VDOT News - Bristol

BRISTOL – In an effort to keep motorists informed, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) provides weekly information about highway construction and maintenance projects in southwestern Virginia. When traveling through highway work zones, use caution and be alert to changes in traffic patterns and slow-moving or stopped traffic.

To help motorists take the guesswork out of travel plans, call VDOT’s 511 or visit http://www.511virginia.org for real-time traffic information.

Entries with asterisks (***) indicate the listing is new or the status of the project has changed since last week’s traffic alert.

INTERSTATE PROJECTS

Interstate 81 – truck climbing lanes: A project is underway to add a truck climbing lane to Interstate 81 northbound near mile marker 39 in Smyth County. The roadway shoulder is closed during construction. Pay close attention to work zone signs. (Completion: May 2024)

Interstate 81 - Exit 17: Work continues to improve the Interstate 81 Exit 17 area. The exit 17 project includes improvements to the northbound on and off ramps, improvements to a segment of Route 75, reconstruction and relocation of Gravel Lake Road, lengthening the I-81 southbound on ramp, and relocation of the frontage road located adjacent to the northbound exit 17 off ramp. The speed limit on I-81 is 60mph through the work zone. (Completion: Early Fall 2023)

***Interstates 81 and 77 maintenance activities: Be alert to the following lane closures due to interstate maintenance activities:

Interstate 81
- Nighttime paving operations southbound between mile markers 13 and 10 in Washington County.
- Nighttime bridge replacement activities north and southbound between mile markers 83 and 85 in Wythe County.
- Nighttime rumble strip installation northbound between mile markers 83 and 86 in Wythe County.
- Nighttime rumble strip installation southbound between exits 14 and 10 in Washington County.
- Daytime super load move northbound between exits 72 and 81 in Wythe County.
- Nighttime super load move northbound from the Virginia/Tennessee line to mile marker 205 through Washington, Smyth, and Wythe counties.
- Nighttime bridge deck repairs north and southbound near exit 29 in Washington County.
- Nighttime bridge deck repairs northbound near mile markers 49 and 51 in Smyth County.
- Nighttime soil borings north and southbound between exit 45 and mile marker 46 in the Marion area of Smyth County.

Interstate 77
- Nighttime tunnel washing north and southbound at the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel between mile markers 45 and 51 in Bland County.
- Daytime super load move southbound between mile markers 68 and 39 and exit 32 to the Virginia/North Carolina line in Bland and Wythe counties.

PRIMARY HIGHWAYS AND HIGH TRAFFIC SECONDARY ROADS:

Bland County
Route 604 (Walkers Creek Road): Be alert to periodic closures on Route 604 (Walkers Creek Road) in Bland County due to a bridge replacement project located 3.6 miles from Route 42 and three miles from Route 608 (Skydusky Road). Motorists are advised to watch for changing conditions, obey construction signs, and follow detours throughout this time-period. (Completion: March 2024)

Buchanan County
***Bridge Inspections: Temporary road closures will be in place during bridge inspections in Buchanan County at the following bridges: Route 1025 (Meeting House Road) over Levisa River October 11 (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.), Route 733 (Boundary Road) over Levisa River October 12 (9 a.m. – 12 p.m.), and Route 755 (Stiltners Bottom Road) over Levisa River October 12 (12 p.m. – 3 p.m.).

Route 632 (Page Drive): A 1.5-mile section of Route 632 (Page Drive) has been closed between the intersections of Route 626 (Chambers Road) and Ballenger Road in Buchanan County. The section of roadway is being relocated by Buchanan Materials as part of their coal preparation plan expansion. Pay close attention to detour signs in the area. (Completion: August 2024)

Route 460/121 Poplar Creek Phase A: Construction of Route 460/121 Poplar Creek Phase A is underway in Buchanan County. Route 604 (Poplar Creek Road) is on a temporary alignment. The Poplar Creek Phase A project created a permanent change for Route 614 (Woods Fork). Access to the north and south ends of Route 614 is via Routes 609 (Bulls Creek Road) and Route 604 (Polar Creek Road), respectively, which connect to Route 460 west of Grundy.

Route 460/121 Poplar Creek Phase B: Work on Route 460/121 Poplar Creek Phase B is underway in Buchanan County. Work is taking place from near Route 604 (Poplar Creek Road) to current Route 460 in Grundy.

