Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) recently added 31 Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Plan Projects to the state’s Six-Year Improvement Program. The CTB is a 17-member group, appointed by the governor, that allocates highway funding, designates routes and funds airports, seaports and public transportation.
Some of the major funded projects in and around the HRMPO region are as follows:
- Widen northbound and southbound from Exit 243 to 248 (Harrisonburg)
- Widen northbound and southbound from Exit 222 to Exit 225 (Staunton)
- Add northbound and southbound truck climbing lanes (Weyers Cave)
- Widen northbound and southbound from Exit 313 to Exit 317 (Winchester)
Established by the General Assembly of Virginia, the I-81 Advisory Committee provides advice and recommendations to the CTB regarding the development of the I-81 Corridor Improvement Plan. The projects were advanced based on data-driven factors, such as cost, safety, congestion, reliability, and readiness for construction. The projects slated for advancement include truck climbing lanes, widening efforts and extensions of acceleration and deceleration lanes. Smaller projects have a construction horizon of 2-3 years, but larger widening and capacity projects have a 7-14 year horizon until construction. The construction timelines largely depend on whether capital projects are “pay as you go” or bonded. Bonded capital projects can be built sooner because the funds become availble sooner.
To see Jeff Lineberry’s presentation on the latest updates for the I-81 Corridor Improvement Plan, please click here.
For more information, please visit the CTB’s I-81 project website: www.va81corridor.org.
The Office of the Governor’s full March 28th, 2019 press release regarding I-81 Improvement Plan Amendments is available here: Governor Northam Announces Amendments to Fund $2 Billion I-81 Improvement Plan.