The new Route 635 (Barterbrook Road) bridge over Interstate 81 in Augusta County is scheduled to open to traffic on or about 2 p.m. today.
Route 635 just south of Staunton has been closed to through traffic since November 2023 as contractors removed the old overpass bridge and constructed a new bridge.
The design of the new bridge allows space for construction of a southbound I-81 auxiliary lane between exit 221 (I-64 interchange) and exit 220 (Route 262 south). The auxiliary lane, scheduled to open by late summer 2025, will enhance safety and ease congestion in the area where I-64 and I-81 merge.
All work is weather permitting, and construction schedules are subject to change.
Until the auxiliary lane project is complete, a work-zone speed limit of 60 miles an hour remains in effect on northbound and southbound I-81 between mile marker 220 and 221.5.
In October 2023, the Commonwealth Transportation Board awarded a $7.7 million construction contract to Fairfield-Echols LLC of Fishersville. The project has a contract completion date of October 2025. Addition information is on the VDOT project page.
The $3 billion CIP includes 65 construction projects plus operational improvements along I-81 in Virginia to enhance safety, reduce congestion, and unlock the region for further economic growth. Find out more online with interactive maps, videos and podcasts and details about upcoming and current projects.
Other major I-81 CIP projects in the VDOT Staunton District include:
· Staunton-area widening (under construction)
· Weyers Cave-area truck-climbing lanes (under construction)
· Strasburg-area southbound widening (under construction)
· Harrisonburg-area widening (construction starts in 2026)
· Winchester-area widening (construction starts in 2028)
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Rebecca Barnabi
