Motorcycle accident closed 66 Wednesday
I-66 West was shut down by an accident involving a motorcyclist with significant injuries.
The call came in after 3:30 pm Wednesday afternoon near the 10 mile marker in Warren County.
When personnel arrived, they found a bystander rendering aid to a motorcyclist who was down in the roadway.
Emergency Medical Services personnel provided immediate aid and determined air medical transport to a trauma center was needed.
I-66 West was shut down temporarily to allow the arrival of Air Care 4 out of Front Royal.
Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police and Virginia Department of Transportation assisted in traffic control and offered additional assistance throughout the incident.
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Rockslide blocks 522 west of Winchester
A rockslide has blocked all northbound lanes on Route 522 west of Winchester near Hunting Ridge Road.
The four-lane highway is divided in this section so crews are setting up a detour to provide a single southbound and northbound lane through the area.
This traffic pattern will continue until the rockslide can be removed.
VDOT consulted with geologist about the safest and fastest way to remedy the situation.
Geologist content that removing the rocks from the top down would be the best solution.
This process could take as long as a month or more.
Frederick County Sheriff’s Office recommends continued caution and patience through the period until the road is cleared.
Up to date traffic alerts and information can be found at 511Virginia.org.
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VDOT to Hold Public Meeting
The Virginia Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing concerning improvements to Millwood Avenue
(Route 17/50/522) in the City of Winchester.
The meeting will take place from 4 to 6 pm, Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at Rouss City Hall, 15 North Cameron Street,
Winchester, VA 22601
Citizens can come in during the meeting hours and discuss the project on a one-on-one basis with VDOT
officials and designers. Written comments can be submitted at the meeting or within 10 days after
the meeting date to Mr. David Robinson, P.E., Project Manager, Virginia Department of Transportation,
811 Commerce Road, Staunton, VA 24401-9029. Oral comments can be recorded at the meeting with the assistance
of a court reporter.
VDOT and the City of Winchester are proposing improvements along Millwood Avenue in Winchester.
The proposed improvements include two left-turn lanes for westbound Millwood drivers turning onto
Apple Blossom Drive. Also starting at this intersection, eastbound drivers will have a third lane
extending all the way to the I-81 southbound ramp.
The nearby intersection of Millwood and Mall Boulevard will be reconstructed to eliminate the crossover,
including removing the traffic signal and installing a full grass median. This intersection will allow
right turns only, which will improve traffic flow for through traffic on Millwood.
To improve pedestrian access and safety, a new signalized pedestrian crossing next to Abrams
Creek will connect the main campus of Shenandoah University with the South Campus Commons.
This project is adjacent to the VDOT I-81 bridge project at the intersection of Millwood Avenue
and Mall Boulevard. In fact, VDOT is expanding its Millwood Pike bridge project in Frederick County
to tie-in and incorporate these improvements located west of the bridge in the City.
This work will proceed forward as one project, which will enhance safety and traffic flow through this busy corridor.
Pedestrian traffic will be prohibited in the work zone during construction, which is scheduled
to begin in spring 2025 and take about two-and-a-half years to complete. VDOT plans to minimize the
impact on vehicle traffic by constructing the new bridge and its roadway approaches to the north of the
existing ones. Occasional single-lane closures may be needed for the movement of materials and equipment
and during final transition to the new bridge.
The total cost of this project is estimated at 45 million dollars. This includes preliminary engineering,
right-of-way acquisition and construction. The Millwood Pike – Millwood Avenue projects are designed to
accommodate the planned widening of Interstate 81 through the Winchester area, and future improvements
along the Millwood corridor.
The total estimated cost for this project is $6,498,892, including $749,684 for preliminary engineering,
$1,598,511 for right of way and $4,150,697 for construction.
In 2019 Millwood Avenue had an average daily traffic count of 32,000 vehicles per day.
By the design year of 2045 the estimated average daily traffic volume is 61,200 vehicles per day.
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VDOT lifts lane closures for holiday season
The Virginia Department of Transportation announced they would suspend most highway work and lift most lane closures on major roads in Virginia during the holidays to help with traffic flow.
Work will be suspended starting at noon on Friday, December 23 until noon on Tuesday, December 27.
Then it will be suspended again from noon on Friday, December 30 until noon on Tuesday, January 3.
HOV restrictions and rush hour tolls will be lifted for 66’s express lanes from Monday, Dec 26 through Monday, January 2nd.
While lane closures will be lifted, semi-permanent work zones will remain in place during the selected times.
VDOT’s travel-trends map and the free mobile 511 app will continue to keep motorists up to date throughout the holiday season.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
VDOT Mobilizing for Winter Weather
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is mobilizing its equipment and resources in preparation for a winter weather event to impact parts of the Commonwealth Wednesday night into Thursday.
Incoming rain throughout Virginia is forecasted to shift to sleet and freezing rain in the northern, northwestern, and central areas of the Commonwealth beginning around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 and going through the morning of Thursday, Dec. 15. This weather event is expected to impact VDOT’s Staunton, Salem, Culpeper, Northern Virginia and Lynchburg districts.
VDOT is paying close attention to the forecast and preparing for what could be a significant icing event. District crews will not apply liquid pretreatment to roads in areas where the event is forecasted to start as rain, which will wash away the pretreatment application. Crews are preparing equipment and will be ready to treat roadways with salt, sand and abrasives as precipitation transitions to sleet or freezing rain.
