The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is moving forward with a $926 million plan to expand Interstate 81. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027.
The ambitious project will rework a nine-mile stretch of road between exits 128 and 137 along I-81. Once completed, the interstate will feature three lanes in each direction instead of two. Additional work will involve replacing seven pairs of bridges, installing five miles of noise barriers, adding median barrier walls and improving ramps at two exits.
The proposed improvements are a part of the department’s efforts to resolve ongoing safety and capacity issues plaguing the interstate. This section of I-81 has notoriously been the site of more than 800 accidents and crashes over a four-year period.
The expansion project is a part of the $3 billion I-81 Corridor Improvement Program. The program is a holistic effort to enhance safety, reliability and travel times along the 325-mile corridor. Approximately 65 capital projects are either planned or ongoing to enhance the roadway.
A public design hearing was held on Nov. 6 to provide additional information about the upcoming $926 million project.
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