TRAFFIC ALERT: NIGHTTIME ROAD WORK SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTS TRAFFIC IN THE ROANOKE VALLEY THIS WEEK

The Virginia Department of Transportation advises motorists to expect nighttime road work that will significantly impact traffic on Interstate 81, Interstate 581, Peters Creek Road and Plantation Road in the Roanoke Valley this week.  All of this work is weather dependent and could be rescheduled.

Tuesday, April 22

* ROUTE 117 (PETERS CREEK ROAD) SIGN REPLACEMENT WORK – A large overhead sign on Route 117 (Peters Creek Road) at the I-581 interchange in Roanoke will be replaced.  A crane will be brought in to replace the sign.  State Police will block off the section of Peters Creek Road at I-581 beginning at 10 p.m. stopping traffic for 15 minutes at a time.  Both lanes in each direction of Peters Creek Road will be impacted.  

* INTERSTATE 581 SIGN REPLACEMENT – Crews will replace an overhead sign on northbound I-581 at the I-81 interchange in Roanoke County.  Weather permitting, during the late night hours, the large crane will move from Peters Creek Road into position to replace the sign on northbound I-581.  After midnight, State Police will use a rolling roadblock to control traffic on northbound I-581, stopping traffic for only 15 minutes at a time in the early morning hours on Wednesday, April 23.   All three lanes of northbound I-581 will be impacted.

Wednesday, April 23 and Thursday, April 24

* INTERSTATE 81 DETOUR AT EXIT 146 – As part of the ongoing work on the Plantation Road bridge over Interstate 81 at Exit 146 (Hollins) in Roanoke County, the contractor will temporarily detour I-81 traffic from passing beneath the bridge while sections of the bridge are removed.  During these operations, I-81 traffic will be routed onto the exit ramps to proceed across Plantation Road and then back onto the interstate.  Plantation Road traffic will be able to access I-81, but drivers will need to use caution and expect delays.  Flaggers will control traffic on Plantation Road.

I-81 traffic will need to be routed onto the ramps at Exit 146 four times during the next few weeks:  two nights for northbound I-81 on Wednesday, April 23 and Thursday, April 24 and two nights for southbound I-81 on Wednesday, April 30 and Thursday, May 1.  Weather permitting, work will be performed between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night.

For traffic information on these work zones and other major roads throughout Virginia, go to www.511Virginia.org or dial 511.