The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization in December 2011 completed the N.C. 54/I-40 Corridor Study, which recommends specific improvements to the corridor, as well as providing accommodations for pedestrians, bicycles and transit.
In 2012, NCDOT completed a feasibility study that led to the project being added into the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and the 2016-2025 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program.