VDOT is apologizing to the many drivers who faced long morning commutes heading up to Christiansburg, the result of some paving work that didn’t work as planned. The southbound highway was closed overnight with plans to reopen it by 6:00 a.m. But when some important equipment broke down, the work was not completed until 9:15, creating lengthy backups to work. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
(Continue reading for the full VDOT news release.)
EQUIPMENT BREAKDOWN ON INTERSTATE 81 TRUCK CLIMBING LANE PAVING EXTENDED DETOUR INTO MORNING HOURS
SALEM – An equipment breakdown extended a nighttime detour on the Interstate 81 truck climbing lane construction project in Montgomery County into daytime hours this morning.
Traffic was being detoured off southbound Interstate 81 at exit 132 (Dixie Caverns) onto Route 11/460 due to milling and paving on the project. The detour was implemented around 9 p.m. last night and was expected to be removed by 6 a.m. this morning.
As part of the operation, pavement was milled out of one of the travel lanes on southbound I-81 near mile marker 121, but an equipment breakdown halted work before the new pavement could be put down.
The pavement had to be replaced before southbound I-81 could reopen to traffic. The detour was removed at 9:15 a.m. this morning.
Weather permitting, another nighttime detour on southbound I-81 is scheduled for tonight starting at 9 p.m. The detour is expected to be removed by 6 a.m. on Thursday morning.
