Below are some common questions regarding the Business 40 Project Development Study. Click on the questions to learn the answers. If you have a question that is not addressed below, please contact us.
1. What is the “Business 40 Project Development Study”?
The Business 40 Project Development Study will help NCDOT determine how improvements to Business 40 will be planned, designed, and constructed. This one-mile project extends from east of Church Street to west of Fourth Street. As part of this project existing roadway pavement will be removed and replaced, all of the nine bridges over Business 40 will be removed and some or all will be replaced, the two bridges on Business 40 will be removed and replaced, all of the entrance and exit ramps will be removed and some or all of them will be replaced and reconfigured, the acceleration and deceleration lanes between ramps will be lengthened, and existing roadway shoulders will be widened and new roadway shoulders will be added. Given the limited right-of-way width, it is possible that new right-of-way may be acquired; however, this will be kept to a minimum in order to reduce residential, business, historic, and other environmental impacts.
An integral part of the project is an extensive public outreach program to involve as many people as possible who could be affected by the project. The thoughts, opinions, and concerns of the public will play an important part in the project’s decision making. This is an opportunity for everyone to offer essential feedback that will guide the project. For more
information about the project, door-to-door surveys, meetings times
and locations, and more, please call our Project number at (336) 724-2130, send a letter to
800 N Cameron Avenue, Winston-Salem, NC 27101,
or email the project office at business40@business40nc.com.
2. Why is the Business 40 project necessary?
The section of Business 40
through downtown Winston-Salem was designed in the early 1950s as part of the East-West Expressway. Construction of the western section was begun in 1954 and was opened in 1958. During this four-year construction period, the Interstate system was authorized by congress. Following construction of the western section of the Expressway, it was designated Interstate 40 and became the first section of Interstate highway in North Carolina.
Over the past 50 years, this section of the Business 40 has been amazingly durable and required little maintenance, however, the normal life expectance of an Interstate highway, its interchanges, and bridges is 50 years. In addition, Business 40 was not designed to accommodate today’s
traffic levels. As a result, its bridges and roadway pavement show signs of deterioration. The bridge over Liberty Street is in need of major repairs and has been temporarily stabilized, the Green Street bridge has been designated structurally unsound and closed to traffic as a result of being struck by a tractor trailer truck, and the Peters Creek Parkway bridge needs to be widened in order to serve the new development in the area, including the new baseball stadium. Because of its age and the fact that the East-West Expressway was designed before Interstate design standards were adopted, Business 40 does not meet current design standards. Inadequacies exist on Business 40 in the curve radii found on the entrance and exit ramps, the distances between entrance and exit ramps, the lack of shoulders, the length of acceleration lanes and deceleration lanes, and the height of bridges. The combination of age and these insufficiencies with increasing traffic volumes and accidents has prompted the NCDOT to reconstruct this oldest section of Interstate in the North Carolina system. The proposed improvements to Business 40 are necessary to ensure that it can function safely and effectively for the next 50 years.
As a result of the surveys undertaken
showed the public preferred the two year construction option and
NCDOT is committed to the time table.
3. What will Business 40 look like once work has been completed?
Business 40 will be a four-lane divided highway. The existing roadway pavement will be removed and replaced, all of the nine bridges over Business 40 will be removed and some or all will be replaced, the two bridges on Business 40 will be removed and replaced, all of the entrance and exit ramps will be removed and some or all of them will be replaced and reconfigured, the acceleration and deceleration lanes between ramps will be lengthened, existing roadway shoulders will be widened, and new roadway shoulders will be added. Given the limited right-of-way width, it is possible that new right-of-way may be acquired; however, this will be kept to a minimum in order to reduce disruption.
There has been some mention of making this corridor more of a “gateway” into Winston-Salem. Limited funding on this project reduces the amount of aesthetic improvements that can be accomplished by NCDOT. Throughout the project development process, the project team will be looking for ways to improve the look of the corridor. Municipal funding, public/private partnerships, and other options can be explored.
4. When and how long will construction
take? In
January 2010, NCDOT announced that Business 40 will be closed for up to
two years during construction. This announcement was based on many
months of surveying the public, downtown business owners and employees,
residents, church leaders and other community leaders.