Dickenson County
Route 83 Roundabout at Food City: Construction of a roundabout at Route 83 and Main Street in Clintwood is underway. Main Street traffic is detoured to Chase Street. Be alert to workers and pay close attention to work zone signs. (Completion: late 2023)

Lee County
Route 23 bridge replacement: A project to replace the north and southbound Route 23 bridges over Norfolk Southern Railroad in Lee County near Jasper is underway. Be alert to one-lane traffic in each direction. Two-way traffic is running on the southbound side. (Completion: Fall 2024)

Russell County
Route 687 bridge replacement: Replacement of the bridge on Route 687 over Route 63 in the Dante area of Russell County is temporarily postponed while a temporary access road is built in the area of Roanoke Hill. Construction on the access road is expected to take approximately two months. Once the access road is built, Route 687 at the bridge will be closed to allow for the removal of the existing bridge and the construction of a new bridge. This will require temporary signals to be reinstalled on Route 63 to control one-way traffic during construction of the new bridge over Route 63. (Completion: October 2024)

***Route 635 (Maple Gap Road) pipe replacement: A pipe replacement project will take place on Route 635 (Maple Gap Road) in Russell County October 10. The pipe is located 0.3 miles south of the Route 635/Route 67 intersection. Road will be closed for approximately four hours. Traffic will be allowed through for emergency situations. Be alert to signs and message boards.

Smyth County
Route 622 bridge rehab: A project to rehabilitate the Route 622 bridge over Norfolk and Western Railway in Smyth County continues. Be alert to temporary traffic signals at Route 11 and Route 622 (Haven Ridge Road). Motorists should use caution in the area and pay close attention to signs and message boards. (Completion: May 2024)

Tazewell County
***Route 16 (W. Riverside Drive) bridge replacement over Cavitts Creek: Work is underway to replace the Route 16 bridge over Cavitts Creek in Tazewell. The road will be closed October 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Motorists can take a detour using Route 645 (Cavitts Road) or Route 631 (Baptist Valley Road) to access either Route 637 (Cochran Hollow Road) or Route 639 (Earls Branch Road) to Route 19/460. Be alert signs and message boards. (Completion: June 2024)

Washington County
Route 616 (Little Wolf Run Road): A portion of Route 616 (Little Wolf Run Road) in Washington County will be closed October 5 – 26 due to the removal of metal pipes that will be replaced with concrete pipes and headwalls. The project is located 1.5-miles from Route 628 and one mile from Route 629. Pay close attention to detour signs. (Completion: October 26)

Route 58 widening near Damascus: Motorists should be alert to altered traffic patterns through the Route 58 work zone near Damascus while road widening work is underway. (Completion: May 2024)

***Route 11/140 intersection improvements in Abingdon: The project will realign the turn lanes and coordinate traffic signals located at the intersection of Route11/Jonesboro Road and at Jonesboro Road/VHCC Drive (Virginia Highlands Community College entrance). Tuesday night, October 10, the traffic signals will be switched and are expected to be operational Wednesday morning. Be alert to periodic delays and altered traffic patterns. (Completion: October 2023)

Wise County
Alternate Route 58 bridge rehabilitation: A project to repair the Alternate Route 58 bridge over the Guest River and Norfolk Southern Railroad in the City of Norton is underway. (Completion: Fall 2023)

Business Route 23 in Wise: A project to widen a portion of Business Route 23 in the Town of Wise between Route 23 at McDonald’s and Cherry Street is underway. Be alert to flaggers and allow extra travel time. (Completion: December 2023)

Wythe County
Route 619 bridge: The Route 619 bridge over Interstate 81 exit 84 in Wythe County will be closed between Monday, October 2 at 11:59 p.m. and 11 a.m. Tuesday, October 3 due to a bridge deck pour. Outside of the October 2/3 closure time frame, motorists should be alert to one-lane traffic controlled by temporary traffic signals across the Route 619 bridge as well as a width restriction of 9 feet 6 inches. Trucks accessing northbound I-81 at exit 84 should consider taking Route 11 north to exit 86 to access I-81 north to avoid the narrowed lane. (Completion: December 2023)

Route 671 (Crigger Road) bridge: Due to an upcoming bridge replacement project, the Route 671 (Crigger Road) bridge in Wythe County has been restricted to one 11-foot-wide lane and a three-ton weight limit. Construction is scheduled to begin April 2024.

Completed
Route 606 pipe replacement: A pipe replacement project on Route 606 (Grosses Creek Road) in Smyth County is complete. Use caution in the area until paving is finished.

Route 91 slide repairs: Cleanup and repairs to a portion of Route 91 in Tazewell County are complete. Motorists should be alert to workers in the area as finishing work continues.

Route 80: Pipe replacement project along a portion of Route 80 approximately one mile from Route 700 in Washington County is complete.

Route 859 (Roberts Creek Road) bridge replacement: The project to replace the bridge over Roberts Creek on Route 859 (Roberts Creek Road) in Scott County is complete.

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Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.