Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Transportation will host a series of public meetings July 14-17 to gather feedback regarding potential improvements along Interstate 81 in Virginia. The in-person meetings are part of Round 2 (Potential Solutions) in the I-81 Corridor Improvement Plan (CIP). An online survey will also be available for the public to provide feedback.
Round 1 (Issue Identification) of the I-81 CIP combined traffic data with online public input to identify safety and congestion issues along the entire 325-mile corridor. Round 2 focuses on potential improvements for interstate segments with the highest rate and severity of crashes, or the most significant traffic delays. This study excludes portions of the interstate where widenings or truck-climbing lanes were recently completed or are under development.
According to VDOT, the public meetings will begin with a brief presentation, followed by an open-house period allowing participants to view large display boards and ask questions of the I-81 CIP study team. The local meeting schedule includes Thursday, July 17, from 5-7 p.m. at the Salem Civic Center
The accompanying Round 2 online survey, which has a translation tool for multiple languages, will be available from July 14 to July 28 on the Improve81 Study Page. Comments can also be sent to va81corridorplan@vdot.virginia.gov or by postal mail to Robert J. Williams, Virginia Department of Transportation, 1401 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
A third round of public input will take place in the fall of 2025 as the I-81 CIP study team further refines the recommended improvements. The full study is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Engagement from motorists, residents, businesses, and other stakeholders is important for the team to develop a new corridor plan that effectively addresses current and future transportation needs on I-81.
The study is being conducted as part of the Interstate Operations and Enhancement Program (IOEP), which is intended to improve safety, reliability and travel flow along interstate highway corridors in the commonwealth through the development and funding of operational and capital improvements.
VDOT completed a similar study on I-81 in 2018, which resulted in the advancement of 65 construction projects worth approximately $3 billion. Information on those projects can be found at Improve81.org
