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VDOT lifts lane closures for July 4 travel

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When it comes to holiday travel, VDOT believes it’s not where you’re going but how you get there that counts.

vdot road workThat’s why VDOT is lifting lane closures where possible to make Fourth of July travel easier. VDOT also offers tools to help you plan your trip – real-time traffic information can be found at 511Virginia.org.

 

MOST MAJOR WORK ZONES SUSPENDED DURING FOURTH OF JULY TRAVEL

VDOT will suspend most highway work zones and lift lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia for Fourth of July travel from noon Monday, July 3 until noon Wednesday, July 5.

 

BEACH TRAFFIC ENCOURAGED TO USE ROUTE 460

While Interstate-64 Widening is in progress in Newport News, James City County and York County, motorists planning a through-trip to Virginia Beach or the Outer Banks are encouraged to use Route 460 as an alternate route to avoid congestion.

 

TRAVEL-TRENDS MAP HELPS PREDICT PEAK CONGESTION IN HAMPTON ROADS, RICHMOND, NORTHERN VIRGINIA

VDOT’s online, interactive travel-trends map shows peak congestion periods on interstates in the Hampton Roads, Richmond and northern Virginia areas based on historic data from the last three July 4 holiday periods.

The map shows varying amounts of interstate traffic by time of day, using red for heavy congestion, yellow for moderate congestion and green for little or no congestion. 

To use the map, slide the button along the date bar at the top of the map to update predicted traffic information at half-hour intervals between 7 a.m. and midnight for each day. You also can zoom and pan to specific areas.

Historic trends during the most recent Independence Day holiday periods indicate mild to heavy congestion should be expected on Saturday and Sunday from around 11 a.m.to about 4 p.m. Pockets of congestion are also expected in the late evening on Tuesday.

While the map shows trends for delays based on historic data, it cannot precisely predict congestion levels for this year’s travel period.

 

USE 511 ONLINE OR BY PHONE FOR CURRENT TRAFFIC INFO

Real-time information about traffic, incidents and congestion on Virginia roads is available at 511Virginia.org. Download the free mobile VDOT 511 app, or call 511 from any phone. To report a road problem or get answers to your transportation questions, call VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) around the clock.

 

NORTHERN VIRGINIA HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE (HOV) SCHEDULE AND OTHER INFORMATION

  • HOV restrictions on Interstates 66 and 395 will be lifted on Tuesday, July 4. Monument Drive and Stringfellow Road HOV ramps will be operating on a normal weekday schedule. For more information on northern Virginia HOV schedules, visit www.virginiadot.org/travel/hov-novasched.asp.
  • Visit www.expresslanes.com for a directional schedule for the Interstate 95 Express Lanes/I-395 reversible lanes.
  • Drivers are reminded that they need an E-ZPass Flex (for HOV-3 to ride toll-free) or an E-ZPass to use the lanes.
  • Fourth of July event traffic − VDOT will coordinate and adjust signal timings at more than 120 signalized intersections along major roads in Virginia, including routes 1, 7, 29, 50, 123, 236 and 244, to help move traffic into the District of Columbia during the day, then south and west from the city between 9:30 p.m. and midnight.

 

HAMPTON ROADS HOV SCHEDULE, TUNNELS AND OTHER INFORMATION

  • I-64/I-264/I-564 HOV diamond lanes: Normal operating schedule/restrictions in place for the HOV lanes and the Reversible Roadway June 30-July 3. Tuesday, July 4, the Reversible Roadway maintains a normal operating schedule, but HOV restrictions will be lifted on all HOV diamond lanes, including the Reversible Roadway.
  • I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) – Local traffic to Virginia Beach is encouraged to use the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) as an alternative to the HRBT. To Virginia Beach, take I-664 south to the MMMBT. Then take the Portsmouth/Norfolk exit (exit 15A) to I-264 east to Virginia Beach.
  • Travel to Outer Banks – Local traffic to the North Carolina Outer Banks should use I-664 and the MMMBT to save time. From I-664 south, take I-64 west to exit 292, Chesapeake Expressway/I-464/Route 17. Keep left to continue to the Chesapeake Expressway (Route 168), and take Nags Head/Great Bridge (exit 291B) to the Outer Banks.
  • Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) – Tune to 1680 AM to stay informed on Hampton Roads traffic, travel conditions and construction information.

 

WORK ZONES AND OTHER TRAFFIC ALERTS

While VDOT will lift most lane closures for holiday travel, motorists may encounter permanent work zones or travel delays in the following locations:

Alleghany County

  • I-64 – Improving interchange at exit 21. Westbound right lane closed from mile marker 22.5 to mile marker 21.

Brunswick County

  • I-85 – Repairing bridge over railroad at mile marker 28. Traffic limited to one lane both directions. Ramp from I-85 north to Route 1 closed. Ramp from Route 1 south to I-85 south closed. Follow posted detour.
  • U.S. 58 – Repairing eastbound bridge over Great Creek. Right lane closed between Northview Drive and Ogburn Road.

