WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WFMY)-- An average of 80,000 drivers travel on business 40 near downtown Winston-Salem every day.
Check out this number-- 15,230. That's how many commuters on average go from Greensboro to Winston-Salem per day. A lot of those drivers use Business 40.
So as we approach the closure of a large section of the interstate, next month, thousands and thousands of drivers all over the Triad will feel the impact.
The project is taking place in several phases. Construction crews have already torn down the bridge on Broad street. Next they'll be replacing the bridges on Liberty, Main and Church streets.
Employees who work in downtown Winston-Salem said the closures are already impacting business.
"We have a lot of clients who are having some problems getting to their appointments, late for appointments, canceling appointments, rescheduling them. That's how we've noticed the biggest impact is everyone's having a really hard time kind of getting through the neighborhoods," said Deborah Everhart, an employee at Dye Pretty Salon.
In just a few weeks, a mile and a half of Business 40 will completely close. We're talking Business 40 from Peters Creek Parkway to U.S. 52.
Once the Main Street is completed, Business 40 will re-open from Main Street east to U.S. 52. If the weather cooperates, it will re-open late spring to early summer of 2019.
Other business owners are taking this closure in stride. "People need coffee every day. Most of our customers are predominately work down here and live down here. The only time I could see it really affecting anybody would probably be on the weekends when people want to get down here or if there's major events and things like that going on downtown," said Jessica Perez, one of the owners of Sweet Aromas.
Now is the time to get prepared with you alternate route to downtown Winston-Salem. N.C.DOT has partnered with the Waze app to bring you real-time traffic information in and around the project site.
For more resources on the closure, visit here.