SALEM, Va. – Gov. Glenn Youngkin made a stop in Salem on Tuesday as part of his tour of the Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Project, emphasizing the importance of widening one of Virginia’s busiest highways.
Stretching from Bristol to Staunton, I-81 is a major trucking route along the East Coast, with over 11 million trucks transporting more than $300 billion worth of goods through Virginia each year.
“Now we’re moving into the lane widening, and that’s really important because it relieves congestion and improves safety,” Youngkin said. “This will unlock the whole region.”
The project, which is spread out over several phases, aims to expand the interstate to three lanes in key areas. The stretch from Montgomery County to Botetourt County is expected to be completed by 2035, with some sections finished as early as 2026.
Youngkin expressed optimism about the project’s progress, noting that some phases are moving faster than expected and staying on budget.
“There’s going to be lots of construction going on,” he said. “I just ask everybody to be patient, but we’re making big improvements.”
Youngkin’s next stop is in the Staunton district, where he will receive updates on progress in that area of the I-81 corridor.