Just over a week ago, we celebrated the reopening of Business 40, now to be known as Salem Parkway! Now that we can enjoy the open highway, we wanted to give a quick refresher on what the project entailed and how you can now support downtown businesses!
The Business 40 project began in October of 2018, with a section of the highway closing in November of the same year. While originally the closing was slated for 24 months, the team completed it in just over a year. In that time, the stretch of highway around downtown received quite a facelift! You can see some of the major upgrades listed below.
Upgrades
- The road was lowered to allow for larger vehicles to move under the overpasses safely.
- Exit and entry ramps were extended, allowing for safer merging on and off the highway.
- 11 new bridges were constructed over the highway.
- A beautiful archway, matching the one on US-52, was constructed to provide a warm welcome into our city!
- Business 40 was rebranded as Salem Parkway, a name voted on by Triad Residents, to eliminate confusion and illustrate our community’s local culture.
- Still in progress are the two pedestrian bridges, which will add increased walkability to our downtown! The walkway from Lockland Avenue to the Ballpark is almost completed, so stay tuned for its opening soon.
What Now?
The construction on Salem Parkway provided some necessary updates for our community and its reopening is an exciting step for our city. Now that it is back in business, it is important for community members to dive in head first to supporting local businesses who may have been affected by the close.
The Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership’s website for a rundown of downtown events, restaurants and other businesses. I would challenge you to take a look visit one new-to-you spot on this list in the next couple weeks! We at LTP are very excited for to have Salem Parkway open and to see many new and returning visitors to our downtown!
