Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Traffic on Interstate 81 continues to be a major concern for state transportation officials, and more improvements are coming to the New River Valley.
The portion of I-81 including Montgomery County to Roanoke County experiences frequent congestion and major delays related to significant crashes and incidents with 806 crashes occurring between 2019 and 2023. The traffic volumes range between 51,000 and 56,000 vehicles per day with 28-percent heavy trucks.
The new part of the project is expected to start next year.
According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, the purpose of this project is to increase capacity and improve safety by widening nine miles of Interstate 81 from two lanes to three lanes in both directions between exit 128 in Montgomery County and exit 137 in Roanoke County/Salem.
Citizens will receive a chance to examine the designs for the overall project during a public hearing Thursday, Nov. 6, 5 – 7 p.m. at Glenvar Elementary School, located at 4507 Malus Drive in Salem. The hearing will be held in an “open- house” format, and VDOT representatives will be present to answer questions.
The estimated start date for the project would be in the summer of 2026 with a completion in fall 2025.
The planned improvements are intended to reduce crashes, lessen delays and enhance crash response times.
The $926 million project includes replacing bridges, improving ramps, installing concrete barrier wall and constructing sound walls in some locations.
The planned project along nine miles of I-81 near Ironto includes three separate segments:
Segment N: Mile marker 133.8 to exit 137
Segment M: Mile markers 131 to 133.8
Segment S: Exit 128 to mile marker 131
Project improvements include:
Adding one additional lane in both directions of I-81
Improving ramps at the following:
Exit 128 (Ironto)
Exit 132 (Dixie Caverns)
Ironto Rest Area
Constructing approximately five miles of sound walls
Installing concrete barrier wall in narrow median sections
Replacing seven pairs of bridges including those over the following:
North Fork of the Roanoke River and the railroad tracks
Route 647 (Dow Hollow Road)
Route 927 (Glenvar Heights Boulevard)
Route 777 (Fort Lewis Church Road)
Route 642 (Alleghany Drive)
Route 640 (Butt Hollow Road)
Route 641 (Texas Hollow Road)
This project is part of the Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP), which aims to improve safety, increase reliability and foster economic growth.