Description

The project will streamline and repave one-half mile of U.S. 52 from U.S. 421/Business 40 to Akron Drive, and improve part of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Winston-Salem.

News and Updates

Crews have demolished the Greyhound Court bridge over U.S. 52 in Winston-Salem and permanently closed the Third, Fourth and Fifth Street entrance ramp at U.S. 52 South (Exit 110A) and the Third, Fourth and Fifth Street exit ramp at U.S. 52 North (Exit 110A). In the coming weeks, NCDOT will close the Third, Fourth and Fifth Street exit ramp at U.S. 52 South (Exit 110A) and the Third, Fourth and Fifth Street entrance ramp at U.S. 52 North (Exit 110A).

Following the ramp closures, NCDOT will construct an additional lane in each direction from U.S. 421/Business 40 to Martin Luther King Junior Drive.

There are multiple entrance and exit ramps on U.S. 52 between U.S. 421/Business 40 and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Currently, drivers merging onto the highway must weave between drivers trying to get off the highway to reach their destinations. This creates a traffic bottleneck, which is especially bad during the morning and evening rush hours.

Eliminating the ramps and adding a new acceleration lane will alleviate congestion, reduce crashes and improve safety on the highway, which carries 80,000-90,000 vehicles a day.

NCDOT also plans to repave U.S. 52 from U.S. 421/Business 40 to Akron Drive in October, which will require lane closures.

Press Releases

• NCDOT to Close U.S. 52 North in Winston-Salem This Week for Paving (4/8/2013)
• Nighttime Lane Closures Scheduled on U.S. 52 in Winston-Salem Next Week (8/3/2012)
• NCDOT to Close U.S. 52; Third, Fourth, Fifth Street Ramps in Winston-Salem Starting Sunday Night (6/7/2012)

• No recent news releases.

Project Overview and Purpose

The project will specifically:

• Remove all ramps at Third, Fourth and Fifth streets;
• Remove the Greyhound Court bridge over U.S. 52;
• Improve southbound ramps at the Akron Drive interchange with U.S. 52;
• Install traffic cameras and electronic message boards on U.S. 52 and some streets;
• Construct a new lane on northbound U.S. 52 directly connecting Business 40 to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive;
• Construct a new ramp from Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to southbound U.S. 52; and
• Construct traffic islands and upgrade traffic signals on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Purpose:

This section of U.S. 52 was built in the 1960s. It was not designed to handle the 80,000-90,000 vehicles that travel on it each day. Ramp configurations make merging on and off the highway difficult, resulting in congestion. In addition, much of the traffic traveling on this section of the highway is entering and exiting the city, so streamlining the road will make traveling through Winston-Salem easier and more efficient.

Renovating this road will extend its lifespan and allow it to accommodate a growing level of traffic. The upgrades will also help prepare Winston-Salem for the Business 40 Improvement Project in 2018. It will close 1.1 miles of Business 40 in downtown Winston-Salem for up to two years to make major improvements. Much of the traffic on Business 40 will be detoured onto U.S. 52.

NCDOT awarded the $13.1 million contract for the U.S. 52 Improvement Project to APAC-Atlantic Inc. Thompson Arthur Division of Greensboro. Work started on June 8, 2011, with final completion set for Nov. 1, 2012.

Additional work to improve U.S. 52 in Winston-Salem is currently under way. Click here to learn more about NCDOT’s project to replace the U.S. 52 North and South bridges over Liberty Street.

Project Videos

Project Photos

Contact Information

Resources for Local Property Owners

In many cases, it is inevitable that a certain amount of private property must be acquired. The displacement of homes and businesses is minimized to the extent practicable. The following brochures will answer questions about this process.