Shenandoah County: Single-lane closures overnight for I-81 bridge work

The Virginia Department of Transportation will perform critical bridge deck rehabilitation work on the southbound bridge over the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.

The work is necessary just south of exit 269 near Shenandoah Caverns, north of New Market in Shenandoah County.

Single lane closures will happen continuously during two sets of approximately 72 hours beginning on Sunday nights and stretching into Tuesday evening. The around-the-clock work will be done during nighttime and daytime hours.

All work is weather permitting. Virginia State Police will be stationed within the work zone and the Town of New Market will provide law enforcement for traffic management.

Southbound I-81:
Right lane closed: Sunday, May 4, 5 p.m. to Tuesday night.
Left lane closed: Sunday, May 11, 5 p.m. to Tuesday night.

Depending on work progress and temperatures, the lane closure may extend into Wednesday morning.

The bridge concrete work must be completed within a specific temperature range to ensure the quality and durability of the repair. The extended work hours take advantage of optimal temperatures while maximizing repair progress prior to holiday and summer vacation traffic.

After May 20, work will continue only during the warmer nighttime hours, avoiding the need for further daytime lane closures.

Work is anticipated for the northbound bridge with work hours and traffic restrictions to be announced in the coming weeks.

The I-81 northbound and southbound bridges over the North Fork of the Shenandoah River have received repeated temporary deck patching. The patching cannot sustain permanent levels of interstate traffic and is approaching the end of service life. Funding for permanent deck rehabilitation work was available in spring 2025. Executing this critical bridge deck rehabilitation now will extend the bridge service life, avoiding more extensive and disruptive repairs.

The Staunton District manages approximately 2,400 major structures including bridges and box culverts, and approximately 942.26 lane-miles of I-81.