Interstate 81 Advisory Committee set to meet at Hotel Roanoke on Thursday

The Interstate 81 Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday at 1 p.m. in the Shenandoah Room of the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting in person, or review meeting materials online and submit questions over the phone.

The meeting agenda and related documents and materials will be posted on Improve81.org, the dedicated website for the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program, at the following link: improve81.org/advisory-committee-and-meetings/advisory-committee/default.asp. Following the meeting, a video of the proceedings will also be posted at this link.

There will be a designated time for public comment during the meeting. Comments can be submitted by dialing 617-675-4444, followed by the PIN ‪323 329 033 9157#. A caller may be placed on hold until others who have called in earlier have had the opportunity to speak.

The I-81 Advisory Committee is charged with providing advice and making recommendations to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) regarding the development of the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP) and updates to the I-81 CIP, as directed in Chapter 846 of the 2019 Acts of Assembly.

The committee has 15 voting members: seven Virginia lawmakers, three CTB members representing the Bristol, Salem and Staunton districts, and the five chairs of the planning district commissions. The commissioner of the Virginia Department of Transportation and the director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation serve on the committee ex officio in nonvoting capacities.

The I-81 CIP was approved by the CTB in December 2018. The $2 billion package of targeted improvements was funded by the Virginia General Assembly and signed into law in spring 2019.

Additional information about the I-81 CIP can be found at Improve81.org. The website includes interactive maps and timelines, and details about upcoming and current projects that are designed to improve safety, increase reliability and foster economic growth along the 325-mile corridor.