When asked whether a two-year completely closed Business 40, or a
six-year, partially closed Business 40 option was preferable, the two
two-year construction option was the overwhelming preference. The two
year construction option would completely close Business 40 for two
years with no lanes of traffic being open, and no entrance and exit
ramps being open. This option would also remove and replace the existing
pavement with. The bridges over Business 40 on Fourth Street, Peters
Creek Parkway, Green Street, Broad Street, Spruce Street, Marshall
Street, Cherry Street, Main Street, and Church Street, and the bridges
on Business 40 over Brookstown Avenue and Liberty Street would be
removed and/or replaced. Further study will be required to if all ramps
should be rebuilt and remain in their existing locations. See the
NCDOT preliminary design ideas for the
project
The project is slated for construction beginning in 2018.
5. If detours are provided, will traffic go through residential neighborhoods?
It is NCDOT’s policy not to detour traffic through residential neighborhoods, particularly for safety reasons. Only those roads that are capable of handling additional traffic will be used as detours. In order to identify possible detour routes, NCDOT will conduct traffic studies to determine which roads are best suited for detours. While all detour routes will be within a reasonable distance of Business 40, getting to a destination may take a little longer than it does now.
Data gathering for the Business 40 traffic studies began in 2006 when drivers were stopped at the top of exit ramps and asked to complete a short origin and destination survey.
In addition information was collected from door-to-door, downtown employees, and neighborhood and downtown business surveys currently being conducted. Detours and other topics
will be discussed at upcoming Working
Group meetings within the next few months.
6. How much will this cost?
Preliminary cost estimates are $65 million (2008) for right-of-way acquisition and construction. This cost also includes utility relocation, and construction mobilization. This is a preliminary estimate and it is possible that this amount may change as additional planning is undertaken, traffic studies are completed, and preliminary design is finished.
7. Is the project funded for
construction?
Yes, the Business 40 project is included
in the draft Transportation Improvement Program as being funded for
construction beginning in 2018.
8. Will taxes be increased to pay for these improvements?
It is not anticipated that taxes will increase to pay for the Business 40 improvements. The project is proposed to be financed using existing federal and state transportation funding sources.
9. Will Winston-Salem transit increase its routes to accommodate the construction of Business 40?
Conversations and coordination with Winston-Salem Transit Authority (WSTA) will be undertaken. It may be possible for WSTA to add some temporary routes and/or make changes to existing routes so motorists have an option of taking the bus rather than driving through the construction area.
10.
What major public involvement outreach effort have been undertaken?
Numerous Public Involvement/Outreach efforts have been undertaken as
part of the Business 40 Improvements Project. Details of these
efforts can be reviewed on the
Public Involvement page. Outreach Specialists conducted
door-to-door surveys in the 19 neighborhoods that surrounded the
Business 40 area. This process was completed on May 2008.
During this seven-month period, surveys were also conducted with members
of faith-based organizations, with owners of neighborhood businesses,
and at a local mall and surrounding stores.
11. Where is project information available?
For more about the project, door-to-door surveys, meetings times and locations, and other information, please call our
project number at (336) 724-2130, send a letter to 800 N Cameron Avenue, Winston-Salem, NC 27101,
or email the project office at business40@business40nc.com.
The section of Business 40
through downtown Winston-Salem was designed in the early 1950s as part of the East-West Expressway. Construction of the western section was begun in 1954 and was opened in 1958. During this four-year construction period, the Interstate system was authorized by congress. Following construction of the western section of the Expressway, it was designated Interstate 40 and became the first section of Interstate highway in North Carolina. 
Because of its age and the fact that the East-West Expressway was designed before Interstate design standards were adopted, Business 40 does not meet current design standards. Inadequacies exist on Business 40 in the curve radii found on the entrance and exit ramps, the distances between entrance and exit ramps, the lack of shoulders, the length of acceleration lanes and deceleration lanes, and the height of bridges. The combination of age and these insufficiencies with increasing traffic volumes and accidents has prompted the NCDOT to reconstruct this oldest section of Interstate in the North Carolina system. The proposed improvements to Business 40 are necessary to ensure that it can function safely and effectively for the next 50 years. 
In
January 2010, NCDOT announced that Business 40 will be closed for up to
two years during construction. This announcement was based on many
months of surveying the public, downtown business owners and employees,
residents, church leaders and other community leaders.
It is NCDOT’s policy not to detour traffic through residential neighborhoods, particularly for safety reasons. Only those roads that are capable of handling additional traffic will be used as detours. In order to identify possible detour routes, NCDOT will conduct traffic studies to determine which roads are best suited for detours. While all detour routes will be within a reasonable distance of Business 40, getting to a destination may take a little longer than it does now. 
construction of Business 40?
