May 20, 2009

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) plans to help ease Memorial Day holiday weekend travel by opening lanes temporarily closed for construction or maintenance work on major roadways.

The lanes will be open from noon Friday, May 22, until noon Tuesday, May 26. Long-term construction zones with concrete barriers and orange barrels will remain in place.

The following areas may pose delays for motorists over the three-day holiday weekend:

BRISTOL DISTRICT

Interstate 81 at mile marker 43 (Smyth County) – Bridge repairs will cause northbound and southbound lane closures.

Interstates 77 and 81 overlap (Wythe County) – Historically high traffic volumes could slow or stop vehicles in this area.

HAMPTON ROADS DISTRICT

Interstate 64 HOV lanes – On Monday, May 25, HOV restrictions will be lifted on I-64. The reversible roadway will be open to all westbound traffic from 1 a.m. until 11 a.m., and then to all eastbound traffic from 1 p.m. until 11 p.m.

Interstate 64 Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) – Motorists traveling to Virginia Beach are encouraged to use the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) as an alternative to the HRBT. To Virginia Beach, take I-664 south to the MMMBT, take the Portsmouth/Norfolk exit (exit 15A) to I-264 east to Virginia Beach.

Interstate 64 Chesapeake (Exits 289-291) – The Battlefield Boulevard project is in the final phase of construction. All eastbound lanes are open, including the new braided ramps. Motorists can visit www.i64info.com for the latest project information.

Travel to the Outer Banks – Motorists going to the Outer Banks should use Interstate 664 and the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel to save time. From I-664 south, take I-64 west to exit 292, Chesapeake Expressway/I-464/Route 17. Keep left to continue to the Chesapeake Expressway (Route 168), and take Nags Head/Great Bridge exit 291B to the Outer Banks.

The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry summer schedule begins Memorial Day weekend and ends Labor Day weekend. The ferry schedule is at http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/ferry-jamestown.asp.

LYNCHBURG DISTRICT

Route 501 at Snowden (Amherst County) – Bridge weight postings (16 tons for single unit vehicles and 18 tons for tractor-trailers) will be lifted on Friday, May 22.

Route 29, Carter Glass Bridge over James River (Amherst County) – Painting will cause a permanent southbound lane closure and temporary northbound lane closures.

Route 644 (Appomattox County): Closed for bridge replacement.

Route 15 over Route15/360 Bypass (Charlotte County) – One lane controlled by signal for bridge rehabilitation.

Route 92 over Staunton River (Charlotte County) – Bridge closed indefinitely at Charlotte/Halifax county line.

Route 45 between Routes 611 and 614 (Charlotte County) – There will be a 35 mph speed limit in the work zone. There will be one lane only 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with flaggers and pilot vehicles assisting during construction.

Route 707 (Charlotte County): Closed because of fire that destroyed bridge.

Route 29 over Banister River (Pittsylvania County) – Alternating lane closures and possible delays during joint replacement and epoxy overlays.

Route 838 between Routes 718 and 703 (Pittsylvania County) – Closed to through traffic for pipe installation.

Route 15 over Route 460 (Prince Edward County) – Restricted to one 11-foot lane in work zone.

NORTHERN VIRGINIA DISTRICT

VDOT will suspend all lane closures at the following interstate construction projects from noon on Friday, May 22, until noon Tuesday, May 26:

Interstate 95 widening between Woodbridge, exit 160 (Route 123), and Fairfax County Parkway, exit 166 (Route 7100)
I-495 HOT lanes
I-66 at Route 29 in Gainesville

SALEM DISTRICT

Interstate 81/Route 100 (Montgomery County) – Repairs to I-81 bridge over Route 100 have closed two ramps at exit 89. Northbound Route 100 traffic should use Honaker Road to enter southbound I-81 at exit 86. To exit southbound I-81 onto southbound Route 100, motorists should take exit 92 and use Kirby Road.

Interstate 77 (Carroll County) – Bridge work has reduced the speed limit to 55 mph on northbound and southbound I-77 at mile marker 23.6 near Poplar Camp. Two lanes of traffic are open in each direction but have been shifted to the paved shoulders.

Route 11 (Montgomery County) – Bridge replacement over Plum Creek near Radford has reduced traffic to one lane, and a temporary signal is controlling traffic.

Route 58 (Carroll County) – Drainage structure installation has reduced westbound traffic to one lane near Woodlawn.

Route 58 (Carroll County) – Bypass construction has reduced traffic to one lane in each direction just west of Hillsville. The speed limit is 35 mph.

Route 220 Business (Henry County) – Bridge replacement has closed road to traffic between Route 639 and Mica Road. The bridge is near the Route 87 intersection in Ridgeway. Motorists should seek alternate routes around the closure.

Route 220 (Franklin County) – The exit ramp from northbound Route 220 onto northbound Route 220 Business is closed for bridge work. The ramp is just south of Rocky Mount in the Doe Run area. Detour signs advise motorists to use the Route 40 exit.

Route 221 (Bedford County) – Road widening has reduced traffic to one lane in each direction west of Forest. The speed limit is 35 mph.

STAUNTON DISTRICT

Route 629 (Deerfield Valley Road) – Road work continues because of a rock slide that closed the road between Route 250 and Route 716 (West Augusta Road). Use Route 716 to connect to Route 250 and Route 629.

Route 774 (Cline River Road, New Hope) – Work to replace a bridge over Middle River has closed Route 774 northbound and southbound between Route 608 (Battlefield Road) and Route 775 (Craig Shop Road) in Augusta County. Suggested detour: Northbound traffic take Route 608 to Route 778 (Knightly Mill Road) to Route 775 to Route 774. Southbound traffic take reverse of northbound detour.

Route 794 (Sangers Lane) – Work to replace a bridge over Christians Creek has closed Route 794 eastbound and westbound between Route 792 (Basley Road) and Route 642 (Barren Ridge Road) in Augusta County. Suggested detour: Westbound traffic take Route 792 south to Route 250 (Jefferson Highway) east to Route 642 north to Route 794. Eastbound traffic take reverse of westbound detour.