| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Tamara Neale 804-786-6458 tamara.neale@Virginiadot.org |
CO-0455 Dec. 21, 2004 |
VDOT TO LIMIT CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKENDS
RICHMOND—The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will limit construction operations on interstate and primary roads to ease holiday traffic over the Christmas and New Year’s weekends. Short-term lane closures used to help crews conduct construction and maintenance projects will be restricted from 6 a.m. Dec. 24 until 6 a.m. Dec. 27 and again from 6 a.m. Dec. 31 until 6 a.m. Jan. 3. Work may continue behind concrete barriers.
Motorists are urged to obey the posted speed limits and pay attention to the orange signs, which guide drivers through work zones.
Major work zones across the state:
I-95, Northern Virginia
Springfield Interchange – build more than 50 bridges and widen I-95 to 24 lanes between the Capital Beltway and Franconia Road. For more information, go to www.springfieldinterchange.com or call 1-877-959-5222.
Woodrow Wilson Bridge – build a new bridge crossing and reconstruct almost seven miles of the Capital Beltway and four surrounding interchanges. For more information, go to www.wilsonbridge.com or call 1-877-463-6992.
I-64, Henrico County
Acca Yard Bridge – replace the steel support beams and bridge deck and widen the I-64 bridge over the ACCA railroad switching yard just west of the I-64/I-95 Bryan Park interchange. Lanes are narrowed through construction area.
I-64, Hampton Roads
Coliseum Central Highway Improvement Project – widen I-64 and improve interchanges between the I-664 split and Hampton Roads Center Parkway. Barriers are set up to funnel traffic through the project.
I-64, Shenandoah Valley
All traffic is shifted to the eastbound bridge near mile marker 18 east of Covington in Alleghany County due to reconstruction of bridges over the Jackson River.
Route 460, Salem
Work continues to widen East Main Street (Route 460) between Kessler Mill Road and Route 419. Traffic across the Mason Creek bridge is reduced to one lane in each direction. Lakehurst Avenue traffic will need to use Route 419.
I-77, Wythe County
I-77 bridges over the New River and Route 52 are being rebuilt. Motorists should be prepared to lower their speed limit through the work zone.
Due to high traffic volumes expected over the holiday season, be alert to the possibility of slowed or stopped traffic in the I-77/I-81 overlap in Wythe County.
U.S. 29, Amherst County
U.S. 29 is one lane in each direction due to a long-term work zone. The speed limit is reduced to 45 miles per hour.
Other travel information:
Route 288, Richmond region
The final portion of Route 288 between Lucks Lane and Midlothian Turnpike (Route 60) in Chesterfield County opened to traffic. The final link allows motorists to make a continuous 32-mile trip from I-64 in Goochland County to I-95 in Chesterfield County.
Chesapeake Expressway, ferry operations
Motorists headed to the Outer Banks may want to take the Chesapeake Expressway, which is a toll road, to save time. For more information on the toll road, visit www.chesapeakeexpressway.com.
The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry will operate on its normal schedule. New, increased security measures are in place at the ferry. Security guards will conduct random screenings of passengers and their vehicles in an effort to prevent dangerous substances and devices from boarding the ferry. This is in accordance with the Maritime Transportation Security Act.
Services for motorists:
Smart Tag/ E-ZPass - Virginia’s electronic toll collection system is part of the E-ZPass network. Motorists can use either Smart Tag or E-ZPass on many toll facilities from Virginia to Massachusetts. For more information go to www.EZPassVA.com or call 1-877-762-7824.
Emergency Operations Center and VDOT's Web site - VDOT's Emergency Operations Center in Richmond oversees the Virginia Highway Helpline, a toll-free number motorists can call to learn about highway conditions or to report problems. There is also a Highway Helpline page on VDOT's Web site. For information about current road and traffic conditions, call VDOT's 24-hour Highway Helpline 1-800-367-ROAD, or visit www.VirginiaDOT.org.
511 Travel Information Service - I-81 travelers can dial 511 or visit www.511Virginia.org
for information on current driving conditions, incidents, weather, regional tourist sites, food, lodging and emergency services. Telephone customers outside the I-81 region can access the 511 service by dialing 1-800-578-4111.
Safety Service Patrols - To aid stranded motorists, VDOT's Safety Service Patrols provide basic automobile repair and first aid. They also respond to traffic crashes and help provide traffic control. The patrols operate on major highways in VDOT's Northern Virginia, Fredericksburg, Hampton Roads and Salem districts.
