WINSTON-SALEM — After three decades of planning, environmental hurdles, and legal delays that halted progress, the long-awaited construction of the Western Section of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway finally has firm target dates to begin construction, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). During the recent Winston-Salem City Council Public Works Committee meeting, Division 9 NCDOT Engineer John Ryan delivered a detailed update on the $1.74 billion transportation initiative, confirming the first segments of the Western Loop (future I-274) are fully funded for construction. “We started the Western Section 30 years ago, ran into some environmental difficulties, canned it, and refocused with a renewed look at growth in the county. They went…..