Winston-Salem and Forsyth County have an excellent transportation infrastructure that allows people and freight to move whether by train, plane or automobile.  With great highways, a growing airport and rail service, the Piedmont Triad offers everyone a chance to travel efficiently.

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Roads
Motor Freight and Rail Service
Air Service
International Trade: Intermodal Facilities and Deepwater Ports

Roads

The Piedmont Triad’s proximity to major U.S. markets provides the region’s businesses with a considerable strategic advantage. Supporting this is a system of highways connecting the Piedmont Triad and North Carolina to the rest of the nation that is second to none.  Congestion is minimal compared to other urban areas in the Southeastern United States.

Equidistant from Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, the Piedmont Triad region offers direct access to Interstates I-40, I-77 and I-85. In addition, I-95 is located just over two hours east of the Triad, and I-81 is 2 hours to the north.

North Carolina boasts over 78,000 miles of state maintained roads, making it the second largest state-maintained system in the U.S. The intrastate system includes 14,616 miles of Interstate and other primary highways, designed to bring 96 percent of all North Carolinians within 10 miles of a multi-lane highway.

In addition, Interstate 74 will pass through Forsyth County via U.S. 52. This highway will form a north-south link between the industrial Midwest and the Carolina ports.

The Piedmont Triad is also served by a first-rate highway system that includes U.S. highways 52, 158, 311 and 421, and North Carolina primary highways 8, 67, 109, 150, 65 and 66.

Motor Freight and Rail Service

Forsyth County and the Piedmont Triad have access to excellent motor freight and rail service. Essentially all major destinations in the Eastern U.S. can be reached from Forsyth County in 1 to 2 days by truck and 2 to 3 days by rail.

The county is served by three railroads, Norfolk Southern, Winston-Salem Southbound (which connects with CSX south of Charlotte, NC) and Yadkin Valley Railroad. Piggyback service is also available at an intermodal facility by Piedmont Triad International Airport, 20 minutes east of Winston-Salem on I-40.  A bulk freight transfer station is located in Winston-Salem allowing companies to receive product via rail and have it trucked to their plant site. 

Over 100 common carriers provide scheduled route service to the Piedmont Triad area and about 55 freight terminals in Forsyth County are available.  A list of major trucking companies in Forsyth County can be found here. 

Air Service

Smith Reynolds, located about 10 minutes north of downtown Winston-Salem, is primarily a corporate aircraft base.  Full complements of general aviation services are provided through a fixed-based operator. TIMCO offers jet aircraft maintenance facilities at Smith Reynolds. 

Piedmont Triad International is located about 25 minutes east of Winston-Salem, just off Interstate 40.  

Piedmont Triad International Airport at A Glance Daily Departures 77 Daily Non-Stops 17 cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul New York (LaGuardia), Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington (Reagan and Dulles). Major Passenger Carriers American Eagle, Continental Express, Delta and Delta Commuters, Northwest, USAirways and USAirways Commuters, United and United Express, Allegiant Air, Skybus Passengers Enplaned (Jan-Nov ‘06) 998,658 Total Cargo Lbs. (Jun-Nov ‘06) 152,175,099 Primary Runway Length 10,001 ft. Air Cargo Services All major, domestic and international U.S. Customs Clearance Yes Foreign Trade Zone Yes Charter Service Yes Intermodal Facilities Yes

International Trade: Intermodal Facilities and Deepwater Ports

International trade has become a vital part of both the local and regional economies. As a result, a permanent office of the North Carolina World Trade Center opened near Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA) in fall 1995.

Also helping facilitate international commerce is a ten-acre intermodal facility in operation adjacent to PTIA. This facility enhances the Piedmont Triad’s access to North Carolina’s deepwater ports.

North Carolina has two deepwater port facilities: Wilmington and Morehead City.

Wilmington is 210 miles southeast, and Morehead City is 255 miles east. The Piedmont Triad and the port at Wilmington are directly linked via I-40.  Wilmington is North Carolina’s container port, handling a variety of containerized and break-bulk commodities. The principal export is wood pulp. This port has 7,000 feet of continuous berthing space, five container and four gantry cranes.

Morehead City handles break-bulk cargo. Major exports include phosphate and wood chips.  Morehead has 5,250 feet of lineal berthing space.

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