Recently Completed: Rockingham County – Route 720 (Smithland Road/Old Furnace Road) Bridge over Interstate 81

This project is located on Route 720 (Smithland Road/Old Furnace Road) in the area of the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County line. The bridge over Interstate 81 has been replaced with a new structure. The old bridge was built in 1960 and had reached the end of its service life.

The new bridge was constructed in the existing bridge location but is approximately three feet higher. The bridge has two through lanes and five-foot shoulders. The intersection of Route 720 and Buffalo Drive has been improved to connect with the increased elevation of Smithland Road.

In 2011 Route 720 had an average daily traffic count of 4,100 vehicles per day.  By the design year of 2039 the estimated average daily traffic volume is 6,610 vehicles per day.

Construction began in summer 2022. The new bridge opened to traffic in November 2023.

Benefits 

This project enhances safety on Route 720 by replacing a deteriorating bridge structure with a new bridge that is able to support modern traffic both in volume and vehicle weights. The height of the new bridge increases vehicle clearance for I-81 traffic.