Botetourt County

  • I-81 – Improving exit 150 interchange. Route 11 is closed at the interchange, and a detour is in place for access to Route 11, Route 220 Alternate and Route 220. From I-81: traffic accessing Route 220 Alternate or Route 11 will use exit 150 A. Only traffic accessing Route 220 northbound toward Fincastle will use exit 150 B. Trucks advised to use exit 150 A due to width restrictions. Signs and message boards in place.

Buckingham County

  • Route 20 – Rehabilitating bridge over Muddy Creek. Traffic restricted to one lane with a width restriction of 13-feet. Signal, signs and message boards in place.

Charlotte County

  • Route 15 – Repairing bridge over Business Route 15. Width restriction is 12-feet. Oversized loads should use Business Route 15. Traffic control in place.
  • Route 40 – Replacing bridge over Louse Creek. Traffic restricted to one lane, controlled by a signal. Message boards in place.

Dinwiddie County

  • Route 1 – Repairing southbound bridge on Route 1 (Boydton Plank Road) over CSX property. Traffic reduced to single lane in both directions. Southbound shifted to northbound bridge. Width restriction of 11-feet in both directions.

Greensville County

  • U.S. 301 – Replacing southbound bridge over rail tracks north of Emporia. Traffic detoured to I-95.

Isle of Wight County

  • U.S. 58 Business – Replacing bridge over rail tracks and Route 632 (Old Myrtle Road). Follow detour.

Lancaster County/Middlesex County

  • Route 3 – Conducting bridge maintenance. Traffic reduced to one lane at the Robert O. Norris Bridge over the Rappahannock River. Temporary signal in place.

Lynchburg

  • Greenview Drive – Widening road. Changes in traffic pattern in place.

Route 29/U.S. 460

  • Constructing safety improvements from Concord Turnpike to Candlers Mountain Road in both directions. Speed limit in work zone reduced to 45 mph.
  • Improving interchange at Odd Fellows Road. Speed limit in work zone reduced to 45 mph.

Madison County

  • Route 230 – Replacing bridge over Conway River. Traffic restricted to one lane controlled by temporary signals.

Newport News/Williamsburg

  • I-64 – Widening interstate between Newport News and Williamsburg. Speed limit reduced to 55 mph in work zone both directions.

Norfolk/Virginia Beach

  • I-64/I-264 – Improving interchange. Lane shift and closed shoulder on I-64 westbound starting after Indian River Road and ending near the I-264 interchange.

Portsmouth

  • U.S. 17 – Reconstructing roadway. Southbound traffic on U.S. 17 (Frederick Boulevard) is shifted and reduced to one lane before Turnpike Road. Southbound traffic unable to turn left onto Turnpike Road.

Pulaski/Montgomery County

  • I-81 – Replacing northbound bridge over the New River at the Pulaski/Montgomery County line.  Shoulders closed between mile markers 103 and 105. Speed limit reduced to 60 mph in work zone.

Rockbridge County

  • I-64 – Rehabilitating Maury River bridges. Eastbound and westbound traffic limited to a single lane between mile markers 53.3 and 55.3. Speed limit through work zone reduced to 55 mph.

Rockingham County

  • Route 257 – Replacing bridge over Dry River. Single-lane traffic controlled by temporary signal. Vehicles limited to 13 feet in width.

Scott County

  • U.S. Route 23 – Replacing eastbound bridge over North Fork Holston River in the Wadlow Gap area. Traffic restricted to one lane both directions, sharing the westbound bridge

Shenandoah/Warren County

  • Route 11 – Replacing bridge over Cedar Creek at the Shenandoah/Warren County line. Traffic in both directions reduced to one lane, sharing southbound bridge. Northbound traffic will detour across median to use southbound lane.

Southampton County

  • Route 35 – Replacing bridge over Tarrara Creek in Boykins. Traffic reduced to single lane southbound. Temporary signal in place.
  • U.S. 58 Business – Reconstructing roadway in Courtland. Eastbound lane is closed.

Stafford County

  • I-95 – Extending 95 Express Lanes south of exit 143 (Route 610/Garrisonville). All travel lanes open; concrete barriers in place along the shoulder northbound and southbound in work zone.

Sussex County

  • Route 301 – Replacing bridge over Nottoway River. Detour in place.

Washington County

  • I-81 – Reconstructing interchange at exit 14. Lanes shifted due to bridge reconstruction at exit. Speed limit through work zone reduced to 60 mph.
  • I-81 – Reconstructing two interstate bridges over Halls Bottom Road near exit 10. Speed limit through work zone reduced to 60 mph.

Wythe County

  • I-77/I-81 overlap – High traffic volumes could slow or stop vehicles through this eight-mile stretch. Be alert for delays on northbound I-77 at the I-81 merge.

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Contributors

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