WINSTON-SALEM – At the second inter agency ‘Business 40 Incident Management Summit’ on Tuesday, April 25, department heads with the City of Winston-Salem, Winston-Salem Police Department, Highway Patrol, Town of Kernersville and state transportation officials gathered to discuss the progress and potential traffic impacts of the Business 40 Improvement Project closure.

The $99.2 million project will reconstruct and streamline a 1.2-mile section of U.S. 421/Interstate 40 Business from west of Fourth Street to east of Church Street starting in late 2017. It is anticipated that Business 40 will be closed for 20 months beginning in late 2018.

“This project will improve the experience of travelers through this area and has the potential to increase economic development,” said Division Nine Board of Transportation Member Mike Wells.

“I’m thrilled that we are able to meet with NCDOT so often to discuss closures, accidents, traffic volumes and how this project will help improve travel in and around our City once it is complete,” said Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines.

“It’s important to residents that we the decision makers have a clear-plan to mitigate the impact on motorists ahead of this project, during and after its completion, and I’m glad we are able to do that with these ongoing meetings,” said Winston-Salem Councilman John Larson.

Some of the strategies discussed at the April meeting included:

• Quick clearance of traffic related incidents;
• Contract towing;
• Extra law enforcement; and
• Revised traffic signal timing.

“Keeping all lanes of traffic on detour routes open during the closure of Business 40 will be of the upmost importance during this project and we are preparing now,” said Division Engineer Pat Ivey.

NCDOT is planning bi-monthly progress meeting starting later this spring to help keep area agencies updated on the project.

NCDOT will also host public information meetings this fall to answer questions regarding traffic, congestion and possible detour routes ahead of the closure next year.

For For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter using hashtag #Biz40NC.