Motorists should pay attention to weather forecasts in areas where they plan to drive and delay travel on Thursday morning in the impacted areas, especially along the I-81 corridor, Culpeper and Northern Virginia regions.
Safety and Travel Resources
When winter weather arrives, residents and motorists should plan travel ahead of time, check road conditions, prepare an emergency car kit, follow forecasts and announcements and limit travel based on conditions.
Prior to travel, motorists should visit 511virginia.org, call 511 or check the 511 Virginia
mobile app for up-to-date information on road and traffic conditions.
Visit VDOT’s winter weather page for more information about winter weather preparations and response.
For questions or to report hazardous road conditions, the public should contact VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by visiting my.vdot.virginia.gov or calling 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623).
Statewide Improvements for the 2022-2023 Season
In addition to its traditional year-round snow preparation, VDOT made improvements to address items from the Snow Removal and I-95 Incident Performance Audits by the State Inspector General and the Winter Weather Event and I-95 Interagency After-Action Report by CNA:
Improved contracting to be more flexible, competitive and attractive to contractors to address equipment and personnel shortages.
Improved communications and command structure for better internal and interagency cooperation during crisis events.
Assigned staff to drive routes and report on conditions to supplement traffic cameras.
Acquired a system to allow two-way communications between drivers and VDOT within a defined geographic area.
Continued participation in winter weather exercises, led by The Virginia Department of Emergency Management, to foster interagency cooperation.
Resources and Readiness
In addition to operational improvements, VDOT maintains a number of resources to contend with inclement weather.
$220 million statewide budgeted for winter weather in 2022-2023
11,493 pieces of equipment (VDOT-owned and contracted equipment combined, as of Nov. 30)
Approximately 1,148 vehicle contracts in process, and is continuing to receive additional contract bids (as of Nov. 30)
More than 696,000 tons of salt, sand and treated abrasives, and more than 2.3 million gallons of liquid calcium chloride and salt brine.
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VDOT begins exit 300 improvement project
The Virginia Department of Transportation is planning to shut down the ramp between I-66 westbound and I-81 southbound overnight from November 6th to November 9th.
The ramp and lane closures will take place from 8 pm to 7 am.
During that time, the left southbound lane of I-81 will also be closed between mile marker 303 and 298.
Motorists traveling from 66 to 81 southbound will need to first follow 81 north to exit 302 in Middletown then use that interchange to enter 81 south.
This is the beginning of the exit 300 improvement project which will extend the acceleration lane and replace the bridge over Route 840.
The work zone around the area will then be 55 mph for the remainder of the project.
The project is scheduled for completion in November of 2024 and will cost over $7 million.
For additional information on the project, click here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
VDOT ready for Hurricane Ian
The Virginia Department of Transportation has made statewide preparations for Hurricane Ian.
They anticipate the storm to bring high winds and heavy rain that could down trees and powerlines or result in debris or flooding that would make roadways hazardous.
In preparation for the storm, crews inspected and cleaned drainage structures.
During the storm, they will monitor wind speeds in critical areas like bridges and address inoperable or downed traffic signals.
Travelers should obey road closure signs, be alert for debris, watch for high winds effects on tall vehicles like tractor trailers or box trucks, and remember “turn around, don’t drown” if you see flooded roadways.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
VDOT begins road work tonight 8/30 at state line
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) announced in an email that work on Interstate 81 will begin tonight Aug. 30.
The work will be right at the Virginia State line going into West Virginia starting at 6 p.m. and lasting into tomorrow morning Aug. 31.
Work will then resume Wed. night Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. and last into Thur. morning Sept. 1.
VDOT will be monitoring traffic flow and use signage to redirect traffic if needed.
You can always monitor traffic at all times at 511virginia.org for Virginia or in West Virginia use wv511.org.
Meanwhile motorist in Frederick County can begin using the newly constructed bridge over Opequon Creek today Aug. 30 on Route 522 South.
Work on the bridge began last fall and should be totally complete within mid Sept. for southbound travel weather permitting.
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New 522 bridge scheduled to open
The new bridge over Opequon Creek on Route 522 southbound in Frederick County is scheduled to begin being used on August 30th.
Replacement of the bridge began in the Fall of 2021.
Throughout construction, motorists used temporary travel lanes to share the northbound bridge.
Only the right will open initially as contractors remove the crossover and complete the project’s final steps.
The bridge is expected to fully open both lanes in two weeks.
The project was completed by Fairfield-Echols LLC of Fishersville after being awarded the $2.2 million contract in July 2021.
For more information on the bridge, click here.
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Delays expected near VA-WV line tonight 8/17
Motorists traveling northbound on Interstate 81 near the Virginia-West Virginia line may experience traffic delays this week with pavement repair scheduled in West Virginia.
The first work period will take place in the overnight tonight Aug. 17 from midnight to 6 am with minimal delays expected.
The second work period will begin at 6 pm on Wed. Aug. 17 until midday Thurs. Aug. 18 with significant delays anticipated.
Drivers entering 81 from exit 323 will come to a complete stop before entering the interstate.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will monitor traffic backups and may recommend alternate routes if necessary.
Alternate routes may include Route 37 to 522 northbound or connecting to Route 340 from Route 7 or I-66.
Monitor travel conditions 24 hours a day 365 days a year in Virginia here in West Virginia here be sure to refresh the pages each time you open them.
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