VDOT: Interstate 81 to close near Staunton this weekend, detours in place

Interstate 81 near Staunton will shut down overnight this weekend with detour routes in place from 7 p.m. on Saturday to 9 a.m. on Sunday.

The closure is necessary for contractors to set up for a traffic-pattern shift related to the widening of the interstate in both directions between exit 221 and 225, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The on-ramps from Route 262 and Route 250 (Jefferson Highway) onto northbound I-81 will be closed.

Digital message boards will alert motorists of the northbound closure and advise them to follow green-and-white “Emergency Route C” signs to navigate through the detour.

Some traffic from Interstate 64 may also be impacted.

When I-81 northbound reopens Sunday morning, March 8, drivers will shift toward the left (toward the median) near mile marker 224.6 just past the Route 254 (New Hope Road) overpass bridge. This traffic pattern will remain in place for several months.

The project is scheduled for final completion in summer 2027, but all three northbound lanes are expected to open to traffic in late fall of 2026.

All work is weather permitting.

Detours during the overnight closure

---

• Northbound I-81 drivers: Detour at exit 220 and use the Route 262 (Woodrow Wilson Parkway) bypass around Staunton. They will rejoin the interstate at exit 225 just north of the city.
• Northbound I-81 drivers who need to reach I-64 eastbound: Use exit 220, follow the Route 262 detour around Staunton, join I-81 southbound at exit 225 and then take exit 221 to go east on I-64.
• Westbound I-64 drivers who need to access I-81 northbound: Follow I-81 south to exit 220 and use the detour route.

I-81 Corridor Improvement Program

---

The Staunton-area widening is being constructed under a $101 million design-build contract, as part of the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP).

Other CIP projects in the VDOT Staunton District include:

• Weyers Cave truck-climbing lanes (scheduled for completion in late 2027)
• Strasburg-area widening (scheduled for completion in fall 2028)
• Harrisonburg-area widening (construction starts in spring 2026)
• Winchester-area widening (construction starts in 2028)

The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.

The Improve81.org website includes interactive maps, videos and podcasts, and details about upcoming and current projects.