SALEM, Va. – It was a traffic nightmare for those driving along I-81S in Rockbridge County on Wednesday. Now, drivers on Interstate 81 should expect to see roadwork in progress near Salem.
VDOT leaders said the goal is to ease traffic congestion by widening the interstate.
Salem VDOT spokesperson Jason Bond said the goal of widening I-81 in both directions is to improve safety.
Other parts of roadwork include installing a barrier wall along narrow mid-sections and building about 2.6 miles of sound barrier walls along the northbound lanes and replacing three pairs of bridges.
“The purpose of the project is to improve the traffic flow, reduce congestion and make I-81 more reliable,” Bond said.
VDOT leaders conducted a Corridor Improvement Plan that was completed in 2018.
Leaders learned between October 2016 and September 2019 there were more than 300 crashes.
There’s also a lot of vehicular traffic averaging about 63,000 and 67,000 daily.
The significance of this project, according to v-dot leaders is this is the first with money coming from the “I-81 Corridor Improvement Plan.”
“That’s a $2 billion package of targeted improvements for all of the interstate corridor,” Bond said.
Improvements of I-81 include better lanes at the Troutville rest stop.
Drivers are glad to see changes with the interstate.
“I wish they would 81 the whole way like that,” Ronald Lechowich a frequent driver of I-81 said.
VDOT leaders said the widening of I-81 is a $179 million contract.
They said the project is expected to be completed in early 2026.
For more information about the Exit 137 project, click here.
To learn more about upcoming projects, click here.