The status bar SHOULD BE your status of the route you are on. x miles/Km in, y miles/Km to go. The status to my next level up has no value. Change it.
You mean change the route “in ride” by clicking the icon for upcoming turns?
The default should be the route you chose. If you turn off that route, the the progress bar should disappear. You don’t know where you are going and neither does Zwift. So by changing your route, you are telling Zwift 1) My original route no longer matters and 2) My new route is open
But you may turn onto another route. that over lap the current one.
It just seem like a lot of effort that most would not find useful. After some time you get to know the routes. (My view)
But I am moving this to a feature request.
A “kilometers/miles to go to the next level” would be much appreciated too. 
Yes, please make a progression bar for the route we choosed to ride!