Governor Glenn Youngkin yesterday announced that the Commonwealth of Virginia has taken major strides to enhance safety, reduce congestion and improve the reliability of Interstate 81, unlocking this vital corridor for continued economic growth.
“From Winchester to Bristol, Interstate 81 is the backbone of western Virginia, playing a critical role in supporting our state’s economy,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “We’re making unprecedented investments in the 325 miles of Interstate 81 which run through the Commonwealth, accelerating critical widening and safety projects to completion, while making a real difference for the people who drive this corridor and depend on it as an economic engine for the region. I’m proud of the collective work with the General Assembly over the last three and a half years to allocate an additional $245 million towards Interstate 81 improvements.”
“Advancing the $4 billion Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program has been a top priority of Governor Youngkin’s administration,” said Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III. “As we continue to make historic investments and improvements along I-81, we’ll begin to see more safety vests, orange cones, warning signs and flashing lights as larger construction projects get underway. I urge everyone driving the corridor to be patient and extra cautious as we work to make this road safer and more efficient for everyone.”
The I-81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP), valued at almost $4 billion, funds 65 construction projects, hundreds of individual traffic operations upgrades, and enhancements to transit and passenger rail service along the I-81 Corridor. The Program is funded by revenues dedicated by the Code of Virginia to the corridor and an additional $245 million in General Fund moneys approved by the Governor through the Virginia State Budget.
Of the 65 construction projects, 37 projects have been completed, including three truck-climbing lanes, eight curve improvements, and 26 merge-lane extensions at challenging interchanges. Traffic operations improvements have also been implemented, consisting of dozens of new digital message boards and traffic cameras, intersection upgrades along key parallel routes, and towing industry incentives for quick clearance of crashes and other incidents.
In addition to the completed projects, there are 14 I-81 CIP construction projects currently underway. They include additional travel lanes near Bristol, Salem, Staunton and Strasburg, new truck-climbing lanes at the Augusta-Rockingham county line, and numerous interchange improvements in the Wytheville area.
“We have not seen this level of construction along I-81 since the interstate was built more than 50 years ago,” said Virginia Department of Transportation Commissioner Stephen C. Brich. “And there are still many improvements on the horizon.”
“A lot of safety improvements are happening on Interstate 81,” said Senator Mark D. Obenshain. “I was pleased to carry the legislation which created the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program, and as Chair of the I-81 Advisory Committee my priority will be to continue to seek funding for I-81 safety improvements to make this interstate even more reliable and safe. I appreciate the work Governor Youngkin and his team have done to advance safety projects on this critical corridor, making life better for citizens and visitors who drive through the Commonwealth of Virginia on Interstate 81.”
“As vice-chair of the I-81 Advisory Committee, I’m pleased to see the ongoing transformation along this critical transportation artery,” said Delegate Terry L. Austin. “I’m proud of the work we’ve accomplished with Governor Youngkin to deliver these historic investments that are making travel along the I-81 Corridor safer, more reliable, and more efficient. This effort is a long-term commitment to improving quality of life and unlocking sustained economic growth and opportunity in western Virginia, and I look forward to identifying new areas of improvement as we work toward completing the first tranche of projects.”
By early 2026, construction on major widening projects in the Roanoke and Harrisonburg areas will begin. Design and engineering work are underway for additional travel lanes near Winchester, in Rockbridge County, and between Salem and Christiansburg. All of the projects currently in the I-81 CIP are scheduled for completion by 2035.
This year, Virginia is taking a fresh look at Interstate 81 through a year-long corridor study to identify the next group of needs to be addressed. Public meetings are being held July 14-17 along the corridor to share detailed crash and congestion data along with potential solutions. Public input at the meetings and through an online survey will be essential for helping identify the greatest needs and prioritize potential improvements. Following another round of public input this fall, a final report will be delivered to the Commonwealth Transportation Board