VDOT Slates Open House In Fairfield
The Virginia Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing next month concerning the proposed widening of Interstate 81 southbound from about mile marker 205 at Raphine to mile marker 200 at Fairfield.
The open-house meeting will take place between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Fairfield Elementary School.
The total estimated cost for this project is $116.6 million, including $7.8 million for preliminary engineering, $483,000 for right of way and $108.3 million for construction.
With design approval slated for this spring, the project is scheduled to start in the summer of 2028.
The widening to three lanes will occur toward the median and will include replacement of the southbound I-81 bridge over Sterrett Road at exit 200. The existing bridge is two lanes wide and will be widened to three lanes.
In 2023, southbound I-81 had an average daily traffic count of 24,000 vehicles per day. By the design year of 2053 the estimated average daily traffic volume is 31,000 vehicles per day. In 2022, Sterrett Road had an average daily traffic count of 3,298 vehicles per day. By the design year of 2053, the estimated average daily traffic volume is 3,800 vehicles per day.
This project is part of the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP). The nearly $4 billion CIP includes 65 construction projects plus operational improvements along I-81 in Virginia to enhance safety, reduce congestion and unlock the region for further economic growth. Find out more at Improve81.org. The website includes interactive maps, videos and podcasts, and details about upcoming and current projects Citizens can come in during the meeting hours on Feb. 17 and discuss the project on a one-on-one basis with VDOT officials and designers. Written comments can be submitted at the meeting or within 10 days after the meeting date to Tracey Bowman, Project Manager, Virginia Department of Transportation, 811 Commerce Road, Staunton, VA 24401-9029. Oral comments can be recorded at the meeting with the assistance of a court reporter. -Rep. Ben Cline announced last week that the U.S. House of Representatives had just passed the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill, taking the next step toward securing $17 million for improvements along Interstate 81.
A press release from his office stated that this latest investment, secured by Cline, will support critical upgrades and potential widening along the corridor and reflects his advocacy for Virginia’s Sixth District through the House Appropriations Committee. The bill is awaiting final approval in the Senate.
