Agencies Prepare For Construction This Fall
The transformation of Business 40 through downtown Winston-Salem is about to begin!
This fall, you will start to see large equipment being rolled in, the sound of pavement being ripped up, and soon a transformation as NCDOT prepares for the first segment of construction. The Peters Creek Parkway interchange at Business 40 near BB&T Ballpark will be completely rebuilt with a new 7-lane bridge, new interchange loops and an improved roadway from First Street to almost Fourth Street.
During construction, Peters Creek Parkway will remain open as workers construct the west side first while maintaining traffic on the east, then switch and work on the east side while maintaining traffic on the west. The Fourth Street Bridge will also be replaced under this segment, but will be closed to traffic during its construction. The Design-Build Team of Flatiron Constructors, Inc. / Blythe Development Company Joint Venture and HDR Engineering, Inc, will construct the project in four segments.
Closure to Begin in Fall 2018
Once the interchange at Peters Creek Parkway and Business 40 is completed in Fall 2018, Business 40 will be closed from Peters Creek Parkway to U.S. 52. The closure continues during construction of Segments B & C from Fall 2018 to Summer 2020. One benefit of constructing it in segments is that once Segment C is completed in Fall 2019, the section of Business 40 from Main Street to U.S. 52 will reopen. The remaining section, from Main Street to Peters Creek Parkway, will reopen in Summer 2020.
Segment Details (In Order of Construction Times)
Segment A, Peters Creek Parkway Interchange
(Fall 2017 – Fall 2018)
• Replace 4th Street bridge
• Replace and widen Peters Creek Parkway bridge
• Widen and enhance ramp at Peters Creek Parkway interchange
• Provide traffic signals at ramp entrances/exits
• Widen Peters Creek Parkway from Business 40 to 1st Street
• Connect Gregory and Apple streets
• Reconstruct grade and replace pavement on Business 40
Segment D, Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Academy Street, and Other Local Improvements
(Summer 2018 – Fall 2018)
• Widen Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive / W. 8th Street between Marshall and Trade Streets
• Improve intersection at Peters Creek Parkway and Academy Street
• Build temporary improvements at various intersections in downtown to better handle detoured traffic
• Conduct limited work on Business 40 to prepare for closure
Segment C, West of The Strollway to East of Church Street
(Fall 2018 – Fall 2019)
• Close Business 40 from Peters Creek Parkway to U.S. 52
• Construct Pedestrian Land Bridge (The Strollway) over Business 40
• Replace Liberty, Main, and Church Street bridges and modify ramps on Main and Church streets while removing ramps to Liberty Street
• Reconstruct Liberty Street Bridge over Business 40
• Reconstruct grade and replace pavement on Business 40
• Once Segment C is complete, Business 40 will reopen to traffic from Main Street east to U.S. 52
Segment B, West of Green Street to East of Cherry Street
(Fall 2019 – Summer 2020)
• Business 40 closure continues from Peters Creek Parkway to U.S. 52
• Convert Green Street bridge over Business 40 to pedestrian bridge
• Replace Broad Street bridge and remove ramps to/from Business 40
• Shorten bridge on Business 40 over Brookstown Avenue
• Modify High Street ramp
• Remove Spruce Street bridge
• Replace Marshall and Cherry Street bridges and modify ramps to create new interchange using both streets
• Reconstruct grade and replace pavement on Business 40
What else you need to know:
• The Transportation Management Plan (TMP), includes construction phasing, traffic patterns and detour plans. The TMP explains how traffic will be managed during construction, particularly on Peters Creek Parkway, since the road will remain open during construction. Temporary detours will also be provided for each bridge while it is being rebuilt, but removed once a bridge is re-opened to traffic.
• Also included in the TMP is a Pedestrian Detour Plan, which focuses primarily on those “walking” neighborhoods that will be most impacted, such as West End, West Salem, Holly Avenue and Ardmore, among others.
• During the Business 40 closure, those traveling “through” our city will be detoured to I-40 and other roads like Silas Creek Parkway, Stratford Road, or Country Club Road. Residents who use Business 40 on a daily basis and are familiar with the area will likely find their own way into downtown. We encourage residents to “test” other routes prior to the closure.
• NCDOT will advertise the detour routes to the public on mobile message boards and via the project’s social media sites, (www.business40nc.com, Twitter @NCDOT_Triad #Biz40NC), newsletters, public meetings, and all news media outlets. A marketing campaign is being developed to publicize the detours and to make sure that people know that “downtown is still open for business”.
• Don’t want to drive your car during the closure? Our regional transit agency, the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART), has been working with various agencies to provide other transportation options to the automobile. For more information, visit www.partnc.org.
• Imagine being stuck in traffic because of a crash or another incident that blocks traffic! Well, NCDOT is trying to ensure that this doesn’t happen by preparing an Incident Management Plan. Staff have been working with Police, Fire, EMS, and a host of other agencies to make sure that if an accident occurs, it is cleared quickly and efficiently so that traffic can start moving again. Several meetings have been held to discuss “quick clearance” methods, such as towing company arrangements, mobilization of towing equipment at high-accident locations, and additional safety patrol drivers and routes. These actions will be critical to minimizing the time it takes to clear an incident and reduce congestion time.
Contact Us:
To ask a general question or provide a comment about the Business 40 improvements project, send an email to [email protected] or mail it to any of the addresses below. For specific questions or concerns, please see below to determine who you should contact.
Construction:
Questions concerning construction schedule, closures and planning should be directed to:
Mezak Tucker
NCDOT Resident Engineer
452 Central Avenue
Lexington, NC 27292
(336) 249-6255
Pat Ivey, P.E. or Wright Archer, P.E. NCDOT Division Engineer
375 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston-Salem, NC 27127
(336) 747-7800
Design-Build Process:
Questions concerning the Design-Build Contract, right-of-way impacts and process should be directed to:
Michael Penney, P.E.
NCDOT Design-Build Engineer
1595 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1595
(919) 707-6619
Communications:
Questions concerning the media, newsletter, and website should be directed to:
Miracle King
NCDOT Communications Office
1 South Wilmington Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
(336) 487-0157
Business 40 Liaison:
Questions concerning vendor certification, business impacts and assistance should be directed to:
Cassandra Herndon
NCDOT Division 9
375 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston-Salem, NC 27127
(336) 747-7833
Stakeholder Presentations:
Requests for presentations to your business, neighborhood or organization affiliation should be directed to:
Karen Simon
Simon Resources, Inc.
Winston-Salem, NC
(336) 749-1411