The Salem Parkway reconstruction project vies for a national award

The project that transformed Winston-Salem's Business 40 into Salem Parkway has been nominated for a national award.

The collaborative effort that remade U.S. 421 through downtown Winston-Salem is one of 12 finalists in the 2021 America's Transportation Awards competition.

It's the only North Carolina Department of Transportation project in the finals.

The 1.2-mile improvement project included multiple safety upgrades, highway reconstruction, the replacement of 10 bridges, and the addition of two new pedestrian bridges.  

At the outset of the project in 2018, city dwellers and business owners were told to brace for the closure of the thoroughfare for at least two years.

While the effort did impact commuters and several businesses near the project zone, the highway was reopened last year six months ahead of schedule.

According to an NCDOT news release, the Salem Parkway project is eligible for two national awards, either of which would result in $10,000 toward a charity or transportation-related scholarship.

NCDOT is encouraging residents to cast a vote through its website.