Citizen information meeting for I-81 widening project in Augusta County

The Virginia Department of Transportation will hold a citizen information meeting on Tuesday beginning at 4 p.m. for the planned widening of Interstate 81 in Augusta County near Staunton.

The project would widen I-81 northbound and southbound to three lanes between exit 221 (I-64 interchange) and exit 225 (Route 262/Woodrow Wilson Parkway).

The meeting will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday in the auditorium of the VDOT Staunton District office, 811 Commerce Road, Staunton.

Individuals who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should wear a face covering. VDOT will provide masks to all who need one.

The proposed project addresses existing and future capacity needs along I-81 northbound and southbound between mile marker 221.7 and 225.5. The project maintains roadway and bridge safety features, improves operational safety by adding I-81 capacity, improves travel reliability for the public, limits impacts to existing access ramps, and repairs or replaces deficient bridge components within the project.

Specific improvements include:

• Addition of one lane in the northbound direction of I-81 from the Route 250 (Jefferson Highway) on-ramp at exit 222 to the Route 262 off-ramp at exit 225.
• Addition of one lane in the southbound direction of I-81 from Route 262 south at exit 225 to approximately 1,200 feet south of the I-81 bridge over the I-81 southbound / I-64 eastbound ramp.
• Widen, replace and/or repair deficient elements of existing bridges within the project limits.
• Make sensible use of existing pavement and rights-of-way to accomplish the capacity improvements.
• Maintain or enhance operational safety through improvements to signs and pavement markings.

The total estimated cost of the I-81 Staunton-area widening project is $140.2 million including $11.3 million for preliminary engineering, $2.7 million for right of way and $126.2 million for construction.

Additional information about the project is on the VDOT website at the following link: www.virginiadot.org/projects/staunton/interstate-81-staunton-area-widening.asp.

The project is part of the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP), which aims to improve safety, increase reliability and foster economic growth along the 325-mile corridor. The I-81 CIP was approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board in December 2018. The $2 billion package of targeted improvements was funded by the Virginia General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Ralph Northam in spring 2019. More information about the program is available at Improve81.org.

The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.

The Staunton District Twitter feed is at @VaDOTStaunton. Follow VDOT on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube. RSS feeds are also available for statewide information. The VDOT Web page is located at www.VirginiaDOT.org.

Obtain traffic alerts and traveler information by dialing 511 or visiting 511Virginia.org. For other assistance, call the VDOT Customer Service Center, available 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week. Citizens can dial 1-800-FOR- ROAD (1-800-367-7623) from anywhere in the state to report road hazards, ask transportation questions, or get information related to Virginia’s roads.