I-81 project on hold due to weather

Single-lane 24-hour closures on Interstate 81 southbound planned in conjunction with the In-Place Pavement Recycling Project in Augusta County for March 25-31 are canceled. The I-81 In-Place Pavement Recycling Project is located in the I-81 southbound lanes, south of Staunton near exit 217 at Route 654 in the Mint Spring area and exit 213 at Route 11 in the Greenville area.

The project involves paving, which requires temperatures of at least 45 to 50 degrees. Forecasted temperatures will be below this range for the next several days, particularly at night. The contractor needs to strengthen the left shoulder as the first paving step in this project. After the left shoulder work is complete then the milling and paving operation in the right lane can begin, which will require a 24-hour-a day closure for five-day blocks.

On March 24 from 7 pm. to 7 a.m. there will be sign work which may require single lane closures on I-81. Future work involving paving the left shoulder may take place if weather conditions improve. The Virginia Department of Transportation will issue a traffic alert if this occurs.

The 24 hours-a-day closures will close a single southbound lane between exit 217 and exit 214 for milling and paving work. There were eight planned 24 hours-a-day closure blocks that begin on Fridays at 9 p.m. and end the following Thursday at 7 a.m. The first block closure was planned for March 25 to 31. It is this closure that is now canceled. The other seven closures are still scheduled to occur.

Please visit www.VirginiaI-81Pave.org for project information. The I-81 In-Place Pavement Recycling Project valued at $7.6 million was awarded by Commonwealth Transportation Board on Dec. 8, 2010 to Lanford Brothers Co. of Roanoke Completion is scheduled for November 2011.