The Virginia Department of Transportation has revised its schedule for major traffic pattern changes on Interstate 64 in Rockbridge County. The changes are scheduled to take place on the afternoon of October 9, 2014 as part of the rehabilitation of the eastbound and westbound Maury River bridges. The work zone is between mile marker 53.3 and 55.3, which is between exit 50 and exit 55 near Lexington. All work is weather permitting.
Westbound and eastbound traffic in the area of the work zone is limited to a single lane 24 hours a day. These changes began Monday for installation of traffic barriers, guardrail and pavement markings.
On October 9 upon completion of the barrier installation and related work, the eastbound I-64 bridge will close and all traffic will detour onto the westbound bridge using a single lane in each direction. The closure of the eastbound bridge will be done with a slow-roll operation in the eastbound lanes with the assistance of the Virginia State Police.
From October 9, 2014 through fall 2015:
- Eastbound traffic will taper into a single lane and access the westbound lanes using the median crossover on the west side of the bridge. After crossing the bridge eastbound drivers will proceed to the median crossover on the east side of the bridge to return to the I-64 eastbound mainline.
- Westbound traffic will be limited to a single lane from mile marker 55.3 to 53.3.
This traffic pattern will remain in effect for about a year, and then all traffic will be switched to the eastbound bridge while the westbound bridge begins rehabilitation in fall 2015. That traffic pattern will also last approximately one year.
Two-way traffic on the bridge will be separated by a steel barrier, and the speed limit is 55 miles per hour throughout the work zone area. All drivers are advised to use extreme caution.
Construction is taking place in three phases. The first phase was grading and paving of the median crossovers and installation of signs. Phase two is the rehabilitation of the eastbound bridge, and phase three is rehabilitation of the westbound bridge. The estimated completion date is fall 2016.
Project details, including photos and maps of the work zone, are located on the VDOT website at http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/staunton/rockbridge_county_8211_i-64_bridges_over_maury_river.asp.
In January 2014 the Commonwealth Transportation Board awarded a $12.9 million contract to Orders Construction Company Inc. of St. Albans, W.Va., for rehabilitation of the I-64 bridges over the Maury River and Kerrs Creek. This project has earned $15.5 million in federal grants under the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program. The grant program aims to protect critical infrastructure while connecting communities and fostering economic growth.
The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.
Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at 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.
The Staunton District Twitter feed is at @VaDOTStaunton. VDOT can be followed on Facebook, Flickr, Twitterand YouTube. RSS feeds are also available for statewide information. The VDOT Web page is located atwww.VirginiaDOT.org.
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Chris Graham
