Harrisonburg: Westbound lane closures on Route 33 for bridge work start Jan. 28

Bridge deck work will require 24-hour closures from Tuesday, Jan. 28 to Tuesday, Feb. 4, on all westbound lanes on the Route 33 (East Market Street) bridge over Interstate 81 in Harrisonburg.

The work is part of the ongoing bridge and interchange project at I-81 exit 247. The closures will begin at 2 p.m. on January 28. The closure is necessary for the pouring operations and curing time for new bridge decks.

Advance warning digital message boards will be posted on the westbound lanes of Route 33 and also on the northbound lanes of I-81 on Friday, January 24, 2025, to alert motorists of the upcoming closures.

The westbound Route 33 lane closures will extend from the intersection of Linda Lane and Burgess Road and continue across the I-81 overpass bridge.

Drivers should use the following detour:

Westbound Route 33 drivers will turn left on Burgess Road, right on Evelyn Byrd Avenue, right on Reservoir Street, and the right on South Carlton Street to return to Route 33.

The I-81 exit 247 entrance ramp onto northbound I-81 from westbound Route 33, will remain open during this time period.

The I-81 northbound exit 247B ramp onto westbound Route 33 will be closed during the same time period.

All northbound I-81 drivers who need to access westbound Route 33 during the closure will take exit 247A. Digital message boards will be posted along I-81 northbound lanes in advance of exit 247, alerting motorists that exit ramp 247B will be closed and to use exit 247A. Detour signs will then guide drivers wishing to go westbound on Route 33 to follow the posted detour route.

All work is weather permitting and the schedule is subject to change. The Virginia Department of Transportation will provide updates as necessary.

VDOT contractors are replacing the two Route 33 bridges over I-81 at exit 247 and the two railway bridges just west of the interchange. The project also includes several improvements to the exit 247 interchange. A work-zone speed limit of 25 miles an hour is in place on Route 33 for the duration of the project, which is scheduled for completion in summer 2026. Additional information is available on the VDOT project page.

In July 2022 a $43.3 million contract was awarded to Triton Construction Inc. of Virginia, headquartered in St. Albans, W.Va.