Route 640 detours in Augusta County continue through June 26

Route 640 (Goose Creek Road) in the Fishersville area of Augusta County is expected to remain closed through Friday, June 26 for paving, grading and utility work between Route 285 (Tinkling Spring Road) and Route 630 (Caldwell Lane). Crews installing a public sewer line encountered a large area of rock that must be removed before the work can be completed.

Signs will direct motorists on the following detours:

• Eastbound Route 636 (Lifecore Drive) traffic heading toward Route 640 will turn left onto Route 285, right onto Route 250 (Jefferson Highway) and right onto Route 640 to the end of detour.
• Westbound Route 640 traffic will turn left onto Route 834, right onto Route 631 (Ladd Road), right onto Route 285 and continue north to return to Route 640.
• Northbound Route 285 traffic intending to turn right on Route 640 will continue north on Route 285, then turn right onto Route 250 and right onto Route 640 to the end of detour.
• Southbound Route 285 traffic intending to turn left on Route 640 will continue south on Route 285, then turn left on Route 631 (Ladd Road), left on Route 834 (Hickory Hill Road) and left on Route 640 to the end of detour.

Route 640 west of Route 834 will be closed except for local traffic, allowing residents to access their properties in this area. VDOT reminds motorists not to drive through private property to avoid the work zone or related detours. Route 640 is scheduled to reopen on the evening of June 26. All work is weather permitting.

The work on Route 640 began June 8 as part of the reconstruction of Route 285. When contractors finish the project, Route 285 will have four lanes for slightly more than one mile, from Route 636/640 to Route 935. The bridge over I-64 is being widened to accommodate the additional through lanes and dual left-turn lanes at both on-ramps. Additional turn lanes at the Route 636/640 intersection will handle traffic from the nearby hospital complex. Route 285 will also have a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board awarded Shirley Contracting a $21 million design-build contract in September 2012. The company is performing the work in three phases, starting with construction of the new bridge over I-64 and widening the roadway to the west side of Route 285. Final completion of the project is scheduled for August 31, 2015.

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 at511Virginia.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, Twitter and YouTube. RSS feeds are also available for statewide information. The VDOT Web page is located at www.VirginiaDOT.org.