News Flash

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in conjunction with design-build contractor Branch Civil Inc. will hold a “Pardon Our Dust” public information meeting on Thursday, January 22 to discuss construction impacts and traffic management for upcoming roadwork on Interstate 81 in Roanoke and Botetourt counties.

The meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Lord Botetourt High School located at 1435 Roanoke Road in Daleville. There will be a brief presentation given at 5:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. and representatives will answer questions and provide information. 

Interstate 81 will be widened to add one lane in each direction between exits 143 and 150. The project also includes replacing bridges over eight crossings on I-81 and installing more than 1.5 miles of sound barrier along the northbound lanes. Two ramps at exit 150 will be realigned and one will be removed. The improvements are intended to reduce crashes, lessen delays and enhance crash response times.

This widening project is part of the Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP), which aims to improve safety, increase reliability and foster economic growth. The Commonwealth Transportation Board awarded a $361 million design-build contract for this project in July 2024. Construction started in summer 2025 and is expected to finish in summer 2031. 

The I-81 CIP includes 65 capital projects and numerous operational improvements throughout the interstate's 325-mile corridor in Virginia. The nearly $4 billion program was signed into law in spring 2019. More information is available at Improve81.org.

Roanoke County - Weather permitting, starting in early January, drivers on a section of Route 11 (Williamson Road) in Roanoke County can expect a long-term traffic shift as part of a project to construct a new sidewalk. 

The southbound lane of Williamson Road will be closed between Route 1821 (Greenway Drive) and Route 836 (Plymouth Drive). Drivers will use the center turn lane to drive south on Williamson Road during construction. 

As part of the project, a 200 foot section of Plymouth Drive near its intersection with Williamson Road will be closed for approximately two weeks this spring. Drivers will need to use alternate routes during this closure.  

Electronic message boards and signs will be in place to alert drivers to the upcoming changes in traffic pattern. Message boards will be updated with the most current schedule.  

The shift will be in place until the project is completed in spring 2026. 

ROANOKE, Va. – The Blue Ridge Parkway is implementing a full road closure and detour along the park’s corridor in Roanoke, Virginia, from milepost 95.9 at Montvale Overlook (south of Peaks of Otter) to milepost 106, near U.S. Route 460, beginning April 14, 2025. This nine-mile closure is the next phase in the previously announced repaving and rehabilitation, Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Funded project.

A signed detour will direct travelers around the closure via route(s) Hwy 43 through Bedford, Virginia and Route 460 north of Vinton. A full closure to all uses including vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists will be in place between milepost 95.9 and 106 to ensure the safety of Parkway visitors and staff. Appalachian Trail hikers should coordinate arrangements for any support at Montvale Overlook or points further north on the Parkway.

The 75-million-dollar project, jointly managed by the Federal Highway Administration, includes slope stabilization, road resurfacing, repair or replacement of drainage structures, curbs, walks, shoulders, guardrails, stone walls, overlooks, pavement markings, and signage. The project has been ongoing with single-lane closures since last summer. The shift to a full road closure is part of the project’s planned phase structure.

In order to maintain access to Explore Park, and as work continues in the coming months, the project will also involve a series of smaller closures between milepost 106, near U.S. Route 460, and milepost 121, near U.S. Route 220. The target completion for both phases, from milepost 97 to milepost 106 and from milepost 106 to milepost 121, is Fall of 2026. Updated road status and detour maps can be found on the Blue Ridge Parkway’s website.

GAOA is part of a concerted effort to address the extensive maintenance and repair backlog in national parks. Including this project, the Blue Ridge Parkway is slated to receive more than $200 million from GAOA for multiple projects to address long-needed infrastructure improvements that will improve the visitor experience for a park that welcomed 16.7 million visitors in 2024.

Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA's Legacy Restoration Fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to the National Park Service to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.

The 75-million-dollar project, jointly managed by the Federal Highway Administration, includes slope stabilization, road resurfacing, repair or replacement of drainage structures, curbs, walks, shoulders, guardrails, stone walls, overlooks, pavement markings, and signage. The project has been ongoing with single-lane closures since last summer. The shift to a full road closure is part of the project’s planned phase structure.

The Route 220 and Route 419 interchange will be reconfigured with a diverging diamond concept and multiple intersections on both Route 220 and Route 419 will be modified to enhance signal timing and reduce congestion. 

The intersections on Route 220 are at Valley Avenue/Southern Hills Drive, Crossbow Circle/Pheasant Ridge Road, Buck Mountain Road/Stable Road and Indian Grave Road/Clearbrook Village Lane. 

The intersections on Route 419 are at Ogden Road, Elm View Road and South Peak Boulevard. With multiple activities scheduled, completion at different locations will take place throughout the life of the project. 

Expected completion is fall 2028.