^ I believe the section of “New 40” from Silas Creek Pkwy to I-74/US 311 (the substandard section) is much older than 1992. On either side of that section was 1992 vintage and is definitely at modern interstate standards. I never rode on the old stretch prior to all of it being completed, but I’m going to assume that additional lanes were added prior to it becoming I-40. And since 1992, the only improvement I can think of that has occurred is a second overpass at the Union Cross Rd exit and it’s conversion to a DDI.
Yes, the short segment you describe was opened in the early 1970s
What was it designated when it opened? Was the plan always for it to be a bypass of I-40?
^ I believe the section of “New 40” from Silas Creek Pkwy to I-74/US 311 (the substandard section) is much older than 1992. On either side of that section was 1992 vintage and is definitely at modern interstate standards. I never rode on the old stretch prior to all of it being completed, but I’m going to assume that additional lanes were added prior to it becoming I-40. And since 1992, the only improvement I can think of that has occurred is a second overpass at the Union Cross Rd exit and it’s conversion to a DDI.
Yes, the short segment you describe was opened in the early 1970s
What was it designated when it opened? Was the plan always for it to be a bypass of I-40?
I lived in Winston-Salem area in 1970's and drove through that area many times. If you were driving south on Silas Creek parkway. After you crossed the intersection with Peters Creek Parkway, the road became Corporation Parkway, a six lane boulevard with traffic signals. After passing the Flow Motors car dealer that was on the left the road transitioned to expressway. There was no signed designation. There was a traffic signal at Main Street though, so it was only a freeway from that point to the east. This section was called Corporation Freeway, and there was a BGS that indicated this. The freeway section went east to cross under US-52. From that point is was US-311, which had been relocated to US-52 Freeway, and it departed from it to Corporation Freeway. The freeway ended at NC-109, and there was a transition road that continued to the old US-311. Later the US-311 freeway was built to High Point opened around 1990. It was only a couple of years
that the section from NC-109 to where now US-311 departs to the south was rebuilt again to become I-40. I have not been there in over 20 years, but I believe that Silas Creek Parkway name was extended over Corporation Parkway. I am not sure where it ends now but the part from west of Main Street is now incorporated into part of I-40 instead, and now there is an overpass instead of a traffic signal.
I am not sure if that section was planned to be part of I-40 bypass or not, but at least built as freeway connection to US-52 and further east, as a bypass for US-311