. Painter Boulevard appeared as a freeway loop in the 1967 City of Greensboro Transportation Plan. In June 1977, a thoroughfare plan (including what would become the Urban Loop) was adopted by the City of Greensboro, Guilford County and the North Carolina Board of Transportation. In July 1989, North Carolina Highway Trust Fund Law was enacted, which provides a trust fund for designated urban loops. By November 1989, an updated thoroughfare plan was approved by the city, county and state. Planning and environmental impact studies of the Urban Loop began in 1989-1990. In 1995, a Record of Decision was made approving the Greensboro Urban Loop; finalizing its routing and approval of an I-85 bypass. By this point, the Painter Boulevard name was no longer used. Initial construction In 2002, the first segment of the Urban Loop opened, a four-lane connector, today a part of I-785/I-840, between I-40/I-85 and US 70; it was unsigned and internally designated SR 3269. By 2006, Future I-840 trailblazers were added, though from I-40/I-85 it was only signed "To US 70." On February 21, 2004, the southeast segment of the Urban Loop opened. On completion, I-85 was rerouted onto it, leaving its old alignment through Greensboro as I-85 Bus. The southwest section between the present day I-73/US 220 interchange and the I-73/Bryan Boulevard interchanges opened in March 2008. I-73 was signed south of I-40, though north of I-40, I-73 and I-840 were unsigned. At the time, signs for each direction simply read "To I-40" and "To Bryan Boulevard." Interstate 40 relocation Upon completion of the southwest section, I-40 was rerouted onto the southern portion of the Urban Loop, sharing the route with I-73 to the west and I-85 to the east. The existing I-40 through Greensboro was redesignated I-40 Bus. On September 12, 2008, after complaints by local residents about traffic noise and motorists on the confusion between I-40 and I-40 Bus. through Greensboro, NCDOT officials received permission from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to reroute I-40 back through the