Citizen information meeting on I-81 widening project set for Sept. 14

VDOT will host a citizen information meeting for the planned widening of Interstate 81 in the Harrisonburg area. This project widens I-81 northbound and southbound to three lanes between mile marker 242.2 in Rockingham County and 248.5 in Harrisonburg.

The meeting will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 14, at Pleasant Valley Elementary School, 215 Pleasant Valley Road, Harrisonburg.

A Virginia public health order requires all individuals aged two and older to wear face coverings while indoors at a K-12 school building. VDOT will provide masks to all meeting attendees who need one.

Citizens can come in during the meeting hours and discuss the project on a one-on-one basis with VDOT officials, project team members and project consultants. Written comments can be submitted at the meeting or within 10 days after the meeting date to Mr. Scott Alexander, Virginia Department of Transportation, 811 Commerce Road, Staunton, VA 24401-9029.

The purpose of the project is to address existing and future capacity needs, improve operational safety and reliability, limit impacts to existing access ramps and interchanges, and repair or replace deficient bridge components within the project. Specific improvements include:

One additional lane northbound and southbound from approximately one mile south of the exit 243 (Route 11) interchange near Pleasant Valley Road to approximately one mile north of the exit 247 (Route 33/East Market Street) interchange.

Repair, widen and/or replace the existing mainline bridges within the project limits.

Maintain or improve operational safety with the installation of concrete median barrier and through improved signs and pavement markings.

Make sensible use of existing pavement and rights-of way to accomplish the capacity improvements.

The total estimated cost for this project is $271,786,995, including $22,064,000 for preliminary engineering, $10,270,000 for right of way and $239,452,995 for construction.

Additional information about the project is on the VDOT website at the following link: www.virginiadot.org/projects/staunton/interstate-81-harrisonburg-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 Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the I-81 CIP 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.