Today’s Forecast

48º | Mostly sunny | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise: 7:32 a.m. | Sunset: 5:23 p.m.

Less traffic? Yes, please.

What’s the latest on the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway?

WStoday: US 52 bridge near Salem Parkway

The Northern Beltway will alleviate heavy traffic from major highway such as US 52. | Photo by WStoday.

Imagine commuting, stress-free with no traffic. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, it’s becoming a reality. The NC Department of Transportation is in the process of building a multi-lane freeway that loops around the northern part of Winston-Salem.

The Winston-Salem Northern Beltway will serve to reduce traffic on roads such as Silas Creek Parkway, Country Club, Robinhood, and Reynolda Road and allow commuters to get on major roads like US 421.

The 34.5-mile loop will begin at US 158 southwest of Winston-Salem and end at I-74 southeast of the city. If you’re wondering what’s going on with those highway constructions, we’ve got some answers for you. WStoday sat down with Pat Ivey, Highway Division 9 engineer, to get an update on the $1.74 billion project — here’s what he said:

What is the current status of the I-74 beltway?

From US 52 all the way down to I-74 going toward High Point, all of that is either under construction or open to traffic now. So the next piece that will be open will be:

US 52 interchange — will open partially to traffic before Thanksgiving; full interchange will be completed next fall, probably in August 2024
US 421 down to I-74 — currently under construction at I-40, will be open by the end of 2026
US 52 — needs an upgrade to interstate standards. Those projects have not been funded yet — all that should be completed by the end of 2026.

WStoday: Northern beltway progress — The Northern beltway will help improve safety along heavily traveled routes in Forsyth County.
|
Photo by NC Department of Transportation

Why start this project?

Back in the late 1990s, we actually started construction, and we had a lawsuit filed on that project, which basically stopped everything for about 10 years while we went through to resolve the lawsuit with the Beltway. In 2008, we had another sort of a financial crash nationwide, which reduced available funding, so the Beltway had to be delayed even further. COVID, of course, slowed us down again, but we are glad that at least the eastern section is fully funded.

See what changes are coming

Events

Tuesday, Oct. 24

Verdi’s Il Trovatore | Tuesday, Oct. 24 | 7:30-10:15 p.m. | Roger L. Stevens Center, 405 4th St. NW, Winston-Salem | $20-$105 | Watch the last performance of Piedmont Opera as they perform the tale of love, jealousy, and revenge in 15th-century Spain.
Singles Party With Marissa M. | Tuesday, Oct. 24 | 8-9 p.m. | Virtual | $10 | Mingle with other singles, share laughs and conversations — recommended for ages 21+.

Wednesday, Oct. 25

Budgeting 101 for Moms | Wednesday, Oct. 25 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Clemmons Library, 6365 James St., Clemmons | Free | Discover practical tips and tricks to manage your finances and make every dollar count — from saving for your kids’ future to tackling everyday expenses.
Forward 2045 Community Conversations | Wednesday, Oct. 25 | 6-8 p.m. | Mary Alice Warren Community Center, 7632 Warren Park Dr., Lewisville | Free | Provide insight on what you want to see happening in Winston-Salem in the next 20+ years.

Thursday, Oct. 26

R&B and Poetry: Halloween Edition | Thursday, Oct. 26 | 8-11 p.m. | Bar Nola, 1151 Canal Dr., Ste. 205, Winston-Salem | $5- $10 | Dress up as your favorite R&B artist and win a prize — listen to live poetry and various performances with rounds of music bingo.

Plan Ahead

Cheers! for Brenner Children’s Hospital | Friday, Nov. 3 | 7 p.m. | The Millennium Center, 101 W 5th St, Winston-Salem | $150 | Raise funds for Brenner Children’s Hospital while enjoying live music, food, cocktails, a silent auction, and a late night silent disco.*

100+ more local events

Click here to have your event featured.

Wellness

Hear the crisp crunch of autumn leaves more clearly

A user holds the Horizon Go by hear.com. | Photo by hear.com

Imagine the crunch of leaves underfoot, the cries of geese flying south, the wind blowing through the trees, the crackle of a bonfire. What if you couldn’t hear the sounds of fall clearly?

Good news: A 45-day, no-risk trial with Horizon hearing aids means you get to experience all of this, plus:

The world’s first hearing aids with dual processing
Crystal-clear speech understanding
A design so small + comfortable, you’ll forget you’re wearing it

Try Horizon with a 45-day trial

News Notes

Announced

Visual Index will be moving two doors down at the beginning of 2024. The women-owned craft store will stay at its current location (562 N. Trade St.) for the time being and will move to 600 N. Trade St. after Christmas.

Learn

Teens can register to learn about kitchen safety and healthy recipes from professional chef Floyd Davis at the Forsyth County Central Library on West Fifth Street today from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Participants are required to sign waivers to participate.

Plan Ahead

Prepare to journey back to the 1920s-1990s at the Harlem Nights Masquerade this Saturday, Oct. 28 at The Enterprise Center, 1922 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. starting at 7 p.m. Wear your best costume for the chance to win “Best Dressed.” Tickets are $35 per person.

Cause

Join Wake Forest University’s Project Pumpkin, a signature student-led event between the campus and Winston-Salem communities. The Halloween-themed festival will welcome more than 500 children from Forsyth County tomorrow on Hearn Plaza from 3 to 6 p.m.

Outdoors

Join the Salem Lake Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win a prize. Stop by the office near the lake to pick up a booklet with instructions. Once you’ve completed the search, return to the office to pick up your reward.

Asked

Imagine this in Winston-Salem — a Portland loo, a modular, stand-alone, free toilet that is somewhere between your traditional public restroom and a port-a-potty. If you had to pick one spot to place it in the Twin City, where would it be? Tell us.

Education

Free meals

Community for Public Schools feeds Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Staff

The CPS identified three schools where the staff could use extra love and provided free lunch. | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School district

Community for Public Schools (CPS) is looking for restaurants and groups to provide free meals to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools staff members.

CPS is a group of parents, teachers, and other community members advocating for students, educators, and families in Forsyth County.

So far, the organization has teamed up with restaurants including Bobby Boy, Brothers Pizzeria, Burke Street Pizza, Camino, Dinners on the Porch, Downtown Thai, Jimmy John’s, Mellow Mushroom, and Xcaret to provide food for Carter High School, Philo-Hill Magnet Academy, and Easton Elementary School staff.

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Winston-Salem is also sponsoring a lunch.

“Community for Public Schools supports filling our teachers’ cups as a community,” said Valerie Lecoeur Brockenbrough from CPS. “We need to take care of them so they can be the best teachers they can be.”

If you know of any charitable organization that would like to contribute a meal, email Wendy Parker.

Share WStoday

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

Facebook

Twitter

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_28}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.

See your reward status here

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Kellina

From the editor

I was planning on going back home to Maryland last week, but since my plans fell through, I ended up having the best time hanging out with friends around Winston-Salem and making beautiful memories. I am so grateful for the community I found here in Twin City.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

›

Advertise

›

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY