NORTH CAROLINA -- Contractors have put together an expedited plan that will speed up the construction process on Business 40 from two years down to only about 14 to 15 months.

  • The project was expected to take two years
  • The Department of Transportation is hoping to cut that time in half
  • DOT officials say commuters should establish their own detours right now

Though the I-40 business project has been a bit of a headache for drivers and some businesses in downtown Winston-Salem, people are excited for its future.

"We hope, that if they're able to meet this schedule, this project would actually go down as a good model for other cities when they have to rebuild their interior highways,"  said Jason Thiel, president of Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership.

The project was expected to take two years but now the Department of Transportation is hoping to cut that time in half.

DOT officials say commuters should establish their own detours right now. They say it's crucial for people to have at least two alternative routes as detours will shift with the phases of the project