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 about the project, door-to-door surveys, meetings times and locations, and other information, please call (336) 722-0565, send a letter to P.O. Box 20601, Winston-Salem, NC 27120-0601, e-mail the project office at business40@business40nc.com.
2. Why is the Business 40 project necessary?
The section of Business 40 covered by the Business 40 project 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 levels of traffic. 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.
Because of the complex nature of reconstruction in the project area, NCDOT’s goal is to complete all major reconstruction at one time – to get in, get out, and stay out!
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. Will Business 40 be closed or remain open during construction?
NCDOT is currently considering two construction options. One of the options would completely close Business 40 for two years with no lanes of traffic being open, and no entrance and exit ramps being open. The other option would partially close Business 40 for up to six years with only two lanes of traffic being open and only some of the entrance and exit ramps being open.
With both alternatives, the existing pavement will be removed and replaced with new concrete pavement. 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 will removed. Further study will be required to determine if all bridges should be replaced and if some should be widened, and if all ramps should be rebuilt and remain in their existing locations. Regardless of the option selected, detours around the construction area will be required.
The input received from the public throughout the project development process will help NCDOT understand how the roads and bridges in the study area are used locally, and provide background for their design and construction decisions. NCDOT will decide on an option prior to the publication of the final environmental document.
5. How long will construction take?
Construction could take from two to six years depending upon which option is selected. If Business 40 and its ramps are completely closed, it will take up to two years. If Business 40 and its ramps are partially closed, it will take up to six years. Regardless of which option is selected, detours around the construction areas will be created to provide access.
6. 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. Added to this will be information 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 neighborhood meetings and corridor-wide meetings within the next few months. Information will be posted on the project website (www.business40nc.com), and in future newsletters.
7. How much will this cost?
Preliminary cost estimates are $50 million 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 in undertaken, traffic studies are completed, and preliminary design is finished.
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 does the major public involvement outreach effort include?
The public involvement outreach effort has many phases. It began with the hiring of 72 Outreach Specialist from the neighborhoods surrounding Business 40. Each was given a bright orange shirt with the Business 40 logo and an identification badge. Beginning on October 15, 2007, 60 of the Outreach Specialist started conducting door-to-door surveys in Ardmore, one of 18 neighborhoods that composed an area that surrounded the Business 40 project area.
Ardmore
South Marshall
Country Club
Wachovia Highlands
Crystal Towers
Watkins Street
Downtown Winston-Salem
West End
East Winston
West End South
Goler
West Highlands
Happy Hill
Westdale
Holly Avenue
Westland
Old Salem
Winston-Salem State University
This process will be completed in late February 2008. During this four-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. In January 2008, the outreach extended to downtown business owners/CEOs and their employees. As many of these employees are commuters, this provides an opportunity to reach out to those who lived outside of Winston-Salem. If preferred, an organization can request a meeting.
In addition, meetings will be held for residents and businesses outside the core neighborhoods, but near Business 40.
Balview
Old Town
Bethania
Pfafftown
Bromley Park
Reynolda Park
Buena Vista
Sunnyside
Clemmons
Washington Park
Kernersville
West Salem
Lewisville
Neighborhood Bridge Working Groups may be set up for those neighborhoods that surround one of the nine bridges over Business 40 so that the public could discuss impacts, interchanges, alternate routes, bike/pedestrian options, open space/parks and economic development.
In Spring 2008, two corridor-wide meetings will be held to share information with and solicit suggestions from the local community.
11. Where is project information available?
For more about the project, door-to-door surveys, meetings times and locations, and other information, please call (336) 722-0565, send a letter to P.O. Box 20601, Winston-Salem, NC 27120-0601, e-mail the project office at business40@business40nc.com.
The section of Business 40 covered by the Business 40 project 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. 
NCDOT is currently considering two construction options. One of the options would completely close Business 40 for two years with no lanes of traffic being open, and no entrance and exit ramps being open. The other option would partially close Business 40 for up to six years with only two lanes of traffic being open and only some of the entrance and exit ramps being open. 
area will be required.
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?
surveys were also conducted with members of faith-based organizations, with owners of neighborhood businesses, and at a local mall and surrounding stores. In January 2008, the outreach extended to downtown business owners/CEOs and their employees. As many of these employees are commuters, this provides an opportunity to reach out to those who lived outside of Winston-Salem. If preferred, an organization can request a meeting. 
