The following is a list of forecasted highway projects that may impact traffic traveling in the local area of the 12-county Salem Transportation District this week. Work schedules and construction project timelines are always subject to change and weather dependent. The Salem District covers Bedford, Botetourt, Carroll, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Henry, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski and Roanoke counties.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
I-81 NORTHBOUND AT EXIT 105 NEW RIVER BRIDGE REPLACEMENT IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY – Traffic on northbound I-81 has been switched onto the newly constructed bridge over the New River at the Montgomery/Pulaski County line. The old bridge is being demolished. Lane and shoulder closures may be in place near exit 105. Lane closure may be in effect during the week from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Shoulder closures may be in effect at any time during the week. Slow rolls may be performed on I-81 in the north and southbound lanes from mile marker 98 to 109. Speed limit is reduced to 60 miles per hour in the work zone. Shoulder closures will remain in place though the duration of the project. Project completion is estimated by summer 2023.
ROUTE 8 PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS – Work has begun to construct pedestrian improvements on Route 8 in Riner. The work zone will begin at the intersection with Route 669 (Union Valley Road) and will end at the current site of the Atlantic Union Bank. Drivers should expect shoulder and lane closures to be in place with flagging operations between the hours of 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. through the start of the project until May 24, the end of the school year. Once the school year is complete, lane closures will expand in hours to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Expected completion is summer 2023.
INTERSTATE 81
INTERSTATE 81 LANE WIDENING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT EXIT 137 TO EXIT 141 – A $179 million design-build project to widen both directions of I-81 between mile markers 136.6 and 141.8 from two to three lanes is set to begin. Continuing into the early summer, work will be performed on the inside and outside shoulders along a five mile section of both northbound and southbound Interstate 81 in Roanoke County and the city of Salem. The shoulders will be built up before barrier walls can be installed for road crews to work behind. Barrier walls will be installed along the shoulders in the spring and summer. Two lanes of I-81 traffic in each direction will remain open during the project with periodic lane closures scheduled during nighttime hours or outside of peak travel times as needed.
LANE CLOSURES: Alternating left and right lane and shoulder closures during nighttime hours between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, are possible. Lane widths will be reduced to 11 feet.
Northbound lane closures from I-81 mile marker 136 to 141.
Southbound Lane closures from I-81 mile marker 141 to 136.
Nightly lane closures may be in place along the right lane with possible nightly ramp narrows as needed for guardrail and shoulder strengthening.
Northbound I-81 lane closures from mile marker 138 to 142
The project also includes replacing six bridges, widening two bridges, installing approximately 2.6 miles of sound barrier walls along northbound I-81, improving the southbound exit 137 off-ramp intersection at Wildwood Road and adding interchange lighting at exits 137, 140 and 141 are also included in the project. Expected completion in early 2026.
SLOW ROLLS: A slow roll operation may be in place daily, Monday through Friday, between mile marker 101 and 105 northbound and between mile marker 109 and 105 southbound, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
LANE CLOSURES: Nighttime alternating lane closures will be in place on I-81 northbound between mile markers 104-106 from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.
ROUTE 605: Alternating lane closures and flagging operations will be present on Route 605, located under the New River Bridge, for work overhead on the bridge.
SLOW ROLLS: Slow rolls may be utilized periodically on both the northbound and southbound lanes from mile marker 98-109 for structural steel deliveries and setting beams.
I-81 BRIDGE DECK REPAIRS – Weather permitting, crews will repair bridge decks on Interstate 81. Between mile markers 170 to 95, right and left lane closures will be in place northbound and southbound during nighttime hours, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning. Drivers should watch for signs and expect possible delays