On July 23, 2011, NCDOT officially designated the Fayetteville Outer Loop as North Carolina Highway 295. The circumstances for the rule change cited was necessary for public safety and welfare. This marks its official establishment, six years after the first section of the new freeway was completed. On January 15, 2019, the FHWA approved the I-295 designation between All American Freeway and I-95/US 13 after NCDOT completed two design changes that were acceptable. Effective that same day, NC 295 was decommissioned in favor of I-295.