Smart Traffic Centers - VDOT operates Smart Traffic Centers in Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads and Staunton. Staffed around the clock, these centers monitor road conditions with the help of video cameras located above busy highway corridors. The Smart Traffic Centers warn motorists about traffic back-ups, crashes and other adverse road conditions through electronic message boards and highway advisory radio.
Motorists are urged to obey the posted speed limits and pay attention to the orange signs, which guide drivers through work zones.
Major work zones across the state:
I-95, Northern Virginia
Springfield Interchange – build more than 50 bridges and widen I-95 to 24 lanes between the Capital Beltway and Franconia Road. For more information, go to www.springfieldinterchange.com or call 1-877-959-5222.
Woodrow Wilson Bridge – build a new bridge crossing and reconstruct almost seven miles of the Capital Beltway and four surrounding interchanges. For more information, go to www.wilsonbridge.com or call 1-877-463-6992.
I-64, Henrico County
Acca Yard Bridge – replace the steel support beams and bridge deck and widen the I-64 bridge over the ACCA railroad switching yard just west of the I-64/I-95 Bryan Park interchange. Lanes are narrowed through construction area.
I-64, Hampton Roads
Coliseum Central Highway Improvement Project – widen I-64 and improve interchanges between the I-664 split and Hampton Roads Center Parkway. Barriers are set up to funnel traffic through the project.
I-64, Shenandoah Valley
All traffic is shifted to the eastbound bridge near mile marker 18 east of Covington in Alleghany County due to reconstruction of bridges over the Jackson River.
Route 460, Salem
Work continues to widen East Main Street (Route 460) between Kessler Mill Road and Route 419. Traffic across the Mason Creek bridge is reduced to one lane in each direction. Lakehurst Avenue traffic will need to use Route 419.
I-77, Wythe County
I-77 bridges over the New River and Route 52 are being rebuilt. Motorists should be prepared to lower their speed limit through the work zone.
Due to high traffic volumes expected over the holiday season, be alert to the possibility of slowed or stopped traffic in the I-77/I-81 overlap in Wythe County.
U.S. 29, Amherst County
U.S. 29 is one lane in each direction due to a long-term work zone. The speed limit is reduced to 45 miles per hour.
Other travel information:
Route 288, Richmond region
The final portion of Route 288 between Lucks Lane and Midlothian Turnpike (Route 60) in Chesterfield County opened to traffic. The final link allows motorists to make a continuous 32-mile trip from I-64 in Goochland County to I-95 in Chesterfield County.
Chesapeake Expressway, ferry operations
Motorists headed to the Outer Banks may want to take the Chesapeake Expressway, which is a toll road, to save time. For more information on the toll road, visit www.chesapeakeexpressway.com.
The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry will operate on its normal schedule. New, increased security measures are in place at the ferry. Security guards will conduct random screenings of passengers and their vehicles in an effort to prevent dangerous substances and devices from boarding the ferry. This is in accordance with the Maritime Transportation Security Act.
Services for motorists:
Smart Tag/ E-ZPass - Virginia’s electronic toll collection system is part of the E-ZPass network. Motorists can use either Smart Tag or E-ZPass on many toll facilities from Virginia to Massachusetts. For more information go to www.EZPassVA.com or call 1-877-762-7824.
Emergency Operations Center and VDOT's Web site - VDOT's Emergency Operations Center in Richmond oversees the Virginia Highway Helpline, a toll-free number motorists can call to learn about highway conditions or to report problems. There is also a Highway Helpline page on VDOT's Web site. For information about current road and traffic conditions, call VDOT's 24-hour Highway Helpline 1-800-367-ROAD, or visit www.VirginiaDOT.org.
511 Travel Information Service - I-81 travelers can dial 511 or visit www.511Virginia.org
for information on current driving conditions, incidents, weather, regional tourist sites, food, lodging and emergency services. Telephone customers outside the I-81 region can access the 511 service by dialing 1-800-578-4111.
Safety Service Patrols - To aid stranded motorists, VDOT's Safety Service Patrols provide basic automobile repair and first aid. They also respond to traffic crashes and help provide traffic control. The patrols operate on major highways in VDOT's Northern Virginia, Fredericksburg, Hampton Roads and Salem districts.
Smart Traffic Centers - VDOT operates Smart Traffic Centers in Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads and Staunton. Staffed around the clock, these centers monitor road conditions with the help of video cameras located above busy highway corridors. The Smart Traffic Centers warn motorists about traffic back-ups, crashes and other adverse road conditions through electronic message boards and highway advisory radio.
Page last modified: Dec. 21, 2004
